Abc’s of Male Infertility

semen (ejaculate). The absence of ejaculate may occur in men with spinal cord injuries or diseases. This fluid carries the sperm from the penis into the vagina.

Obesity may be a risk factor for male infertility. A 2006 epidemiological study found that a 20-pound increase in a man’s weight increased the chance for infertility by about 10 percent.

Premature ejaculation can occasionally make fertilization difficult or impossible for couples who are trying to become pregnant.

Question your doctor: When a couple has failed to conceive after one year of well-timed intercourse, they should seek expert care. In cases where the woman is older than age 35, treatment should be sought after six months of well-timed intercourse.

Repeated Chlamydia trachomatis or gonorrhea infections are most often associated with male infertility. Such infections can cause scarring and block sperm passage. Human papilloma viruses, the cause of genital warts, may also impair sperm function.

Smoking impairs sperm motility, reduces sperm lifespan, and may cause genetic changes that affect the offspring.

Stress may interfere with the hormone GnRH and reduce sperm counts.

Testicular Overheating: High fevers, saunas, and hot tubs, may temporarily lower sperm count. Persistent exposure to high temperatures during work may impair fertility.

Undescended testicle: The testicles make male hormones and sperm. Usually both testicles are inside the scrotum. While male babies are still growing inside the uterus, their testicles are inside their abdomen. The testicles usually move down into the scrotum just before or just after birth. An undescended testicle is one that did not move down into the scrotum.

Varicocele: This is when the veins in the scrotum become enlarged, twisted or swollen (similar to varicose veins in the leg). This heats the inside of the scrotum and may affect sperm production.

Wearing tight-fitting pants and underwear. According to a study on “Tight-fitting Underwear and Sperm Quality” published June 29, 1996, in the scientific journal The Lancet. Tight-fitting underwear is not recommended for men trying to father a child because it may raise testes temperature to a point where it interferes with sperm production.

X Chromosomes play a role in some forms of male infertility that result from low sperm counts. Scientists have found that almost half the genes related to sperm production reside in the X chromosome, universally thought of as the female sex chromosome. Many genes for early male sperm production reside on the X Chromosome.

Your loss of libido (reduced or lost interest in sex) can also be a factor in male infertility.

Zinc, folate, selenium, vitamins C & E deficiencies in men may be particular risk factors for infertility.

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