Understanding Male Infertility: Causes and Contributing Factors

Male infertility is a condition that reduces the chances of a man being able to make their partner pregnant. Problems like sperm motility, sperm production, or abnormal sperm function lead to male infertility. It should be noted that male infertility doesn’t automatically mean complete infertility. In most cases, it means the probability of making their partner pregnant decreases up to a certain extent. 

However, with timely diagnosis and male infertility treatment, these problems can be treated. Only in extreme cases, male infertility leads to total infertility where the person is absolutely no longer able to make their partner pregnant. So, let’s review the different male infertility symptoms to understand when you need to visit a male infertility specialist. But first, let’s understand what male infertility is and the various causes and contributing factors to it.

What is Male Infertility?

Male infertility is a health condition where fertility problems in men lead to a couple not being able to conceive children. This is fairly common and in the majority of cases where a couple is unable to conceive children, it can be a contributing factor. In India male infertility is undiagnosed in most cases and leads to more severe outcomes. 

It is estimated that around 50% of cases where a couple is unable to conceive children, male infertility is the contributing factor in India. Another important factor that leads to male infertility to often be overlooked is that it doesn’t come with symptoms in most cases. When symptoms do appear they are extreme and lead to the need of immediate medical treatment and increased risk of complete infertility. Now that you know about what male infertility is, let’s discuss its causes and contributing factors.

Causes & Contributing Factors Behind Male Infertility

• Varicoceles

Varicoceles is a condition where blood vessels in your scrotum are swollen. These swollen veins are quite common and are more commonly found in men with infertility problems. Varicoceles doesn’t allow proper sperm growth as it hampers the blood drainage from your scrotum. It is expected that varicoceles can also cause higher temperatures in your scrotum, which makes it too warm for your testicles for making sperm. This leads to lower sperm count, which is one of the symptoms and effects of male infertility.

• Sperm Problems

There are a lot of sperm problems that can happen and all of them contribute to male infertility. This includes sperm not being able to move properly, being oddly shaped, not being mature, or being made in low numbers or not at all. These problems can stem from a variety of factors including hormonal imbalances, chronic illnesses like kidney failure, or childhood infections like mumps. Apart from intrinsic causes, accidents or physical damage to the male reproductive system can also cause sperm problems.

• Physical Obstructions

Physical obstructions in any part of the reproductive tract can lead to male infertility. This is because sperm produced by the testicles will not be able to exit the body during ejaculation. Physical obstructions in the reproductive tract can be caused by a number of factors including physical injury, surgery, repeated urinary tract infections, swelling in the reproductive tract, and developmental issues. Some of these conditions can be treated using medication and lifestyle changes while for others surgical intervention may be required. Male infertility caused by physical obstruction can be identified easily as little or no sperm exits the body upon ejaculation.

• Retrograde Ejaculation

Retrograde ejaculation is a condition where sperm doesn’t exit the body but rather it goes backward and empties into the bladder. This condition can be caused by a number of underlying health conditions including prostate problems, surgery, medications, and problems of the nervous system. The best way to diagnose retrograde ejaculation at home is to check if you have dry ejaculation or if you have cloudy urine after ejaculation. It is important to note that retrograde ejaculation can often be a side effect of certain medications, so it is important to speak to your doctor regarding your issues for a quick solution.

• Immunologic Infertility

Immunologic infertility is relatively rare and difficult to reverse. As an autoimmune reaction, antibodies start attacking your sperm, which stops it from functioning properly. This includes sperm not being able to swim properly to enter the fallopian tube and reach the egg. It is not fully understood how antibodies cause infertility or why, but surgery, infections, or injury are often credited as reasons to why antibodies are created in the first place.

• Hormonal Imbalance

Hormonal imbalance is common among men too as the hormones produced by the pituitary gland are essential for your body to develop healthy sperm. Hormonal imbalance or low hormone levels can lead to poor sperm growth and poor sperm count, both of which can lead to problems like male infertility. It is important to note symptoms of hormonal imbalance like loss of facial hair and unwarranted growth of breast tissues in men and check with your doctor as soon as possible. These symptoms generally indicate hormonal imbalances in men, which can lead to infertility if left unchecked.

Conclusion

Male infertility is often regarded as a taboo and not talked about openly in India. This causes the conditions that could have been prevented and treated if diagnosed in a timely manner to become complete infertility for men. With time medical technology has advanced and today most cases of male infertility can be treated if they are diagnosed in a timely manner. 

So, if you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned in this blog, make sure you speak to your Andrologist and get a diagnosis for possible infertility issues. To get medical help from the top andrologist in India and avail the best male infertility, visit MASSH today. We specialise in functional medicine and minimally invasive procedures that can help you treat male infertility with low risks and a quick recovery period.