Am I normal? A systematic review and construction of nomograms for flaccid and erect penis length and circumference in up to 15,521 men.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review of observational cross-sectional anatomical measurement studies.
PubMed 25487360 · doi:10.1111/bju.13010
What was done
This systematic review aimed to establish standardized nomograms for flaccid and erect penile length and circumference. Eligible studies included those where penis size was measured by a healthcare professional using a standardized protocol with at least 50 participants per sample. Studies examining individuals with congenital or acquired penile abnormalities, prior penile surgery, complaints of small penis size, or erectile dysfunction were excluded. Synthesis involved calculating weighted means and pooled standard deviations (SD), followed by simulation of 20,000 normal distribution observations to build the nomograms.
What was found
Across pooled cohorts of up to 15,521 men: - Flaccid pendulous length (n = 10,704): mean (SD) 9.16 (1.57) cm. - Flaccid stretched length (n = 14,160): mean (SD) 13.24 (1.89) cm. - Erect length (n = 692): mean (SD) 13.12 (1.66) cm. - Flaccid circumference (n = 9,407): mean (SD) 9.31 (0.90) cm. - Erect circumference (n = 381): mean (SD) 11.66 (1.10) cm. The strongest and most consistent correlation observed was between height and flaccid stretched or erect length (r = 0.2 to 0.6).
Why it matters
These pooled nomograms provide reference ranges based on standardized professional measurements to assist clinicians in counseling men concerned about penile size and to support academic research.
Limits
Direct clinical measurements of erect length and circumference were available for only a small minority of participants (n = 692 and n = 381, respectively). Substantial inter-study variability was present in flaccid stretched length measurements, and the abstract does not report the total number of included studies or their geographical/ethnic distribution.
Cited by
- supports The average erect human penis length is between 5.3 and 5.5 inches.
- supports Average erect penis length is between 5.2 and 5.5 inches depending on the study.