Abstract
The prepuce is apparent prenatally at 8 weeks of gestation as a ridge of thickened epithelium. The prepuce grows forward over the glans to completion by 16 weeks of gestation. Early in gestation there is no separation between the epithelium lining the prepuce and glans. Preputial adhesions are a characteristic of normal development with initiation of spontaneous separation by desquamation late in gestation. The rate of preputial separation after birth is variable with up to 70% of boys having some degree of preputial adherence at 5 years of age. Consequently a “non-retractile foreskin” or more appropriately described “physiologic phimosis” at birth is normal. The majority of boys will have a fully and easily retractable foreskin by physical maturity.
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Pohlman, G., Wilcox, D. (2010). Disorders of Male External Genitalia: Circumcision . In: Godbole, P., Koyle, M., Wilcox, D. (eds) Guide to Pediatric Urology and Surgery in Clinical Practice. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-366-4_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-366-4_9
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