The male reproductive system is made up of organs that are both inside and outside the body. These organs each play a role in reproduction (making children).
The penis is used for urination (peeing) and sexual intercourse (having sex). It is made of spongy tissue and blood
vessels.
An erection happens when there are changes in the blood flow in the penis. When a man becomes
sexually aroused or turned on, nerves cause blood vessels in the penis to open up. More blood flows in and makes
the penis hard.
The foreskin covers the head of the penis. The head is the most sensitive part of the penis, and it
plays an important part in sexual pleasure. The foreskin can be removed, and that process is called circumcision.
These are pouch-like structures that hang behind the penis. They hold and protect the testes.
The testes are two oval glands that make and store millions of tiny sperm. They also make testosterone, a hormone that plays a major role in puberty in boys. Testosterone is the hormone that causes boys to develop deeper voices, bigger muscles, and body and facial hair. It also tells the testes to produce more sperm.
This is a walnut-sized gland that is found between the bladder and the penis. The prostate produces fluid that nourishes and protects sperm.
The urethra is a tube that carries urine (pee) from the bladder to outside of the body. In males, the urethra also transports semen (fluid that has sperm) to the penis for ejaculation when an orgasm is reached.
An erection is when your penis becomes hard, enlarged, and stands away from the body. This can happen while you are
asleep, when you touch or rub against your penis, or when you are excited.
During puberty, erections can happen for no reason at all. Once an erection goes away, either on its own or after
ejaculation (the release of sperm through the tip of the penis), the penis becomes soft and shrinks in size.
Erection problems can happen now and again for many reasons — it could be because of something
physical or psychological like exhaustion or nervousness, or sometimes because of medication that you are taking. But when your erection problems keep happening then you may have erectile dysfunction (ED). Erectile dysfunction can happen at any age, but it is more common in older men with health problems.
Male circumcision is an operation where the foreskin that covers the head of the penis is removed. As a male over the age of 16 years old, you can choose to be circumcised at a local clinic or hospital – if you are younger, you can also be circumcised with permission from your parents or guardian.
Getting circumcised does not lower your chances of getting someone pregnant. Here is what to expect when you go for a circumcision:
