The causes of Male infertility vary greatly. The most common causes are:

• Lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking excessive alcohol, excessive stress and wearing overly tight pants or undergarments
• Chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity
• Age – more couples are starting their families at an older age

Less common causes include:

• Hormonal issues like low Testosterone levels
• Abnormally enlarged blood vessels (varicoceles) around the testes
• Genetic problems
• Previous injury, trauma, surgery or radiotherapy to the testes
• Side effects of medications such as chemotherapy,  immune-modulators or anabolic steroids

These conditions cause not only a reduced number or even complete absence of sperm, it can also cause the sperm to swim poorly, be misshapen or contain damaged DNA.

All these lead to a reduced chance of a successful conception. And even if conception is successful there is a greater risk of the pregnancy not proceeding to term.

Testing for Male Infertility starts with a very simple and painless semen analysis. The parameters measured include the volume of semen produced, the number of sperm produced, how well the sperms move, how normal the sperms look and if there is any evidence of infection.

Based on the outcome of the Semen Analysis, the patient may require further tests such as blood tests and an ultrasound scan of the testes.

Learn more about Semen Analysis in our clinics.

The treatment for Male Infertility depends on the cause. Lifestyle modifications such as stopping smoking, regular aerobic exercise and avoiding tight pants have been shown to help.

A diet rich in micronutrients and antioxidants has also been shown to be beneficial. Nutritional support supplements are a convenient way to ensure the right dose of micronutrients and antioxidants are consumed daily for maximum benefit to improve fertility.

Certain patients will benefit from hormonal therapy. For the right patients, these treatments have been shown to be very effective in increasing and improving sperm production.

See our Doctors today for more advice.