Infertility is a tough section to just accept for any particular person, together with males as whereas being recognized, an individual goes via physical, emotional and mental turmoil nevertheless, being recognized with infertility doesn't point out that one can not dream of getting a baby. Infertility is a typical situation the place {couples} together with males fail to conceive a baby regardless of a number of makes an attempt resulting from sure points which vary from elements like age, sperm high quality or way of life.

When an individual is recognized with infertility, they endure bodily, psychological in addition to emotional turmoil however earlier than understanding the therapy procedures, understanding the causes of infertility is vital. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Amitha N, Consultant - Fertility Specialist, Motherhood Hospitals and IVF Electronic City in Bangalore, insisted that males ought to seek the advice of a health care provider after failed makes an attempt for one yr of attempting to conceive which can occur resulting from causes like -

• erectile dysfunction
• issues with ejaculation starting from delayed ejaculation or retrograde ejaculation
• lower in intercourse drive
• experiencing ache or swelling within the genital space
• circumstances of earlier surgical procedure within the genital space

Causes of male infertility

Dr Amitha N knowledgeable that in relation to males, infertility could also be precipitated resulting from points starting from:

• manufacturing of sperm
• sperm rely
• form and motion of the sperm

Besides these points, different danger elements include-

• older age
• consumption of alcohol and smoking cigarettes
• being obese or overweight

In phrases of medical situations, a number of of them include-

• experiencing a situation the place the semen enters the bladder as a substitute of rising via the penis generally termed as retrograde ejaculation.
• swelling across the testicles
• testicles which might be unable to descend into the scrotum
• consumption of antibodies that assaults the sperm and destroy them
• a hormonal imbalance that causes low testosterone manufacturing

According to Dr Preeti Mahawar, Fertility Consultant at Nova IVF Fertility in Kolkata East's Uttam Kumar Sarani, the foremost causes of male infertility may be categorized underneath -

1. Obstructions inflicting infertility in males: When sperms are produced, they move via small tubes known as epididymis the place they mature and exit to a bigger tube known as the vas deferens which empties the sperms within the ejaculatory duct the place it's combined with seminal fluid. During ejaculation, the muscular contractions power the semen into the urethra and out of the penis. When both of the tubes is blocked or absent resulting from vasectomy or damage, it could lead to infertility.
2. Problems with sperm numbers or high quality could have an effect on the fertility charge of a person. A number of sperm issues embrace:

• Absent sperm (azoospermia) – the semen doesn't include any sperm resulting from a blockage of the tubes, an infection or damage within the testicles which prevents sperm manufacturing.
• Low sperm rely (oligospermia) – throughout ejaculation, low of sperm rely causes hindrance whereas reaching conception.
• Abnormal form – normally a wholesome sperm is formed like a streamlined tadpole nevertheless abnormally formed sperm poses issues whereas penetrating via a girl’s egg.
• Poor motility – Sperm with poor mobility is unable to swim via the girl’s reproductive system.

3. Functional issues which contribute to infertility embrace:

• Impotence – a situation the place a person is unable to get or preserve an erection for sexual activity.
• Ejaculation issues – a situation the place the semen enters the bladder as a substitute of rising out via the penis.
• Problems with the testicles brought on by elements equivalent to damage, an infection or chemotherapy.
• Certain issues starting from sclerosis or diabetes could trigger erection and ejaculation difficulties.
• Consumption of alcohol which can hinder the sperm’s exercise.

Diagnosis of male infertility

Dr Amitha N stated, “While consulting a doctor, the diagnosis can be segregated into two stages. First, a general physical examination is undertaken where the genitals are examined. The doctor also looks into the individual’s medical history where questions are asked about any injuries, surgeries or chronic health issues which can affect fertility. After the medical history is examined, the semen samples of the individual are obtained for analysis of the mobility, production, shape, and sperm count.”

Treatment procedures for male infertility

“The ideal treatment to improve fertility depends on certain factors such as age, the cause of infertility as well as personal preferences however, with medical advancements, men can explore other alternative treatment measures and opinions which may take some time but will achieve good results,” Dr Preeti Mahawar stated. She advisable:

• Surgery - Obstruction within the tubes such because the vas deferens or the varicocele may be surgically corrected and repaired.
• Treating infections within the reproductive tract by antibiotic therapy could not restore fertility however could enhance the situation of the reproductive organs which foster fertility.
• In circumstances of sexual activity issues, remedy or counselling may help enhance points like erectile dysfunction or untimely ejaculation which causes fertility points.
• When fertility points are brought on by excessive or low ranges of male hormones, there are hormone therapies and drugs.
• Sperms are injected to egg straight via a course of known as in Assisted reproductive know-how (ART) entails acquiring sperm that are then inserted within the feminine genital tract via processes like in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Dr Amitha N urged, “The treatment procedure for male infertility depends upon certain conditions such as age and the cause behind the infertility. After the doctor makes an observation, various alternative treatment options are suggested like surgery where the obstructions or corrections in the tube can be done along with medications to help treat hormonal imbalances and infections which may affect sperm count, and assisted reproductive technology (ART) where the eggs and sperms are handled in a laboratory.”

Dealing with infertility points

“For an individual, coping with infertility can be uneasy and difficult due to the uncertainty it brings. Not being able to figure out why and being unable to estimate how long it would take to recover or the fear of what the outcome could be brings an emotional and mental burden. In these situations, it is important for men to seek help and establish plans to cope during these difficult times. It is important to set a benchmark where you can decide what procedure is emotionally and financially available,” Dr Amitha N suggested.

She added, “Secondly, it is important to communicate and express one’s feelings, especially in these dire times instead of holding in the negative feelings. Reach out to family members, friends or even support groups and counselling services to help ease the grief during the treatment. In these times, it is important to manage emotional stress during treatment by practicing stress-reduction techniques like yoga and meditation. Infertility is a common condition experienced by many individuals and in these situations, maintaining an optimistic outlook is important. As technology has advanced to considerable lengths, numerous treatment options are available and with the doctor’s suggestion following these procedures can help treat infertility with time.”