Male infertility refers to any health issue in men that reduces the chances of conceiving with a fertile female partner. Affecting nearly 1 in 7 couples globally, male infertility is a common yet often misunderstood condition. This article delves into the symptoms, causes, and effective treatments to help you better understand and manage male infertility.
9 Symptoms of Male Infertility
- Complications in Conceiving: Regular, unprotected intercourse with fertile reproductive women.
- Poor Semen Analysis: On semen analysis, there may be a decrease in sperm count (oligospermia) maybe a change in Morphology, or a large no of sperm are non-motile and many more abnormalities would be seen by semen analysis.
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Medical Conditions: Autoimmune disorder (ASA), diabetes, varicocele, thyroid disease.
- Low Sexual Desire.
- Depressive personality.
- Social Isolation.
- Abnormal or less face and body hair growth.
- Abnormal breast development.
Causes of Male Infertility
- Genetic conditions: A boy born with an extra X chromosome (XXY ) with less hair on the face and body and abnormal breast growth or muscular dystrophy in which muscles become weaker and not properly contracted after relaxation.
- Medical-related Conditions: Autoantibodies form against the sperm (ASAS) and cause infertility. Diabetes and cystic fibrosis, thyroid issues also affect fertility.
- Infections:- childhood history of mumps, Sexually transmitted diseases like (Gonorrhoea, and Chlamydia ).
- Structural Abnormality: Problem in sperm delivery there may be obstruction in route varicocele.
- Hx of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in cancer treatment has several effects on sperm count.
- surgical history of orchiectomy(removal of testes).
- History of trauma on the private part.
- Endocrine Disorders: In which hormones are imbalanced ( FSH, LH, and testosterone).
- Environmental and lifestyle problems:- Hx of smoking, drug addiction, and alcohol consumption are the main parameters to decrease sperm count. A sedentary lifestyle also badly decreases fertility.
- Birth Defects: Undescended testes
Management and Lifestyle Modifications
History: Medical and surgical history.
Examination: Hernia, swelling in scrotal region, scar mark.
Investigations: Semen Analysis sperm count, motility, morphology, and volume parameters are important landmarks
Hormone Tests: Testosterone, FSH, and LH levels.
Imaging: Scan to evaluate the obstructions.
Treatment Options for Male Infertility
Repeat semen analysis after 3 months
Lifestyle modifications
Multivitamins such as Surbex-z
Antibiotics in case of infection
Contact a Urologist for further treatment
FSH, LH, and testosterone levels
IVF, ICSI, or other techniques.
Surgery
In obstruction cases, reverse vasectomy
Men who undergo fertility concerns need to consult a fertility specialist for guidance and treatment.
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