Hey, Chaps! So, we’ve chatted about STIs and how some of them can eventually cause infertility, but I know a lot of guys don’t like to talk about this issue that plagues thousands of men.
So, today, we’ll lift the taboo on male infertility, help you get the answers you need, and hopefully combat it!
We know that, historically, women tended to be the ones connected to pregnancy. Still, we have an important place in the process, and it can be downright depressing to find out that you may be the cause of your and your significant other conceiving. It’s also hugely common in the UK, with 7% of all men being affected by infertility.
The good news is that there are solutions! But you aren’t going to solve anything without talking about it – to your private doctor and your partner!
What is male infertility?
Firstly, let’s chat about what male infertility is.
Infertility can be considered a disease of the reproductive system. Essentially, it means that person can’t conceive a child or fertilise an egg. Infertility affects both genders, but male infertility means explicitly that a male patient has a problem with his reproductive system.
What causes male infertility?
Unfortunately, reproducing as a bloke isn’t a simple process, and it depends on a number o things. Natural male reproduction depends on several things.
You must be able to:
- Make healthy sperm that can fertilise the egg
- Have an erection and ejaculate, so the sperm reaches the egg
Problems with either of these can mean you have infertility.
One of the most common causes of male infertility is an issue with our chap. That’s right! Problems making healthy sperm are w despread. Sperm may be immature, abnormally shaped, or pretty rubbish swimmers. In some cases, you may not have enough sperm or any.
There are several reasons you may struggle with this:
- Infections or inflammatory conditions, such as an infection with the mumps virus after puberty
- Hormone or pituitary gland problems
- Immune problems in which you make antibodies against your sperm (man, that’s a wild card!)
- Environmental and lifestyle factors (time to quit smoking, chaps!)
- Genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis or hemochromatosis
- Structural problems
- Anything that blocks the genital tract can stop the flow of semen, such as a congenital disability OR an STI.
- Other causes include scar tissue from surgery or twisted, swollen veins in the scrotum.
Some other factors that cause infertility include erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation.
Who is at risk for male infertility?
Ok, some of us are more likely to suffer from male infertility. Some of the factors that increase your risk include:
- Past inflammation of the prostate or past genital infections
- Injury to or twisting (torsion) of the testicles
- Early or late puberty
- Exposure of the genitals to high temperatures
- Hernia repair
- Undescended testicles
- You may also be at risk if you take certain prescription medicines. These include ulcers, psoriasis, depression, and high blood pressure medications.
How is male infertility diagnosed?
So, after a few months of trying to conceive and you realise that nothing seems to be working, it’s worthwhile to get a fertility screening.
There’s nothing scary about a fertility screening. It’s completely normal and nothing to be ashamed of. It’s often as simple as your healthcare provider reviewing your health history and doing a physical exam.
Other tests for male infertility may include:
- Sperm count (semen analysis)
- You’ll be asked to give at least two semen samples on separate days. Then your provider will check the semen and sperm for many things, including how much semen you make and how uniform it is. They will also look at the amount of sperm you produce, mobility, and shape.
- Blood tests
- A simple blood test may be enough for your provider to check hormone levels and rule out other problems.
- Other tests
- Occasionally, you may be asked to undergo other tests, such as ultrasound may be used to look at your testicles, blood vessels, and structures inside the scrotum.
- Testicular biopsy
- Don’t worry; this isn’t as scary as it sounds and isn’t that common. Your provider may remove a small piece of tissue (biopsy) from each testicle and then test it under a microscope.
The nitty-gritty!
So, we know what it is and how they test it, but how do they treat this frustrating disease?
Obviously, the treatment depends on what is causing your infertility. Suppose you’re looking at fertility help with purely the goal of getting your partner pregnant. In that case, various options are available, from artificial insemination to IVF and ICSI (essentially, they do all the fertilising for you with your chap under a microscope).
Medication is also often used if you have a hormone disorder causing your infertility, which can affect how your sperm develops.
It’s rare, but you can undergo surgery to fix problems that keep sperm from being made o maturing. It can also be used to remove twisted or swollen veins, which can improve the quality of sperm.
So, what next?
So, now we know how to get tested and how to get treated, I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to talk about male infertility.
Your mates will listen, and your partner will understand. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, and mental health can affect you (and your fertility), so get talking!
The next step is to organise a fertility screening. You can even do this before you start the conception journey!