Male Infertility Treatment

A man’s fertility generally relies on the quantity and quality of his sperm. If the number of sperm a man ejaculates is low or if the sperm are of a poor quality, it will be difficult, and sometimes impossible, for him to cause a pregnancy. Male infertility is usually caused by problems that affect either sperm production or sperm transport. Through medical testing, the doctor may be able to find the cause of the problem. About two-thirds of infertile men have a problem with making sperm in the testes. Either low numbers of sperm are made and/or the sperm that are made do not work properly.
POSSIBLE CAUSES –

• Retrograde ejaculation – In this condition, semen ejaculates backwards into the bladder instead of out the penis. Usually previous surgery is the cause.
• Varicocele — an abnormal collection of bulging veins above the testicle; they’re the most common cause of correctable male infertility, accounting for 38% of cases
• Undescended testicle – Infections in the testicle.
• Absence of the main sperm pipeline known as the vas deferens. This condition is a genetic problem.
• Obstruction – An obstruction can occur anywhere in the plumbing between the testicles and the penis.
• Chemotherapy for cancer
• Medicines such as anabolic steroids or anti-seizure medicines
• Genetic abnormalities
• Hormone problems
• Antibodies can abnormally attack a man’s own sperm on their way to the egg.

DIAGNOSIS

• Microscopic tests
• Sperm and semen analysis
• Physical examination
• Hormone evaluation like of Testosterone
• Testicular biopsy.
• Genetic testing.

TREATMENTS AVAILABLE IN INDIA –

• In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) – It literally means "in lab conception." With IVF treatment, the egg is fertilized with sperm in test tube. Typically, many eggs are retrieved from the biological mother, as not every egg will fertilize, and not every fertilized egg will become a viable embryo.
• Intrauterine insemination (IUI) – At the time of ovulation, sperm are injected directly up into the uterus. Medicines are usually given to the woman first to increase the number of eggs she releases.
• In-vitro fertilization (IVF) – Sperm are mixed with multiple eggs collected from the woman in a test tube. Fertilized eggs are then placed in the uterus. IVF requires at least some viable sperm.
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) – A single sperm is injected through a tiny needle into an egg. The fertilized egg is then implanted in the uterus. ICSI can be performed when sperm counts are extremely low or abnormal.