Male infertility
Poor sperm quality can be caused by:
- Compromised sperm production in the testis
- Compromised transport of the spermatozoa.
The reason for this can be:
- Non-descended testicles
- Infections
- Fever
- Testicle cancer
- Antibodies in the sperm cells
Compromised sperm production in the testis
Very often, the man first discovers the bad sperm production, when he is investigated for infertility. No other symptoms are associated with this condition.
Non-descended testicles is a major cause in this as the testis have a late arrival into the scrotum. Today, we know that this detoriates the sperm production considerably. Therefore we also recommend this testis to be operated down as soon as possible.
Infections
Infections like chlamydia or gonorrhea can result in a stop of the passage for the sperm cells in the epididymis or the sperm duct. Mumps in grown-up men can lead to sterility because the sperm producing tissue is destroyed. In some cases the sterility can be solved through an operation or through extraction of the sperm cells directly from the epididymis or from the testicle.
Fever
Even shorter periods of high fever can reduce the sperm quality for up to 3 months. Therefore, if the man has suffered from fever, the semen sample should be checked immediately.
Testicle cancer
Today we know that men with very low sperm count have a 42 times higher risk of getting a testicle cancer. Therefore all these men should be scanned on their testis to exclude this.
Chromosome failures in the man
Up to 2% of the infertile male population with severe low sperm production has a chromosome failure. This should be checked by a blood test before fertility treatment is initiated.
Antibodies against the spermatozoa
In some cases the sperm mobility, although the sperm is perfectly normal, is compromised by antibodies against the sperm cell. This will immobilize the spermatozoa and make the man infertile. This situation is often seen after trauma and male sterilization.
How to treat male infertility
If the male semen sample is only moderately decreased, intrauterine insemination is used. For severe male factor the only treatment is micro insemination or even if there is no spermatozoa, the solution is TESA, a method where the sperm cells are retrieved via a small puncture of the testis.
Here you can read more about the treatments:
