Introduction. Disorders of reproductive function in men have a special medical and social significance. The prevalence of male infertility varies from 6 to 37%. Patients with varicocele, which can be developed in adolescence, are at risk for developing infertility.

Purpose. To reveal the prevalence of varicocele among adolescent boys in St. Petersburg and epidemiological assessment of the risk factors for its development.

Materials and methods. We retrospectively analyzed the data of clinical examinations by a pediatric urologist-andrologist of 310 boys aged from 10 to 17 years in St. Petersburg during 2012- 2017. To assess risk factors for varicocele, 222 parents of examined adolescents were questioned. Varicocele was identified in 136 boys, who made up the group of "cases". The control group included 154 adolescents of the appropriate age who had no varicocele.

Results and discussion. The prevalence of varicocele among adolescents was 26,4%. The most common cases were 1 and 2 degrees of disease among boys over 15 years old. Risk factors for varicocele during adolescence were the use of diapers for more than 1 year, ureaplasmosis in one of the parents, varicose veins on the legs of child's mother, consumption of alcohol by the father before the birth of the child and the presence of his cardiovascular diseases.

Conclusions. Literature data and own analysis of risk factors for varicocele in adolescents have shown that it is important to identify children risk groups for developing infertility. This allows to avoid infertility by preventing and treating varicocele in adolescence.

Authors declare lack of the possible conflicts of interests