The causes of male factor infertility vary. But one thing’s certain: a baby is possible.
Infertility affects men and women equally. There are many causes behind male infertility, and, many times, they can be diagnosed and treated. In some cases, options like intrauterine insemination or IVF with ICSI (where a single sperm is injected right into the egg) can help you have the family you imagined.
Most men with infertility have a fixable issue.
With anyone, slight and even unnoticed changes in anatomy can affect fertility. Some challenges we can help with are retrograde ejaculation, undescended testes, and erectile dysfunction. Our physicians are highly skilled with male-factor related procedures, so couples can receive complete care in our offices.
- Age
Around age 35, men’s sperm quality starts to decline. Motility (how well sperm move) can decrease too. - Immune disorders
Certain immune system problems affect fertility. Sometimes, the body sees sperm as foreign and tries to destroy it. - Cancer treatments
Chemotherapy and radiation may contribute to male infertility, depending on the location of treatment, the drug, and dosing. - Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
Untreated STDs can cause issues that prevent normal movement of the sperm through the reproductive tract. - Male hormone substitutes
Testosterone, Androgel, and other male hormone substitutes increase testosterone levels but can stop sperm production. - Anatomical differences
Anatomical issues have the capability to influence fertility, but many are diagnosable, treatable, or reversible. - Other factors
Lifestyle and environmental factors, like diet and drugs, can lead to a variety of issues with sperm.