Understanding Symptoms And Causes Of Infertility In Men And How It Can Be Treated - Dr Govardhan Reddy
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Infertility is fast becoming a pandemic that is impacting couples not only in India but globally. According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is the most untreated disease in the world.
A recent report by the Indian Society of Assisted Reproduction (ISAR) also highlighted that infertility approximately affects 10–14% of Indian couples and makes it challenging for them to embrace parenthood without medical intervention. What is even more surprising is the fact that out of the several couples who suffer from infertility, only 1% come forward and seek medical attention.
While low awareness, lack of knowledge and high cost of treatment are some of the factors that prevent couples from discussing infertility issues and finding solutions to combat it, social stigma and taboo related to the disease are the primary causes because of which many are yet understand infertility and are unable to take timely steps to prevent it.
For long, infertility in India was primarily considered a problem that was only faced by women. However, with advancements in technology and research, it has been found that men are also equally responsible for being infertile. Male infertility accounts for almost 40-50% of all infertility cases (as per a survey by NCBI). This highlights the need to normalize the conversations around infertility and increase efforts towards increasing education about the disease.
What is male infertility?
Male infertility is referred to as the inability of a couple to conceive or maintain a pregnancy due to the sexual health problems of the male partner. This type of infertility is usually caused due to low sperm production or abnormal sperm functions that block and prevent sperm delivery because of which couples are unable to conceive a child even after having regular unprotected sex.
Male infertility can be categorized into three categories -
1. Poor sperm quality
2. Low sperm count
3. Physiological disorders
Men who have a sperm count lower than 15 million per millilitre of semen, or lower than 39 million per ejaculation are considered subfertile.
What are the causes of infertility?
Several factors such as injuries, chronic health conditions, illnesses and poor lifestyle can trigger infertility. Other issues that can cause infertility include -
Medical disorders: Heath issues such as varicocele, inflammation in the testicles, STDs, tumours, and autoimmune diseases. hormonal imbalances, testicular blockages, and chromosomal defects can cause male infertility.
Environmental factors: Environmental influences like pollutants, heavy metals, toxins, and radiation can significantly impact the sperm health
Lifestyle factors: Indulging in illicit activities like consuming alcohol, tobacco, drugs and junk food can be extremely harmful to your sperm function
What are the symptoms of male infertility?
In most cases male infertility doesn’t show any outward symptoms and only a small portion of men exhibit signs of infertility. These are mostly triggered by the following conditions -
● Difficulty with ejaculation
● Reduced libido
● Erectile dysfunction
● Inflammation around the testicles
● Respiratory issues
● Enlargement of male breasts
● Reduced facial or body hair
How can male infertility be treated?
Male infertility is usually treated by conducting a semen quality analysis. The treatment plans are usually tailored based on one’s age, medical history and other factors. The treatment process includes the following measures -
Medical Management - In most cases, medications can help in treating a host of issues such as infections, hormonal disorders and erectile dysfunction. While infections can be treated using antibiotics, hormonal disorders usually require hormone replacement therapy.
Surgical Management - Surgery is typically recommended for conditions like varicocele, obstructed vas deferens and cases of prior vasectomies.
Assisted Reproductive Technologies - ART by in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection is administered to men who require fertility intervention.
How can couples cope with infertility?
Male infertility can often be hard for couples, however, you must speak to your partner and make them understand that it is not their fault. By opening your heart and taking the help of a counsellor, you will be able to get access to all the possible treatment methods and will find enough support to overcome the condition.
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