Male Infertility

Infertility is defined as an unsuccessful in pregnancy after one year of unprotected sex. Many couples often think that the important factor behind this is women reproductive system. However, infertility is not always a woman’s problem; infertility issue can be caused by from men and women evenly.

When the capacity of male reproductive tract and sperm has decreased and cannot lead to fertilization of the egg to produce embryo, this is referred as Male Infertility. We found that the problem with men is normally related to the quality and quantity of his sperm whether the low number of sperm ejaculated or the poor quality of sperm.

The symptoms of male infertility

Mostly, there is no clear symptoms shown, but if the male infertility is as a result of hormonal problem, some outward signed can be noticed such as a decrease in sex drive or reduced hair growth on his face or body. To confirm the problem, medical tests are needed to find out if a man is infertile.

Possible cause of male infertility

Lifestyle factors such as smoking, having three or more alcoholic drinks per day, poor nutrition, considerably overweight.

Sexually transmitted disease or other infections: Chlamydia and gonorrhea can result in infertility in men but it can often be resolved by treating the infection.

Hormonal problems: Certain hormonal imbalances -- in the pituitary and thyroid glands, for instance -- can cause infertility.

Varicoceles are enlarged varicose veins that develop in the scrotum and lead the temperature of testicular to increase; therefore affect the production of sperm

Retrograde ejaculation. In this disorder, the semen doesn'st going out through the urethra during ejaculation, but instead enters the bladder.  Diabetes, certain medications, and surgery to the bladder, prostate, or urethra can cause ejaculation problem.

Autoimmune problems. In some cases, the sperm can be damaged from mistaken immune system which treats sperm as a foreign virus. The sperm can become damaged as a result.

Diagnosis

First, the doctor will review your past medical history, past surgeries and medication used including physical examination to assess the pelvic organs such as penis, testes, prostate and scrotum. Laboratory tests – urine analysis and blood test-- may also be then ordered to investigate the presence of an infection and hormonal problem.

In addition, as male infertility is associated with sperm abnormalities; therefore, semen analysis will be ordered by the physician to check the quality and quantity of the sperm, how well sperm can move as well as the size and shape of sperm.

Treatment

As male infertility can result from underlying medical conditions; therefore, the treatment is first done to resolve the existing problem like taking antibiotics to heal an infection, taking hormone to improve hormone imbalance and surgery to repair varicoceles and correct any obstructions in the reproductive tract.

Some cases may involve in vitro fertilization; the sperm and egg are fertilized in a laboratory after that the fertilized egg is placed and transferred in the female’s uterus. This is to an effective to overcome male infertility.