Background: External genital anomalies are among the most common congenital anomalies. Proper early diagnosis and management of genital anomalies are of great importance to minimize medical, psychological and social complications. Aim: 1 )explore the pattern of genital anomalies in male infants (age from the first day of birth up to two years) presented to primary health care offices in Sohag Governorate for routine vaccination, 2)determine potential environmental and parental risk factors which could be related to detected anomalies and 3) follow up male infants with cryptorchidism up the age of two years for spontaneous descent of the testis. Patients and methods: our study included
1134 male infants who presented to primary health care offices in Sohag for routine vaccination during
the period from June 2008 to March 2009. This study was conducted in Sohag city and two villages around it and also included two towns as representative of suburban area in addition to a village from each town. Male infants were examined to detect visible genital anomalies and testes were palpated along their normal anatomical pathway of descent and cases of cryptorchidism followed at three months interval up to two years to detect spontaneous descent of the testis .A clinical data sheet was filled for all male participants including demographic data, parental data and results of clinical examination. Results :There were 129(11.3%) cases with genital anomalies among the screened
1134 male infants , Various abnormalities in the form of ,hydrocele , cryptorchidism, hypospadias, indirect inguinal hernia, phimosis and epispadias were diagnosed. No spontaneous descent of the testis was detected in cases with cryptorchdism during the follow up period. Family history of genital anomalies, residency in rural area, multiparity and cesarean section were detected as risk factor associated with genital anomalies .Conclusion: This study in Sohag Governorate, Upper Egypt
showed a relatively high prevalence of genital anomalies. Therefore we recommended more studies including larger population sizes to detect the actual data about genital anomalies and associated risk factors. Increasing clinical education of physicians about this problem, as well as raising the awareness of nurses and parents is important.