Male infertility causes and semen Frequently Asked Questions

What is the single important contributing factor to male infertility? Male infertility causes are so many , but the single largest contributing factor to male infertility is mainly due to semen disorder. That is due to low perm count or bad formation. Semen analysis is the way to diagnose low sperm count and abnormalities. Testing of Seminal fluid involves three studies: sperm count, sperm motility, and sperm morphology.

Is it true that prevalence of Male infertility increased?

It appears to be. Research suggest that in the last fifty years or so, the number of sperm in the average western male’s semen has went down to about half the count used to be. As a result male infertility rate increased.

Today, about one in seven of couples (in United Kingdom) asks medical assistance to get a baby. Because They have pregnancy difficulties. In half of these cases, the male is the cause of the problem. Usually, most male infertilities cased by low sperm count.

What are the indications for Semen Analysis?

• To detect causes male infertility
• Follow up after Vasectomy
• Hypogonadism
• Storage of semen before radiotherapy

How many times can you do a sperm analysis to evaluate male infertility?

Semen analysis tests are usually repeated at least to times to evaluate man fertility status.. This is because sperm count varies from time to time, due to many reasons. So we repeat the test to get an accurate representation of the sperm count over time. A second sample is usually collected one to two weeks after the first one.

What are the causes of low sperm count?

Causes of low sperm count are also causes of male infertility causes. They include the following:

• Some medications:
  – Anabolic steroids (They affect the count significantly)
  – anti-arthritis drugs
  – Other prescription drugs (like Viagra)
• alcohol and Drugs (cocaine , marijuana )
• chemotherapy
• Diet related causes:
  – low levels of minerals such as zinc
  – low levels of vitamins, like vitamin C
• smoking (reduces the sperm’s life expectancy and sense of direction)
• stress

What is sperm count and how to check it?

If a patient produced less than 15 million sperm per/ml or under 39 million sperm cells per ejaculation, that is considered lower than normal. Medically, the condition is termed oligospermia (low sperm count) and is a leading cause of male infertility. The easiest way to determine a patient’s sperm count is by conducting a standard semen analysis test.

What is semen analysis results range?

Semen analysis results table WHO reference range:
– Total sperm count in ejaculate more than 20 million per Ejaculate. A concentration less than 5 million per milliliter is considered severe oligospermia.
– Ejaculate Volume 2–5 mL
– Sperm concentration 15–259 million/mL 

What are sperm Disorders that may cause male infertility?

The most common problems are with making and growing sperm. Sperm may:

• not mature enough (not grow fully)
• Morphology disorders (be abnormally shaped)
• Mobility disorders (not moving progressively)
• Oligospermia (be made in very low numbers)
• azoospermia (no sperm at all)

Does age really affect the sperm count ?

Yes, age really affects the sperm count and causes male infertility. So, an older man is less potent than he was young. Once a man crosses 40 years of age the quality of his sperm declines gradually. This does not mean that an older man cannot man make his wife pregnant. He can but his chances are reduced due to the deterioration of his sperm quality. The concentration of abnormally shaped sperm increases with age.

Can smoking have lower sperm count and increase male infertility?

Smoking , reportedly , has negative effects on sperm. It reduces both the count and quality. Smokers who are not able to have children, Tobacco usually found to have a role. Scientists have found that smoking increases your chances of infertility by 30 percent.

Cell phones and laptops affect sperm count and fertility?

The heat and electromagnetic waves emitted by both cell phones and laptops have been found to affect the sperm quality. Many men are inclined to keep their cell phones in their trouser pockets close to the pelvic area and this could be damaging your sperm as your phone is constantly sending out and receiving electromagnetic signals. The heat from keeping your laptop on your lap for long durations has been known to cause DNA damage to the sperm. So, the best way to reduce the damage is by keeping the laptop in a table and not your lap, also avoid keeping cell phones in your trouser pocket.

Stress declines sperm quality. Hot tubs are relaxing and help to reduce stress, don’t they improve sperm quality?

Heat is damaging to the sperm. Soaking in a hot tub means exposing your sperm to high heat conditions and even if it relaxes and calms your body, it might not be doing any good to your sperm.

Are boxers better than briefs to keep your sperms healthy?

As long as your testes have air to breath and remain cool, briefs are fine. Men who wear briefs are not likely to become infertile. Even though boxers are ideal and provide great cooling and air circulation to the testes. There is no compulsion that you have to switch over to boxers to keep your virility. Read to know if your underwear can make you infertile.

Can cycling cause male infertility?

In fact, cycling keeps the testes cool with the movement of the legs fanning the pelvic area. There is not much restriction or pressure caused by the bicycle seat to the testes and hence the sperm are safe on a cycle. Cycling is better than driving an automobile and sitting in a seat which tends to generate heat.

Is alcohol in moderation fine or does it affect the sperms?

Occasionally, drinking alcohol is fine but drinking regularly in moderation can harm your sperm quality. Alcohol, when consumed regularly even in small quantities, begins to affect the shape of the sperms. For pregnancy to take place there is a requirement for a certain minimum percentage of normally formed sperm. So limit your alcohol to occasions.

Can abstinence improve sperm quality?

No, this is a myth. The more sperms you release the better the quality of your sperms. In fact, it has been found that infrequent sex can cause infertility. Ejaculating regularly can keep your sperm healthy and improve sperm motility. Sperm motility is the movement and swimming capability of the sperm. Sperm that can move fast and well are more likely to reach the female egg and fertilise it. So, continue to have sex regularly and ejaculate to keep your sperm quality optimum.

Some studies suggest that body weight doesn’t affect fertility, is it true?

As much as you would like for that to be true but your weight does hamper fertility. Obese people have a hormonal imbalance. When you are carrying around excess weight it produces higher levels of estrogen (the female hormone) and your testosterone (male hormone) levels are reduced. This is probably the reasons why very fat men have some feminine characteristics. The reduced levels of testosterone mean that less sperm is produced by the testes. On the other hand being too thin or underweight is also not good for fertility and could lead to a hormonal imbalance and reduce testosterone production. Men who are excessively thin have a high probability of being infertile too.

Is a vasectomy effective and safe?

Vasectomy operation is done as means of male contraceptive. It is easy and effective. But it may not be reversal. If you opt for Vasectomy, dont expect that you can get your partner pregnant in the future.
Sperm count refers to the number of sperms that should be present in a given sample of ejaculation. A normal sperm count ranges from 15 million sperm to more than 200 million sperm per milliliter (ml) of semen. With a simple semen analysis, one can know their sperm count.

References
– https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/vasectomy
– https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/low-sperm-count/
– http://www.faqs.org/health-encyc/The-Begining-of-a-Family/Infertility-Sperm-count-and-formation.html
– https://www.thehealthsite.com/sexual-health/faqs-on-sperm-count-and-male-infertility-answered-by-an-expert-d1117-534848/