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What is Infertility (Male)? |
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Symptoms
Male infertility accounts for about a third of all infertility cases, and forty percent involves a combination of factors which are present in both partners. Infertility involves a couple’s incapability to conceive a child after a year of sexual union, and male infertility is the male’s inability to impregnate his partner, due to dysfunctions or conditions of the male reproductive system. The main sign of male infertility is an inability to impregnate, but other symptoms will depend on the underlying condition for the infertility.
Causes
The most prevalent reason for male infertility is the varicocele, a cluster of enlarged veins which normally located around the left testes, even though the dilation can occur around both of the testicles. Varicoceles in themselves are common in men; fifteen percent have it, but many remain fertile, and the condition itself does not cause infertility. However, about half of those who are infertile will bear a varicocele which is associated with the condition. Infertility may also be caused by obstructions to the vas deferens, as well as an infection on any part of the male reproductive system. The fertility rate can also be affected by hormonal deficiencies, or to exposure to substances which are toxic to the sperm cells.
Diagnosis
An initial visit to the doctor will normally involve a review of the patient’s medical history, including an inquiry into the couple’s frequency of having sexual intercourse. This is followed by a physical exam, usually with a semen analysis. The patient submits a semen sample by ejaculating, this performed after abstaining from sexual activity for at least two days before the sample is collected. The specimen is then ensured to be kept clear of contaminants like soap and other antiseptics, and it must be kept within normal body temperatures. An andrologist then examines the sample by determining the concentration of the sperm cells (by the millions of sperm for every milliliter of semen), the structure of the sperm (the shape of its head and the length of its tail), and their capability of swimming in a straight line. Further detailed tests may be conducted as a necessity.
Treatment Info
Varicoceles are effectively treated through an outpatient surgical procedure which requires minimal incision, and the procedure is usually completed within the hour. Obstructions that interfere with the efficient delivery of the sperm may also be repaired via surgery, and dysfunctions in the patient’s hormone system may be corrected through the intake of prescription drugs. A recent development in medicine has also enabled doctors to isolate a minute number of sperm cells from the male semen, through a procedure referred to as intracytoplasmic sperm injection; these sperm cells are of the healthiest variety which the patient can produce. They are cultured on a lab and injected into the female egg, before the fertilized egg is injected into the uterus during in vitro fertilization. Doctors can even retrieve healthy sperm cells from patients which bear no sperm in their semen, by extracting them from the testicle prior to injecting it into the partner’s egg.
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