A Comprehensive Guide To Male Infertility

Many couples dealing with infertility experience conflicting emotions. It’s challenging to sort out the physical, social, and emotional aspects of infertility.

Many men with fertility problems have more than one cause. For example, you may have a low sperm count and poor sperm quality (azoospermia). Another man with infertility might have ejaculation issues. It could take different tests to check for these various causes of infertility. Several treatments are available to improve your chances of conception. 

 

If you suffer from male infertility, you have to visit a doctor or an infertility clinic. This is because most of the male infertility cases are treated with medications and therapies that doctors or health specialists can only prescribe. If left untreated, male infertility can lead to a number of other problems in your reproductive health, such as erectile dysfunction.

Male Infertility Diagnosis

An infertility test for men includes physical examination and sperm analysis. The doctor will look at your medical history and may have you do a genetic test for chromosomal or genetic disorders.

Tests to determine the cause of your infertility may include:

• Hormone Testing 

It is used to measure levels of testosterone and other hormones. Doctors use these tests to look for problems that can cause a decrease in sperm production and quality, such as low testosterone. Hormone testing involves taking blood samples to measure the levels of different hormones in the body. These might include follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, estradiol, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and others.

• Genetic tests 

This test is conducted to evaluate the sperm for chromosomal or genetic disorders. If a congenital abnormality such as Klinefelter’s Syndrome (47XXY) or an extra Y chromosome (47XYY) has been identified. In that case, genetic testing may be recommended to determine whether you or your partner carry this abnormal gene.

• Testicular Biopsy

Testicular biopsy is a surgical procedure to remove a sample of testicular tissue for microscopic evaluation. Testicular biopsy is a test to check for sperm in the semen. Doctors use it to determine if there is enough sperm production to fertilize an egg.

The doctor will first numb the scrotum with an injection. Then, he or she will take a sample of tissue from one or both of the testicles. The doctor uses a needle to remove a small amount of tissue, and a biopsy is done.

You may have some pain after the biopsy. You can take over-the-counter pain medicine, such as ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).

• Physical Examination

A physical exam can help determine the cause of male infertility. The doctor will perform a physical test to look for any signs that would explain why you are infertile. It also includes questions about any inherited conditions, chronic health problems, illnesses, injuries, or surgeries that could affect fertility.

• Scrotal Ultrasound 

It uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of your testicles and supporting structures. A scrotal ultrasound can aid your physician see if there is a varicocele or other issues in the testicles to make an effective treatment plan to overcome infertility.

Related, How To Enhance Male’s Semen Quality?

Treatments For Male Infertility:

If the underlying cause is determined, male infertility is treatable in most cases. Here are four common male infertility treatments.

• Surgery – 

Surgery may be an option if a varicocele or obstruction is preventing sperm production or delivery. Varicoceles are enlarged veins in the scrotum that prevent normal cooling of the testicles.

• Treating Infections – 

Infections such as gonorrhea or HIV may decrease your sperm count and motility. Antibiotics may treat those conditions. However, sometimes infections can cause permanent damage to your reproductive organs.

• Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) – 

ART involves removing eggs from a woman’s body and fertilizing them with sperm in a laboratory dish. The resulting embryos are then transferred to the woman’s uterus for implantation and pregnancy. It could also be beneficial to overcome fertility in men and help to become a father. Many professionals provide Infertility treatment in Panchkula and other cities, but it is vital to ensure reliability before choosing one.

• Hormone Replacement-

Hormone therapy can be used to treat male infertility that results from hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH). In order to induce fertility in these patients, exogenous hCG, LH, and FSH are administered. Such treatment has been used in cases of both congenital and acquired HH.

Foods To Boost Fertility In Males:

• ​Vitamin C

Foods rich in vitamin C like oranges, bell peppers, kiwi, broccoli, and strawberries help boost fertility. The antioxidant properties of vitamin C safeguard sperm from damage. It also helps the body absorb iron better, which is crucial to healthy sperm production.

• Saffron

Saffron contains high amounts of magnesium and potassium. These minerals are important for a healthy reproductive system in males as well as females. Saffron has been known to increase sperm count and motility and improve sexual health in general in both men and women.

•  Banana

Bananas are rich in vitamin B6, which is known to regulate sex hormones and improve male fertility. They are also rich in potassium and vitamin C, both of which help improve sperm quality by reducing oxidative stress. Other sources of vitamin B6 include meat, fish, poultry, leafy vegetables, beans, and other legumes.

• Beans and lentils

Beans and lentils are great sources of folate or folic acid, an important nutrient for fertility in men and women. Folate helps protect against congenital disabilities in babies by preventing DNA damage to cells. Other good sources of folate include dark leafy greens like spinach, avocados, oranges, nuts, seeds, and whole grains like brown rice and quinoa.

Final words: 

Hope you found the information interesting and consider the above treatments and foods to boost the chances of conception.