Worldwide Temporal Trends in Penile Length: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Purpose Normative male genital measurements are clinically useful and temporal changes would have important implications. The aim of the present study is to characterize the trend of worldwide penile length over time. Materials and Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis using papers from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library from inception to April 2022 was performed. PRISMA guidelines were used for abstracting data and assessing data quality and validity. Pooled means and standard deviations for flaccid, stretched, and erect length were obtained. Subgroup analyses were performed by looking at differences in the region of origin, population type, and the decade of publication. Metaregression analyses were to adjusted for potential confounders. Results Seventy-five studies published between 1942 and 2021 were evaluated including data from 55,761 men. The pooled mean length estimates were flaccid length: 8.70 cm (95% CI, 8.16–9.23), stretched length: 12.93 cm (95% CI, 12.48–13.39), and erect length: 13.93 cm (95% CI, 13.20–14.65). All measurements showed variation by geographic region. Erect length increased significantly over time (QM=4.49, df=2, p=0.04) in several regions of the world and across all age groups, while no trends were identified in other penile size measurements. After adjusting for geographic region, subject age, and subject population; erect penile length increased 24% over the past 29 years. Conclusions The average erect penis length has increased over the past three decades across the world. Given the significant implications, attention to potential causes should be investigated.

Sex Doll Specifications versus Human Body Characteristics

“…Supporting H4, penis sizes of male-sexed dolls were larger than humans (see Table 5 ): On average, doll penises were 5.6 cm longer and 2.8 cm thicker than human penises, representing large effect sizes (Cohen’s d > 0.8). Current data suggest a worldwide trend of increasing penile length among humans, but even the largest estimate of average erect penis length (13.93 cm) from Belladelli et al’s ( 2023 ) study of 55,761 men globally is shorter than the average penile length of male-sexed dolls.…”

Tissue Options for Construction of the Neovaginal Canal in Gender-Affirming Vaginoplasty

“…Most vaginoplasty patients do not have sufficient penile skin to reach the vaginal introitus and line the entire neovaginal canal. The reasons for this are twofold: first, the average neovaginal depth of 12-14 cm is longer than the general population's mean penile length of 12.9 cm; [10,11] and second, a significant length of the available penile skin is used to construct the outer vulva and reach the introitus which is several centimeters from the base of the penis. The remainder of the mid and apical neovagina can then be lined by skin grafts (Figure 1).…”