At what time during pregnancy do the testes begin to slide through the inguinal canal?

The testes begin to slide through the inguinal canal around the time frame of 12 weeks of gestation. This process is part of normal male fetal development, where the testes, initially forming in the abdominal cavity, descend through the inguinal canal to reach the scrotum. This descent is influenced by hormonal signals and is crucial for the proper development of the male reproductive system.

By 12 weeks, the fetal testes can often be observed moving toward their final position. This descent is typically completed by the time of birth, but the initial movement through the inguinal canal starts around this early stage of pregnancy. Later time frames, such as 20, 28, or 36 weeks, are not when this initial sliding occurs, although the process may continue as the pregnancy progresses.