Tackling Male Infertility
“Treatment Can range from hormonal treatment to assisted reproductive techniques and intra-uterine insemination”
Men Should Get Tested Too
A majority of people, especially in India, still consider fertility to be a ‘woman’s problem,’ whereas a huge number of infertility cases actually involve problems with the male partner.
This problem could be anything from a low sperm count, to low motility of sperms, abnormal sperms and sometimes a hormonal problem, genital infections or ejaculatory dysfunction. Hence, men too should get tested for fertility.
Diagnosis
In present times, it has become easier to diagnose the causes of male infertility. For instance, a DNA fragmentation test assesses sperm and finds out If there is any DNA damage.
Also, a diagnostic test called the Sperm Aneuploidy Test (SAT) is applied to study the genetic background or cause of male infertility. This pinpoints chromosomal abnormalities In a sperm sample.
Additionally, at times like in the case of a varicocele, whereby the veins become enlarged inside the scrotum, surgical therapy can help.
Likewise, a semen analysis can easily be done to check the quality and quantity of the sperm in the semen sample. The analysis and sonography can detect issues such as azoospermia (zero sperm count), oligospermia (few sperm are produced) and problems with sperm motility, when the sperms aren’t moving normally.
Treatment
Once the problem has been pinpointed, treatment can be started. Treatment can range from hormonal treatment to Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) and intra-uterine insemination.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection
One of the most exciting and highly effective procedures for male infertility and low sperm count is Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). In this procedure eggs and sperms are collected from both partners and a single sperm is injected directly into an egg and implanted into the woman’s uterus. lCSl involves having a test tube baby and it has been the backbone of infertility treatment since 1992.
Testicular Sperm Extraction
If the man has zero sperm count due to a blockage in the testes, doctors can retrieve sperm from the testicles. This technique is known as testicular sperm extraction and success rates with this are very good.
Other Causes Of Infertility
Stress, smoking and a bad or sedentary lifestyle are among the main causes of infertility problems. And almost 25-50 per cent of problems are caused by these. However, these causes can be easily addressed with just a few positive lifestyle changes.
Tips To Avoid Infertility
- Don’t wait for too long to have a baby as men too, have a biological clock.
- The older a man is, the longer it will take for him to make a woman pregnant
- Try to reduce stress – whether it is by practicing yoga or focussing on exercise, de-stressing is key
- Avoid taking steroids
- Avoid smoking, as it affects both a woman’s and a man’s fertility.
- Also, research has proved that smoking can reduce sperm production and even damage DNA.