What is Male Infertility?
Inability of male to make pregnant to fertile women is known as the male infertility. In earlier days infertility used to be connected with the women but the recent studies have shown that male can also be responsible for the pregnancy failure and even data has been given by various researches that on average basis Out of 10 cases of infertility 4 cases are due to the male infertility issues.
For enhancing the chances of successful pregnancy there is need to consider fertility in both male and female as it can be problem for both. However the males show reluctant behavior for infertility advice for them but there is need to understand the problem and its causes for conception.
In males there can be various causes for infertility such as disturbance in their hormone level, stress, depression, and lack of nutrition, exposure to chemicals, drug abuse, smoking, alcoholism and many more. All these factors are either physical or psychological that contribute in the infertility problem in males. Apart from these there can be some medical causes of infertility like damage of testicles, problem in production of sperms.
40% of Infertility Cases
Attributed to Male FactorsModern reproductive clinical research demonstrates that male factor infertility is just as prevalent as female factors. Early diagnostic semen testing prevents prolonged delays and enables targeted corrective interventions.
Key Requisites for Male Fertility:
- Adequate Sperm Concentration (>15M/ml)
- Progressive Sperm Motility (>40%)
- Normal Sperm Morphology (Strict Kruger)
- Unobstructed Ejaculatory Pathway
Types of Male Infertility
All above causes alone or in combined form can create the various types of infertility in males as follows:
Asthenospermia
When males suffer from the reduced motility of sperms then in medical terms it is known as Asthenospermia. In this condition sperm quality get reduced so result in the infertility in males. In this type of problem male sperms fail to reach to egg or to penetrate it for fertilization.
Azoospermia
It is the type of infertility in which males have no or less sperm count. In medical terms males that have not measurable level of sperms in the semen are suffering from Azoospermia. This condition can be seen in 20% infertile males but even after this condition males can enjoy fatherhood of their own genetic baby with ICSI technique combined with IVF treatment.
Oligospermia
When the males have low concentration of sperm during the ejaculation then it is the Oligospermia type of male infertility. In this condition along with low concentration sperm abnormalities are also present in semen related to morphology and motility that can lead to failure of sperm to penetrate female egg.
Teratospermia
When males have abnormalities in the sperms like abnormal morphology then it is called Teratospermia condition of male infertility.
Clinical Classification: Types Of Male Infertility
Factors Responsible for Male Infertility:
There are number of factors which could be responsible for male infertility but in almost half the number of patients no cause will be found for low semen report:
- 1. Male Infertility problems
- 2. Blockage in sperm tube
- 3. Testicular injury & disease
- 4. Disorder in sperms
- 5. Genetic disorder
- 6. Problem with ejaculation
- 7. Hormonal problems
- 8. General medical disorders
- 9. Drugs reducing fertility
- 10. Environmental radiation
Causes of Male Infertility
A detailed clinical breakdown of physiological, anatomical, and cellular causes behind male fertility failure:
Ejaculation Problem
Ejaculation duct prevents sperm from getting into ejaculate fluid. Its called blockage in ejaculatory duct.
Sperm Count
low sperm count is also another problem of infertilities. Motility of sperm, abnormal shape sperm, sperm not able to fertilize parent eggs.
Anti-sperm Antibodies
Your body can produce antibodies that lower motility or destroy your sperm. This happens commonly after vasectomies.
Sperm Motility & Morphology Defects
Sperm don’t move quickly enough: Sperm die before reach at the egg.
Sperm That are not formed correctly: Sperms not formed correctly.
No sperm: Nil sperm count.
Undescended Testicles
Some males during fetal development one or both testicles fails to descend from belly into the sac which mainly contains testicles.
Infection & Thick Seminal Fluid
One another cause is infarction in sperm production or not produce a good sperm or healthy sperm. Seminal Fluid thick: sperm can’t move around.
Varicocele
A varicocele is a swelling on the veins that drain the testicle. Its one of the most common reversible cause of male IVF.
Prior Surgeries & Celiac Disease
Prior Surgeries: Some kind of surgeries also a cause of infertility or it may prevent having sperm in your ejaculate. Celiac disease: A digestive disorder cause by sensitivity disease.
Problem in Sexual Intercourse & Chromosomes
Troubles for sex, premature ejaculation, painful intercourse, anatomical abnormalities. Chromosome defects: In this case male is born with two X chromosomes and Y chromosome cause abnormal development reproductive organs. Sperm duct defect: Tubes carry sperm which can be damaged by illness. Hormonal Imbalance: Infertility issues of hormonal imbalance problem in hormonal system, pituitary, thyroid and adrenal glands.
Causes Of Low Sperm Count: Environmental, Genetic, Lifestyle & Health Factors
Endocrine, Non-Endocrine & Genetic Influences
Comprehensive clinical categorization of physiological stressors, metabolic disorders, and medical pathologies impacting spermatogenesis:
Non-Endocrine Effects
- Nutrition: Protein, Vitamin E & B Complex deficiency.
- Smoking: Significant abnormal decreased motility in sperm counts have been found in smokers as opposed to non smokers.
- Alcohol: Decreased sperm production has been demonstrated in chronic alcoholism.
- Excess Heat: Excess heat is one of the common well accepted element known to adversely affect spermatogenesis. Men whose occupation involves long hours of sitting e.g. Taxi driver, Truck driver, travelling salesmen, business executives may develop excess Scrotal heat & show impaired spermatogenesis.
Endocrine & Genetic Causes
- Endocrine Causes: These causes are rare and are present in approximately 20% of all infertile men. These are tumor or cyst or destruction of pituitary tissue, thyroid deficiency, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, hyperprolactinemia.
- Genetic Causes: True hermaphroditism, gonadal dysgenesis, Klinefelter syndrome.
- Varicocele & Infective Pathology: e.g. in Viral orchitis, gonococcal & tuberculous infection, prostatitis, seminal vesiculitis.
- Metabolic Disorder: e.g. Diabetes.
- Block: Any obstruction in the passage of sperms gives rise to infertility.
- Testicular Causes: e.g. Sertoli cell only syndrome.
- Physical & Chemical Agents: Spermatogenesis can be affected by chemotherapy, anti-depressant, anti-malarial, anti-hypertensive medication.
Sperm Bank & Cryopreservation Solutions
Sperm banks, otherwise called cryobanks, are offices that offer answers for male barrenness. Sperm banks gather and store sperm and offer andrology research facility administrations, for example, semen dissection, solidified contributor sperm administrations and long haul sperm stockpiling.
Expert Video Guidance by Dr. Sumita Sofat
Watch our senior fertility specialist explain the essential nuances of male infertility, diagnosis, and advanced ART solutions:
Dr. Sumita Sofat Hospital – Comprehensive Male Infertility & ICSI Advanced Treatment Video
Evaluation of Males to Find the Fertility Reason
The evaluations for male type infertility help finding which of the physiological processes are weakened:
Normal Physical Test
It includes testing of man’s genital organs and questions about his medical background, sickness and disability.
Semen Evaluation
It is an essential analysis performed on a male. A few questions will be asked by your physician about semen samples. Semen is normally received by masturbating or by interfering sexual activity and collecting semen.
Testing Hormone
A blood test is performed to check the testosterone levels and other male hormones influencing sperm production.
Doppler & TRUS
The Doppler testing of testis and Trans rectal Ultrasound that allows your physician to observe conditions like retrograde ejaculation and ejaculatory duct problems.
Essential Medical Advice for Couples:
Because male type infertility is also a significant factor that prevents a female’s potential to get pregnant. There can be several causes of losing fertility in men over the time that need to be treated so you should take a physician assistance who can improve your fertility. So if you experience problems in becoming parents after making several efforts, do not forget to contact your doctor who will recommend an effective treatment. Both male and female should undergo evaluations of their fertility potential every year. Some males have other sexual problems like erectile dysfunction and many others only sexologist can provide them better answer for these questions.