What is male infertility?
Infertility refers to the inability to conceive a child despite frequent, unprotected sexual intercourse for a year or longer.
Aside from the inability to conceive a child, there aren’t typically any symptoms of male infertility. Some of the symptoms might include:
- Difficulty with sexual function and ejaculation
- Swelling, pain, or a lump in the testicle area
- Gynecomastia and abnormal breast growth
- Decreased facial or body hair or other signs of hormonal imbalances and abnormalities
- A lower than normal sperm count (less than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen)
- Low sex drive
For optimal fertility, you must produce healthy sperm and have enough sperm, your sperm must be carried into the semen, and your sperm must be able to move properly to reach and penetrate the egg.
What causes male infertility?
It isn’t always clear what causes male infertility. Some factors that might play a role include:
- Varicocele — a swelling of the veins that drain the testicle
- Infections that interfere with the health, production, or movement of sperm
- Issues with ejaculation, such as retrograde ejaculation
- Antibodies that attack sperm and problems with the immune system
- Cancerous and noncancerous tumors that directly affect male reproductive organs
- Chromosome defects and inherited disorders
- Hormone imbalances, such as low testosterone
- Defects or blockages of the tubules that transport sperm
- Certain medications, such as some antifungal medications
- Prior surgeries, such as vasectomy
Environmental and lifestyle factors might also be involved with male infertility, such as industrial chemicals, environmental toxins, tobacco smoking, excess alcohol consumption, emotional stress, obesity, and drug use.
How is male infertility treated?
How male infertility is treated largely depends on the individual. Your Arizona Urology specialist might begin with a consultation, a general physical examination, medical history, and certain testing, such as a semen analysis, hormone testing, blood testing, or a testicular biopsy.
Some of the treatments for male infertility are:
- Surgery, such as reversing a prior vasectomy or repairing an obstructed vas deferens
- Antibiotics for any underlying infections
- Medications or counseling to improve fertility in conditions like erectile dysfunction
- Healthy lifestyle changes, such as stress management, regular appropriate exercise, and nutritional counseling
- The use of assisted reproductive technology (ART), for example, intracytoplasmic sperm injection
Your specialist might also suggest weight loss when necessary. You can also try increasing the frequency of intercourse and having intercourse at least four days prior to ovulation.
With infertility, your specialist might also recommend that your female partner be evaluated.
In many cases, infertility can be resolved with the right personalized care and innovative treatments. Call Arizona Urology today.
