Usually, it is the woman who is responsible for the problems with getting pregnant. Meanwhile, today it is known that problems with fertility affect, and to an increasing extent, also men! Learn the causes of male infertility.

Previously, in the case of problems with getting pregnant,male infertilitywas considered last. Now thatcauses of male infertilityare better known, the diagnosis of a couple often begins with a man, because it is easier. When a couple who want to have a child comes to the doctor, they expect an unequivocal answer to the question why they are failing and whether they have a chance of having a child. Sometimes it happens that it is not possible to get pregnant because the partners have intercourse only on days that they themselves have determined as fertile (such calculations are best done by a doctor) or they use the erroneous principle that the less they love each other, the better the sperm quality. In such cases, an explanatory conversation with the doctor is sufficient and after 1-2 months the woman becomes pregnant. About 6 percent have such problems. couples attending fertility clinics. The rest must be tested. There are a lot of them, but you don't always have to go through all of them.

Male infertility - diagnosis

It happens that the cause of infertility is determined after a hormone level test, semen analysis or an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. In the clinic, the man is usually examined first, because his analyzes are less complicated and, above all, there are fewer of them. The test consists in determining the number, mobility and viability of sperm in a semen sample viewed under a microscope. When the sperm is abnormal, the potential dad is checked for the level of hormones in the blood. In the case of suspicion of varicocele, an ultrasound of the testes is performed, and in order to detect possible defects of the genitourinary system - an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. After a series of tests to determine what causes fertility problems, specialists choose the right therapy.

Important

Infertility may be suspected when a couple has had intercourse with each other for at least a year without any protection and regularly, i.e. 2-3 times a week, and the woman does not become pregnant. However, it is not immediately necessary to seek help from a fertility clinic. The first step is up to the woman to talk to the gynecologist. The doctor will executepreliminary tests and, if necessary, he will order both partners to visit a specialist clinic.

Male infertility: causes

The World He alth Organization (WHO) reported that male sperm condition is deteriorating. Even in the 1960s, 60 million sperm in 1 milliliter of semen was considered the norm, and today a man who has "only" 20 million sperm is considered fertile. This is still a lot, but - as it turns out - they are of lower and lower quality, less durable, with defects in construction. However, there are many more reasons that make fertilization difficult.

  • Testicular injuries - as a result of a sports injury or a road accident.
  • The twist of the testicle - this is its rotation around the leading cord (spermatic cord). This condition requires the intervention of a surgeon, sometimes even removal of the testicle.
  • Varicose veins of the spermatic cord - their effect may be an increase in temperature around the testicles, which contributes to their damage.
  • Neoplastic diseases-often drugs used in therapy cause irreversible changes in testicular tissue.
  • Infections - both those that a man's mother went through during her pregnancy and infections of the urogenital system of an adult man can damage the testicles.
  • Hormonal disorders - sperm production depends on the FSH hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland and on the correct concentration of testosterone. When the production of these hormones is disrupted, sperm counts decline.
  • Retrograde ejaculation - it occurs as a result of developmental defects or surgery within the bladder. When the bladder neck sphincter works abnormally, semen does not go out when ejaculating, but goes into the bladder and is excreted with the urine. This problem is rarely faced by young men. It more often affects the elderly after transurethral resection of the prostate (due to its enlargement or cancer).
  • Obstruction of the semen drainage system - it may be caused by e.g. inflammatory adhesions, diseases (e.g. mumps, gonorrhea), injuries, or it may be the result of abdominal surgery.
  • Unhygienic lifestyle - stress, sedentary lifestyle, stimulants, working in poor conditions, overusing certain medications, overheating the testicles (e.g. too tight underwear), improper diet (deficiency of vitamins and microelements, especially zinc and selenium) - significantly worsen the quality of the semen.
You must do it

Semen analysis

You must abstain from sex for 3-5 days before the test. Then, in the laboratory, in a specially prepared, isolated room, as a result of masturbation, you give the sperm to the container. Ejaculate should be cexamined within an hour. Its color, reaction, volume, quantity, structure and vitality of sperm are examined.

What is the correct semen test result?

  • 2 - 5 ml of ejaculate
  • sperm count: 20-300 million in 1 milliliter
  • over 40 percent sperm with normal mobility
  • over 30 percent sperm with an oval-shaped head
  • progressive movement: over 40 percent sperm
  • average speed of movement: more than 25 m / s
  • pH: 7.2-7.8

If the semen test is abnormal, it should be repeated after about 3 months. If the abnormalities from the first examination still persist, further specialist diagnosis and treatment under the supervision of an andrologist is necessary.

Effective methods of treating male infertility

Some anatomical defects, as well as the effects of injuries and procedures, can be removed surgically, thanks to which a man can increase his chances of having children. In the case of obstruction of the vas deferens, sperm are collected from the seminal tubules (they are in the testes, sperm are produced in them). If the semen is of good quality, it can be used for in vitro fertilization. In the case of young men diagnosed with cancer, there is a sperm bank where sperm can be deposited for years prior to treatment.

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Pregnancy