Exploring different causes of infertility and treatment options for Male Infertility
What is Male Infertility?
Infertility is a reproductive system disease. It prevents a person from having children. It can affect either a man or a woman. Male infertility indicates that a man’s reproductive system is malfunctioning. It means you are unable to begin a pregnancy with your female partner.
Understanding Male Infertility- Diagnosis and Treatment
Male infertility refers to any medical condition that makes it more difficult for a man’s female partner to become pregnant.
Unprotected sex prevents about 13 out of every 100 couples from becoming pregnant. There are numerous causes of infertility in both men and women. The problem is with the man in more than one-third of infertility cases. This is usually due to issues with his sperm production or delivery.
Causes
Many factors affect sperm maturation and travel. Cells may fail to form sperm. Sperm can get stuck. Scrotum temperature can impair fertility. Male infertility’s main causes:
- Retrograde Ejaculation
- Immunologic Infertility
- Sperm Disorders
- Obstruction
- Varicocele
- Medication
- Chromosomes
Retrograde Ejaculation Semen moves backward in retrograde ejaculation. They enter your bladder instead of your penis. During orgasm, bladder nerves and muscles LifestyleLifestyle choices can reduce sperm. Smoking, alcohol, and certain drugs reduce sperm counts. Long-term illness like renal failure, childhood diseases like mumps, and chromosomal or hormone issues can also lower sperm counts (such as low testosterone).
Reproductive system damage can reduce sperm. About 40% of males with azoospermia have sperm ducts blocked. Birth defects or infections can cause blockages.
Immunologic Infertility Antibodies can attack a man’s sperm. Injury, surgery, and infection usually generate antibodies. They hinder sperm movement. How antibodies diminish fertility is unknown. They can hinder sperm from reaching the fallopian tube and entering an egg. This rarely causes male infertility.
Obstruction Sperm tubes can clog. Repeated infections,edema, vasectomy, or developmental problems can obstruct. Male reproductive tracts might be stopped anywhere. Blockages prevent testicular sperm from leaving the body after ejaculation.
Varicocele The scrotum and varicoceles swell. 16% of males have them. Infertile guys have more (40 out of 100). Blocking blood flow harms sperm development. Varicoceles may cause abdominal blood to leak into your scrotum. The testicles are too heated to make sperm. This reduces sperm.
Chromosomes Sperm deliver half the egg’s DNA. Fertility is affected by chromosomal changes. Male Y chromosomes may be incomplete.
Medication
Medication affects sperm production, function, and delivery. These drugs typically treat:
- Depression
- High Blood Pressure
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Digestive problems
- Infections
- Anxiety
Diagnosis
Male fertility causes are difficult to identify. Sperm production or delivery usually cause issues. begins with a complete history and physical. Blood and semen tests may be ordered by your doctor.
- Semen Analysis
- History and Physical exam
- Hormonal Profile
- Transrectal Ultrasound
- Testicular Biopsy
Semen Analysis
Labs routinely analyze sperm. It shows sperm production and function (e.g., that the counts are moving, measured as sperm motility). If sperm counts are abnormal, the test is usually repeated. Masturbating into a sterile cup collects semen. Semen is examined. It can be examined for fertility factors (fertilization).
Your doctor will examine sperm count, amount, concentration, structure and motility . Semen analysis tests indicate fertility (starting a pregnancy).
If the semen test indicates low or no sperm, you may not be infertile. It may indicate sperm growth or delivery issues. Tests may be required. Even if semen analysis shows no sperm, treatment may still be possible.
History and physical Exam
Exploring Female Infertility: Diagnosis and Treatment Changing Your Lifestyle to Increase Your Chances of Conceptionory. Your doctor will want to hear about anything that may reduce fertility. Reproductive system problems, low hormone levels, illness, and accidents are examples.
Your doctor will ask about childhood illnesses, current health issues, and drugs that could affect sperm. Steroids, diabetes, and the mumps can impact fertility. Your provider will ask about alcohol, marjuana, tobacco and other recreational substances. You’ll be asked about radiation, heavy metals, and pesticide exposure to heavy metals (e.g., mercury, lead, etc.). These impact fertility.
You’ll show your doctor how sex works. He or she will ask about your pregnancy efforts. For instance, your doctor may ask about erection issues.
The penis, epididymis, vas deferens, and testicles will be examined. Doctors look for varicoceles. An exam will reveal them.
Hormonal Profile
Doctors may check hormones. This tests sperm production. It can eliminate major health issues. FSH, a pituitary hormone, tells the testicles to create sperm. High levels may indicate that your pituitary gland is trying to generate sperm, but your testicles won’t.
Transrectal Ultrasound
Transrectal ultrasounds are ordered by doctors. The imagetum is investigated by bouncing sound waves off organs. Sound waves reach neighboring ejaculatory ducts. The doctor can check the ejaculatory duct and seminal vesicles.
Testicular Biopsy
A testicular biopsy may be needed if a semen test indicates no or few sperm. A general or local anesthetic is used for this examination. The scrotum is slit. A clinic can use a needle to numb the scrotum. Each testicle is sampled and examined under a microscope. Biopsies serve two objectives. It diagnoses infertility and collects sperm for assisted reproduction (such as in vitro fertilization; IVF)
Treatment
- Surgical Therapy for Male Infertility
- Non-surgical therapy for Male Infertility
- Treatment for Unknown Causes of Male Infertility
Surgical therapy For Female Infertility
- Vasoepididymostomy
- Varicocele Treatments
- Transurethral Resection of the Ejaculatory Duct (TURED)
- Microsurgical Vasovasostomy
- Azoospermia Treatments
Non-Surgical Therapy for Male Infertility
- Rectalprobe electroejaculation
- Genetic tract Infection
- Anejaculation
- Penile vibratory Stimulation
- Hyperprolactinemia
- Retrograde Ejaculation
- Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism
Treatment For Unknown Causes Of Male Infertility
- Sperm Retrieval for ART
- Assisted Reproductive Techniques
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
- Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)