Causes of male infertility
When a couple is having a hard time conceiving, very often it’s the woman that is blamed. It shouldn’t be that way. Actually, at least one third of the time the infertility problem is with the man. Here’s an overview of the possible causes of male fertility that might be preventing you and your partner from conceiving.
General causes of infertility in men include:
* Low sperm count (not enough sperm in the semen)
* Low sperm motility (the sperms are not good swimmers)
* Abnormal sperm shape or structure
* Blocked sperm ducts
* Sexual dysfunction, i.e. impotence or erectile dysfunction
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Many reasons contribute to the causes of male infertility. Certain habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, or the use of certain prescription medications, or occupational exposure to toxic chemicals or metal, can all impair sperm production and quality.
Smoking has also been reported to damage the sperm DNA. So if you partner has a smoking habit, it’s time to stop. Your partner may also want to talk to his doctor about any prescription medications that he is taking. He should also pay attention to his diet. A diet rich in zinc helps increase sperm count. So he may want to eat a lot of shellfish and eggs.
Infertility resulted from long-term exposure to toxic chemicals, whether in work or from the environment (e.g. pesticides, lead) may or may not be reversed. But there are infertility treatments to help.
One of the most common causes of male infertility is a condition known as Varicocele. In a simple explanation, varicocele is the formation of varicose veins around the testes. These enlarged veins cause a pooling of blood in the scrotum and raises the temperature in the testicles. This affects sperm production, lowering the sperm count and motility. Varicocele is usually a treatable condition, but invasive medical procedure is required.
Generally any event that increases the temperature around the testicles, such as taking saunas and hot tub baths or inflammation of the testes due to mumps, could affect sperm count and quality.
Radiation treatment and chemotherapy for cancer can also reduce sperm quantity and quality.
Other less common causes of male infertility are such as retrograde ejaculation, undescended testicles, and blocked or missing ducts. These are structural problems, which may be acquired from the time the man was born, or can be caused by disease, injury or stress. Usually surgery is the solution to these structural fertility obstacles, but there are also non-surgery fertility-restoring solutions to consider.
If you and your partner have a question about the causes of male infertility, a trip to your doctor is warranted. He will be able to determine the best course of action. The first thing that they doctor will want to do is a semen analysis. If sperm count is the problem, your doctor will advise where to go from there and what is the best plan of action for you.