Male Infertility

An unfortunate fact of life is that when the time comes to father a child, some men have a great difficulty in doing so.

Doctors recognize infertility as a problem if a man does not impregnate his partner after a year of having unprotected intercourse with her, particularly during her most fertile days of the month. In every case, there is a fifty-fifty chance that the source of the infertility is in the male partner. In one-fifth cases, both partners have a problem.

Though, exactly how many sperms a man needs to be fertile, is not known, but higher the sperm count higher are the chances of conception. Moreover, the amount of sperms a man produces is not the only determinant of fertility. A high percentage of the sperm must be healthy and motile (active).

Causes of infertility in men can be enlisted as follows;

• Chemotherapy:

Most of the drugs used for chemotherapy lead to damage sperm production and/or destruction of the sperms produced.

• Defect or obstruction in the reproductive system:

Such as failure of the testes to descend into the scrotum or absence of one or both testes.

• Diseases like cystic fibrosisdefine:

Sickle cell anemia or sexually transmitted diseases.

• Hormone dysfunction:

Like testosterone deficiency commonly caused due to a disorder in the endocrine system.

• Infections:

Infections related to the sexual organs (such as prostatitis, epididymitis, and orchitis) can cause irreversible infertility in the male if they occur before attaining puberty.

• Injury:

Injuries like accidental trauma to the testes due to a hit on the scrotum or a fall on an object with direct force on the testes may cause infertility.

• Antibodies:

Antibodies can impair the sperm cell motility.

• Medication:

Commonly used to treat high blood pressure and digestive disorders have a negative impact on sperm motility.

• Metabolic disorders:

Like hemochromatosis (a process involved in the storage and use of body’s iron).

• Systemic disease:

Such as diabetes, severe infections, and diseases of the kidney.

• Testicular cancerdefine:

Although considered rare, it affects men aged 15 to 35.

• Varicocele:

Swollen veins are common reasons for infertility.