Penile length of newborns and children in Surakarta, Indonesia

Annang Giri Moelyo; Melita Widyastuti

doi:10.14238/pi53.2.2013.65-9

Annang Giri Moelyo Department of Child Health, Sebelas Maret University Medical School/Moewardi Hospital
Melita Widyastuti Department of Child Health, Sebelas Maret University Medical School/Moewardi Hospital

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14238/pi53.2.2013.65-9

Keywords: penile length, newborn, child, Javanese

Abstract

Background Penile length is a factor for assessing abnormalities in
external genitalia. To diagnose micropenis, a condition in which
penile length is < - 2.5 standard deviations (SD), a reference is
required for diagnosis. Age and race/ethnic groups are factors
that contribute to normal penile length. To date, Indon esia does
not have such a reference for normal penile length in newborns
and children.
Objective To assess normal penile length in newborns and children
in Surakarta, Central Java, in which the majority population is
ofJavanese ethnicity.
Methods We studied male newborns and children who were
patients in Moewardi Hospital from January 2011 to January
2012. We included males aged 0-18 years whose parents provided
informed consent. We excluded children with undescended
testis, hypospadia, ambiguous genitalia, con genital anomalies,
or syndromes (such as Down syndrome). For penile len gth
measurements, we stretched the flaccid penis, depressed the
pubic fat and placed a wooden spatula vertically along the dorsal
penis. The penile length was measured from the penile base
to the tip of the glans excluding the prepuce. Measurements
were performed three times and a mean value was calculated
for each subject.
Results Of the 300 subjects, 100 were newborns and 200 were
children aged 1 month - 18 years. Two hundred ninety-six subjects
(98.7%) were Javanese. The mean penile lengths of preterm
(gestational age 30-36 weeks) and term (gestational age > 36
weeks) newborns were 1.88 (SD 0.14) cm and 2.3 7 (SD 0.26) cm,
respectively. The mean penile lengths by age groupings were as
follows: 0-<6 months, 2.67 (SD 0.58) cm; 6- < 12 months, 2.67
(SD 0.58) cm; 1- <3 years, 2.80 (SD 0.84) cm; 3-<5 years, 3 .50
(SD 0.55) cm; 5- <7 years, 3 .50 (SD 0.71) cm; 7-<9 years, 3 .85
(SD 0.53 ) cm; 9-<ll years, 4.50 (SD 0.71) cm; 11-< 13 years,
4.63 (SD 1.13) cm; 13-< 15 years, 5.53 (SD 1.45) cm; and 15-18
years, 6.16 (SD 1.19) cm.

Conclusion Normal penile length in boys in Surakarta is smaller
than the normal range reference currently in use.

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