What is Male Infertility?
Male infertility refers to a man's reduced ability to have children and is a complex health issue rooted in the quality and quantity of sperm. Multifaceted factors contribute to the condition, like physical, genetic, hormonal and environmental elements. The most common cause is sperm count usually but equally significant are issues with sperm motility, or in other words, movement and morphology which means shape.
It seeks to understand the underlying reasons for infertility, recognising that for many couples, it is a shared journey that requires compassion and clarity. With the ultimate goal of helping a couple build their family, a dedicated male infertility specialist treats the man. Prescribing medication and performing procedures are part of this process as is piecing together a complete picture of a patient's health, lifestyle and genetics to chart the most effective path forward. This subspeciality, falls under urology and andrology.
Infertility in men can arise from a wide range of issues, often working in combination. A cornerstone of effective treatment involves understanding the root cause.
Sperm production disorders are the most common category. It includes producing too few sperm known as oligospermia, no sperm at all known as azoospermia or sperm that are abnormally shaped or unable to swim effectively, referred to as poor motility. Varicocele is a frequent and treatable cause of poor sperm production, which is swelling of the veins draining the testicle.
Genetic and Hormonal Factors can contribute such as chromosomal abnormalities or imbalances in hormones produced by the pituitary gland, hypothalamus and testicles can impair sperm development. When the body doesn't produce enough testosterone in conditions like hypogonadism, it falls into this category.
In some cases, sperm production is healthy, but an obstruction in the epididymis or vas deferens prevents them from being expelled during ejaculation. These blockages are often caused by previous infections, surgical scarring or a congenital absence of the vas deferens.
Lifestyle and environmental factors with daily habits playing a significant role. Habits that can dramatically lower sperm counts include smoking, excessive alcohol and using illicit drugs. Exposure to environmental toxins, prolonged heat from saunas or laptops and even certain medications can also impair fertility. Conditions like diabetes, infections such as mumps orchitis and treatments like chemotherapy or radiation for cancer can have a lasting impact on fertility.
