{"id":1907,"date":"2016-12-30T07:11:10","date_gmt":"2016-12-30T07:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/?p=1907"},"modified":"2023-10-12T12:49:13","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T07:19:13","slug":"male-infertility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/male-infertility\/","title":{"rendered":"What it means to be Infertile in Men?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"male<\/h2>\n

What is male infertility?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Male infertility is said to be the condition where in a male in incapable of impregnating a fertile female. Or in other words, the male unable to get a fertile female pregnant despite having meticulously timed unprotected sex for a period of one year.<\/p>\n

A male is infertile if the number of sperms he ejaculates is less or the sperms which he ejaculates is of poor quality. Infertile males, will find difficulty in impregnating a fertile female and sometimes impossible in doing so.<\/p>\n

Causes of male infertility<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

1) Sperm production problems: –<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Genetic problems
\n\u2022 Failure of testes to descend at birth
\n\u2022 Medicines and chemicals
\n\u2022 Infections
\n\u2022 Twisting of testes
\n\u2022 Radiation damage
\n\u2022 Unknown damage<\/p>\n

2) Blockage of sperm transport: –<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Infections
\n\u2022 Prostate-related problems
\n\u2022 No presence of vas deferens
\n\u2022 Vasectomy<\/p>\n

3) Sexual problems: –<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Premature ejaculation
\n\u2022 Ejaculation failure
\n\u2022 Erectile dysfunction
\n\u2022 Less frequency in sexual intercourse
\n\u2022 Injury to the spinal chord
\n\u2022 Prostate surgery
\n\u2022 Nerve damage
\n\u2022 Some medicines<\/p>\n

4) Hormonal problems:-<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Tumours near the pituitary glands
\n\u2022 Pituitary problem at birth
\n\u2022 History of STDs<\/p>\n

5) Sperm antibodies:-<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Vasectomy
\n\u2022 Injury
\n\u2022 Infection
\n\u2022 Unknown causes<\/p>\n

6) Lifestyle: –<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Excessive consumption of alcohol
\n\u2022 Excessive consumption of tobacco
\n\u2022 Usage of drugs
\n\u2022 Exposure to radiation
\n\u2022 Exposure to poisonous or hazardous chemicals
\n\u2022 Wearing restrictive or tight underwear<\/p>\n

Symptoms of male infertility<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Considering the fact that just 7 out of 100 males are infertile, the symptoms of male infertility<\/a><\/span> are often overlooked by men and they fail to notice the same. Here are a few common symptoms of male infertility that one needs to keep in mind.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Difficulty in ejaculation
\n\u2022 Volume of ejaculated fluid is very less
\n\u2022 Significantly low sexual desire
\n\u2022 Erectile dysfunction
\n\u2022 Pain in testicle area
\n\u2022 Lumps in testicle area
\n\u2022 Swollen testes
\n\u2022 Frequent respiratory infections
\n\u2022 Loss of ability to smell
\n\u2022 Unusual breast growth
\n\u2022 Reduced facial hair
\n\u2022 Genital abnormality
\n\u2022 Hormonal abnormality
\n\u2022 Having a sperm count less than 15 million per ml of sperm or less than 39 million per ejaculation.<\/p>\n

Diagnosis of male infertility (Male fertility test)<\/strong><\/p>\n

An initial male fertility test includes a thorough check up of medical history, a full body physical examination, extensive general hormone tests and one or more semen analysis tests<\/a>, which measure the value of semen by volume as well as sperm count, ability of sperms to move spontaneously and quality of sperm motion.<\/p>\n

Medical history test<\/strong><\/p>\n

A medical history test is mandatory in course of a male infertility test. This includes<\/p>\n

\u2022 A thorough review of previous medical conditions, past medical history, surgeries prior to the infertility test, previously administered medication
\n\u2022 An in depth consider family history regarding infertility and birth defects
\n\u2022 A meticulous review of social history, workplace hazards to evaluate the hazards a male is exposed to that could affect fertility and lead to infertility.<\/p>\n

Full body physical test<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is also an integral part of male infertility test<\/a>. It consists of an elaborate full body test which includes special attention to pelvic organs such as penis, testes, scrotum and prostate.<\/p>\n

Laboratory tests<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is the most crucial part of male infertility test. These include<\/p>\n

\u2022 Urinalysis \u2013 To detect the presence of any infections
\n\u2022 Semen Evaluation \u2013 This is done to evaluate sperm mobility, sperm shape, sperm shape, volume of the ejaculate, sperm count and the liquidity and viscosity of the ejaculate
\n\u2022 Hormonal tests \u2013 This test evaluates the levels of testosterone and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) which maintains the general equilibrium of the hormonal system and sperm production. Serum LH and prolactin are other hormonal tests that may be done if clear inferences cannot be drawn from the initial tests.<\/p>\n

If these tests do not provide substantial evidence of infertility, the following tests will be performed<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Seminal Fructose Test \u2014 To find out if fructose is being added adequately to the semen by the seminal vesicles
\n\u2022 Post-ejaculate Urinalysis \u2014 To determine if there is any obstruction during ejaculation
\n\u2022 Semen Leukocyte Analysis \u2014 To ascertain the presence of white blood cells in the semen
\n\u2022 Kruger and World Health Organization (WHO) Morphology \u2014 This test is performed to examine the shape of the sperm and its features in detail
\n\u2022 Anti-sperm Antibodies Test \u2014 To ascertain the presence of antibodies that may lead to infertility
\n\u2022 Sperm Penetration Assay (SPA) \u2014 To ascertain the ability of the sperm to fertilize
\n\u2022 Ultrasound \u2014 To detect gnarled or enlarged veins or duct obstructions in the prostate, scrotum, seminal vesicles and ejaculatory ducts
\n\u2022 Testicular Biopsy \u2014 To detect if sperm production is impaired or if a blockage exists
\n\u2022 Vasography \u2014 To determine the structure of the duct system and find out the presence of any obstructions
\n\u2022 Genetic Testing \u2014 To rule out fundamental mutations in one or more gene regions of the Y genetic material, or to test for cystic fibrosis in men absent the vas deferens<\/p>\n

Treatment for infertility in men<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Any treatment to increase fertility may be expected to have a direct outcome on semen quality approximately three months after its beginning, as this is the time essential for a single cycle of spermatogenesis, or sperm production. If neither surgical nor medical therapy is suitable, assisted reproductive technologies are possible.<\/p>\n

In choosing a treatment plan, thought should be given to each couple’s long-standing goals, financial constraints, and the results of the female partner’s assessment in addition to male factor results.<\/p>\n

Specific Therapy<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is by far the most successful medical therapy for curing male infertility. It involves reversing chemicals, infections or endocrine imbalances. This is known as specific therapy, and is usually successful because this treatment is based on the rectification of well-defined problems.<\/p>\n

Examples of specific therapy may include:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Treatment for mild prostatitis, epididymitis or varicocele
\n\u2022 The substitute of the pituitary hormones \u2014 follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and leutinizing hormone (LH) \u2014 for radiation or surgically induced pituitary ailment
\n\u2022 The administration of male sex hormone (testestorone) in men with hypoandrogenic hypogonadism<\/p>\n

Empiric Therapy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Empiric thrapy is another kind of treatment, that is aimed at correcting quite ill-defined conditions. The making use of of clomiphene citrate, tamoxifen or ProXeed for low sperm concentration or motility are instances of this form of therapy.<\/p>\n

These treatments generally have limited success because the generally intact mechanisms within the body tend to resist the planned effect. In other words, hormonal treatments based on the theory that “if some hormone is good, then more is better” are predestined to letdown and must be avoided at any expense.<\/p>\n

Assisted Reproductive Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n

Obtaining treatment for certain illnesses may or may not be a solution to the fertility problem. It has been gauged that at least 10 percent of infertility problems have been found out to occur due to unfamiliar causes and another 30 percent are due to trouble in both the male and female partners.<\/p>\n

In addition to medicine and surgical infertility treatments to take care of specific health conditions in men, a latest class of treatments \u2014 called Assisted Reproductive Technologies, or ART \u2014 has been introduced. The most familiar ART is In Vitro Fertilization, or IVF, but new procedures can boost the IVF process or address other infertility circumstances. These procedures for men include:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
\n\u2022 Sperm withdrawal procedures, such as:
\n\uf0a7 Vasal aspiration
\n\uf0a7 Epididymal aspiration
\n\uf0a7 Testicular sperm extraction
\n\uf0a7 “Mapping” the flawed testes
\n\u2022 Sperm donors and embryo or semen freezing<\/p>\n

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI, is a method that has been developed to help achieve fertilization for couples with infertility from the male\u2019s end or even couples who had earlier failed to fertilize in a prior in vitro fertilization effort. This particular procedure overcomes many of the barriers to fertilization and allows couples with little or no hope of achieving successful pregnancy to obtain fertilized embryos.<\/p>\n

Sperm Extraction Procedures<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sperm Extraction (Vasal Aspiration ) : Patients who have congenital impediment of the ductal system at the level of the prostate or in the abdominal or pelvic portions of the vas deferens may make the most of this method. Patients who have undergone a vasectomy within less than five years may also make use of this method to become fertile again.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sperm Extraction ( Epididymal Aspiration ): Epididymal sperm aspiration may be performed in instances in the absence of vas deferens or a vas defrens scarred due to prior surgery, trauma or infection. Sperms are directly accumulated from a single, lonely epididymal tubule (MESA) or by blind needle puncture (PESA) in almost the same method as the vasal procedure. Subject to the length of the epididymis that is obtainable for aspiration, multiple, different aspiration attempts can be made from one or both the testes.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sperm Extraction: Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE); Testicular Sperm Aspiration (TESA): The latest of the aspiration techniques in testicular sperm retrieval. In this process, a small quantity of testis tissue is obtained by biopsy under the influence of local anaesthesia. It is a burst through in that it demonstrates that sperm do not have to “mature” and travel through the epididymis to fertilize an ovum egg. Because of their lack of maturity, however, testicular sperm need ICSI.<\/p>\n

Visit your nearest Dr Lal PathLabs or book a test online from the Dr Lal PathLabs mobile app for collection of samples from any place of your choice and convenience of tests related to male infertility.<\/p>\n