Male Infertility

Typically there are no physical symptoms of male infertility. The obvious sign of male infertility is the inability to impregnate your female partner after one year of regular sex without birth control.  We can provide tests for both partners to determine the cause of the infertility.

For males, infertility in diagnosed by analyzing semen samples and checking sperm count, uniformity and its acidity.  We will also check how well they move and their shape.

We can also run blood tests and other diagnostic testing to detect health problems with your reproductive system.

With that in mind, some symptoms you can look out for that may impact male fertility includes:

Sexual function problems such as reduced sexual desire, erectile dysfunction, lower volume of fluid on ejaculation, pain or swelling in the testicle area, abnormal male breast growth or decreased facial or body hair.

There are medical, social and environmental causes that can contribute to male infertility.  The fertility process itself is complex.  You must produce healthy sperm which must be successfully mixed with your semen and transported to your partner.  Your sperm count needs to be adequate which means over 40 million sperm per ejaculate.

Medical causes of male infertility can include infections, tumors, hormonal imbalances and defects in any of the various mechanisms needed to proper sexual function.  Certain medications and medical treatments affect sperm count and the sexual function.

Environmental causes that can lead to male infertility is exposure to certain chemicals, heavy metals or radiation.  Over heating the testicles through sitting for long periods of time, exposure to heat, wearing tight clothing may reduce sperm production.

Treatment will be determined by the cause of the infertility.  Many problems are typically fixed with drugs or surgery, most can be treated non-surgically.  The primary goal is to find a treatment that allows for conception through natural sex.  Some standard treatments include surgery to block off abnormal veins, medicine or surgery to treat hormonal abnormalities and surgical correction of sperm transport and delivery.