 There
are some couples who just can't get pregnant after many
attempts within the span of one year. When the problem
is identified to be with the man, it is referred to
as male infertility. According to statistics, male infertility
accounts for a third of reported infertility cases.
A man is diagnosed to have male infertility when there
is a problem with his ejaculation or his sperm count.
Ejaculation is when semen is released through the penis
during orgasm. When the man can't properly release semen
to get the woman pregnant, he can be suffering from:
erectile dysfunctions, premature ejaculation, retrograde
ejaculation (wherein the semen is pushed back into the
bladder), or complications from surgery or radiation
therapy.
A low sperm count (or no sperm at all) may be caused
by severe mumps infection, hormonal disorder, hereditary
factors, or infections. It can also be triggered by
wearing tight or restrictive underwear, excessive use
of tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs, and exposure to
radiation or poisonous chemicals.
A man's sperm may also be "abnormal," which is said
to be malformed and has a short life span. Thus, the
sperm couldn't "swim" correctly. This is brought on
by abnormal development or inflammation of the testicles
and swollen veins in the scrotum. This condition heats
the inside of the scrotum and may critically affect
the sperm production.
If you have concerns regarding male infertility, you
should see a doctor immediately, especially if you tried
getting pregnant for already a year. A physical examination
may pinpoint the exact or underlying problems that may
be causing the infertility and treat them early on.
The examination would take into account your medical
history, a culture of fluid from the penis, a blood
test (to check for hormone problems or infections),
and a semen analysis (to check the number and quality
of sperm). More testing may be necessary, depending
on the results.
You may be wondering if male infertility may be treated.
Of course, it can be. In fact, more than 50 percent
of male infertility cases can be remedied. Treatment
by conventional methods may help the couple get pregnant
through normal sexual intercourse. There are medications,
antibiotics, and hormones that a man can take to help
in sperm production, get rid of infection, or aid in
hormonal imbalance. Also, you can try wearing loose
clothing like boxers or avoiding hot tubs, saunas, and
long hot showers.
Other treatments are also available, though these may
be invasive or too expensive. This includes in vitro
fertilization, artificial insemination, and use of sperm
donor. In vitro fertilization involves the fertilization
of the couple's sperm and egg in a laboratory and placing
the fertilized egg inside the female's uterus. Artificial
insemination, on the other hand, involves the collection
of sperm and manually placing it inside the fallopian
tubes or the female uterus to facilitate conception.
A donor sperm can instead be acquired if there is no
sperm production at all or there are other functional
problems with the man's sperm.
Generally, male infertility caused by an illness or
genetic problems cannot be prevented. Although, there
are different ways and means that you can do to reduce
the chances of having infertility problems. One way
is to avoid drugs, alcohol, and other poisonous substances.
Live a healthy lifestyle and practice good hygiene.
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