Infertility has traditionally been thought of as a woman’s problem. But as it turns out, we men don’t get off that easily. About one out of every three cases of infertility is due to the man alone, and we’re somehow involved in infertility about half the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A diagnosis of male infertility can be one of the hardest challenges a man can face. For some, it can be devastating. After all, the necessity of reproduction is one of the few things on which both Darwin and the Bible agree. Not being able to father a child can make guys feel like they are failing at one of their most primal responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unfortunately, some men have to cope with the reality that nothing can be done about their infertility. But for other men, advances in male infertility treatment offer real help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sperm are made in the testicles. They’re then stored inside yards of \u201cplumbing\u201d called the epididymis, which lies on top of each testicle. Sperm are nourished by semen, which is made by glands along the way. When the magic moment arrives, about 150 million sperm are ejaculated in a half-teaspoon of semen through the penis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This whole process hinges on there being proper levels of testosterone and other hormones as well as correct signalling from the nervous system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe generally advise couples to seek fertility evaluations if they are unable to conceive after 12 months of unprotected intercourse,\u201d says Dr. Garavelas. About 85% of couples will have had a pregnancy by that point. \u201cIf they are over 30, they should seek evaluation after six months.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The \u201cmale factor\u201d contributes to infertility around half the time, and about one third of the time, it’s the main cause of infertility. Most often, the problem lies in the process of either making<\/em> or moving <\/em>the sperm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Any of the following can cause a man to have a low sperm count or abnormal sperm:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some cases, these problems can be reversed, but other times they can\u2019t. An evaluation by a physician is the only way to sort it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes, making sperm isn’t the problem. The problem is getting the sperm where they need to go. Men with this type of male infertility have normal sperm in the testicles. But the sperm in the semen are either abnormal, very low in number, or not there at all. Causes of this kind of infertility include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Up to 25% of infertile men have idiopathic infertility. That means they have abnormal or low sperm counts for no identifiable reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Identifying the cause of a man’s infertility is as much an art as a science. \u201cThe first step is an evaluation by a physician specializing in male infertility,\u201d says Dr. Garavelas. Experts differ in their approach, but here are some of the tests you can expect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ultimate goal of male infertility treatment is to create a pregnancy. Ideally, the cause of the infertility is reversible and then conception can result from natural sex. Here are some common male infertility treatments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n First, sperm are collected either from ejaculated semen or by a needle from the testicle. They are then processed and introduced to eggs by different methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Garavelas says that by using some combination of ARTs for several months, \u201cmost couples can expect a pregnancy between 40 to 50% of the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you need further help please don\u2019t hesitate to contact us to book a medical consultation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Infertility has traditionally been thought of as a woman’s problem. But as it turns out, we men don’t get off that easily. About one out of every three cases of infertility is due to the man alone, and we’re somehow involved in infertility about half the time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":75592,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75786","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nMale infertility tests: Going under the microscope<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGenerally, a higher number of normal-shaped sperm means higher fertility,\u201d says Shaban. But exceptions are common. Many men with low sperm count or abnormal semen are still fertile. And about 15% of infertile men have normal semen and plenty of normal sperm.
Surprisingly, the complete absence of sperm in the semen (a condition known as azoospermia), can be a good thing. Ross says it might suggest a blockage in the \u201cplumbing\u201d that can be corrected with surgery.<\/li>Male infertility: New treatments, more pregnancies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n