Male Infertility

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There are some couples who just can’t get pregnant after many attempts within the span of one year. When the problem is identified to be with the man, it is referred to as male infertility. According to statistics, male infertility accounts for a third of reported infertility cases.

A man is diagnosed to have male infertility when there is a problem with his ejaculation or his sperm count. Ejaculation is when semen is released through the penis during orgasm. When the man can’t properly release semen to get the woman pregnant, he can be suffering from: erectile dysfunctions, premature ejaculation, retrograde ejaculation (wherein the semen is pushed back into the bladder), or complications from surgery or radiation therapy.

A low sperm count (or no sperm at all) may be caused by severe mumps infection, hormonal disorder, hereditary factors, or infections. It can also be triggered by wearing tight or restrictive underwear, excessive use of tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs, and exposure to radiation or poisonous chemicals.

A man’s sperm may also be “abnormal,” which is said to be malformed and has a short life span. Thus, the sperm couldn’t “swim” correctly. This is brought on by abnormal development or inflammation of the testicles and swollen veins in the scrotum. This condition heats the inside of the scrotum and may critically affect the sperm production.

If you have concerns regarding male infertility, you should see a doctor immediately, especially if you tried getting pregnant for already a year. A physical examination may pinpoint the exact or underlying problems that may be causing the infertility and treat them early on. The examination would take into account your medical history, a culture of fluid from the penis, a blood test (to check for hormone problems or infections), and a semen analysis (to check the number and quality of sperm). More testing may be necessary, depending on the results.

You may be wondering if male infertility may be treated. Of course, it can be. In fact, more than 50 percent of male infertility cases can be remedied. Treatment by conventional methods may help the couple get pregnant through normal sexual intercourse. There are medications, antibiotics, and hormones that a man can take to help in sperm production, get rid of infection, or aid in hormonal imbalance. Also, you can try wearing loose clothing like boxers or avoiding hot tubs, saunas, and long hot showers.

Other treatments are also available, though these may be invasive or too expensive. This includes in vitro fertilization, artificial insemination, and use of sperm donor. In vitro fertilization involves the fertilization of the couple’s sperm and egg in a laboratory and placing the fertilized egg inside the female’s uterus. Artificial insemination, on the other hand, involves the collection of sperm and manually placing it inside the fallopian tubes or the female uterus to facilitate conception. A donor sperm can instead be acquired if there is no sperm production at all or there are other functional problems with the man’s sperm.

Generally, male infertility caused by an illness or genetic problems cannot be prevented. Although, there are different ways and means that you can do to reduce the chances of having infertility problems. One way is to avoid drugs, alcohol, and other poisonous substances. Live a healthy lifestyle and practice good hygiene.