MALE INFERTILITY

Male infertility accounts for around 20 to 25% of infertility cases which is higher than many people think. It is easy to assume that infertility is a female problem, which is the traditional view, but it’s often the case that the man has the problem rather than the woman.

There are many reasons for male infertility which include the following:

• Hormone disorders
• Abnormal/low sperm count
• Genetic disorders
• Variococele
• Disease or trauma to the testicles
• Blockage in the ejaculatory duct
• Vasectomy
• Lifestyle issues
• Environmental issues (exposure to toxins etc)
• Prescription medicines
• Failure to ejaculate
• Medical conditions

There are a small percentage of cases in which there appears to be no obvious cause of infertility. These are known as ‘idiopathic’ cases.

Male infertility problems are often categorised into four areas: hormonal, structural, lifestyle and genetic. And many of these are related to each other. In other words, a genetic cause of infertility can also be related to a structural problem (e.g. damage to the male reproductive organs).

Hormone disorders

The reproductive endocrine system exists in a delicate state of balance which can easily be upset. The main hormones of this system are testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormones (LH). These are responsible for male fertility.

Any problem in the central nervous system such as the adrenal glands or thyroid glands can minimise the production of LH and FSH which then impacts upon fertility. For example, a problem with the adrenal glands can cause low testosterone levels which also affect fertility.

Male Infertility Guide Index:

• Hormone disorders
• Abnormal/low sperm count
• Genetic disorders
• Variococele
• Disease or trauma to the testicles
• Blockage in the ejaculatory duct

• Vasectomy
• Lifestyle issues
• Environmental issues (exposure to toxins etc)
• Prescription medicines
• Failure to ejaculate