male infertility symptoms Archives

11 Tips to Increase Male Infertility

September 28, 2021March 29, 2024
by Eva Hospital

Male infertility-An Introduction

Fertility means a person’s ability to reproduce without medical assistance.

When a man has a poor chance of making his female partner pregnant, it’s termed Male infertility. It is usually dependent on the quality of his sperm cells.

Occasionally infertility can be linked to sexual function, and at other times it could be linked to semen quality.

Most couples who are ready to conceive or have been trying for a long time, probably think often about their fertility and if there is anything that can be done to improve it.

Fertility issues related to the female reproductive system are most difficult to treat, but most of those associated with male infertility can be managed by changing health habits and lifestyles.

Causes of Male Infertility

Male infertility is usually linked to sexual function or to semen quality.

Libido: Also known as sex drive, libido is related to a person’s desire to have sex. Foods or supplements that can increase libido are called aphrodisiacs.

Erectile dysfunction: When a man is unable to develop or maintain an erection, it is termed erectile dysfunction or impotence.

Sperm count: The concentration of sperm cells in a given amount of semen is an important aspect of semen quality.

Sperm motility: The ability to swim is an essential function of healthy sperm cells. Sperm motility is calculated by the percentage of moving sperm cells in a sample of semen.

Testosterone levels: Low levels of male sex hormone or testosterone can also be responsible for infertility in some men.

There can be multiple causes of Infertility and it may depend on genetics, general fitness, diseases, and dietary adulterations.

Antioxidants: Well-known for fighting the free radicals in our bodies that cause cancer and other diseases antioxidants can also help in boosting male fertility. Taking it in a supplement form can reduce the amount of damaged sperm. The best sources of antioxidants for sperm health are zinc, vitamin C, selenium, vitamin E, folic acid, Coenzyme Q10, and carnitine.

Quit smoking: Fertility is one more reason to quit smoking other than many more. Smoking reduces sperm count, sperm motility, alters its shape, and can also cause DNA damage. Quitting will not only improve all of this but also your general health.

Exercise regularly: Regular exercise can boost testosterone levels and improve fertility. Studies indicate that men who exercise regularly have higher testosterone levels and better semen quality than those who don’t. But also be careful to avoid too much exercise, as it can have an adverse opposite effect and potentially reduce testosterone levels.

Having sex frequently: Getting pregnant requires couples to have sex around the time of the woman’s ovulation. But having regular sex for the rest of the month can also help improve the sperm. Studies show that the sperm performs best after one day of abstinence. So, having sex every few days can help improve the sperm-health.

Reduce soy intake: High amounts of soy in men’s diet tend to lower the sperm count. The amount of reduction though not huge can make a difference in men who already have a low sperm count. Overweight men react more strongly to soy and need to limit it more than the men with normal weight.

Keep Cool: Sperm can be damaged by high temperatures (over 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Sperm should be protected from harmful heat by avoiding the hot tub and long hot baths. Staying in the same position for a long time like at a desk working can also raise the scrotal temperature. Sitting with a laptop on your lap also produces more heat. Always try to keep the computer on a desk and get up and move around at regular intervals to cool things off.

Weight Management: Over or underweight men can have imbalanced hormones in the body and affect sperm. Obesity has a great negative effect on testosterone levels and fertility in both men and women. If you are overweight, start an exercise regimen and get your BMI within a normal range.

Limit alcohol: Heavy drinking can affect fertility. Restrict your intake to a few drinks per week. When it comes to choice, wine is the smartest option as it’s less fattening and comes with a fee of its own health benefits.

Get enough sleep: Inadequate sleep can increase cortisol levels in the blood, lowering testosterone. Try to get at least seven hours of sound sleep every night for good health, general well-being, and vitality.

Avoiding Certain medications: Healthy sperm production can sometimes be decreased by some prescription medications like antibiotics, anti-androgens, anti-inflammatories, antidepressants, anabolic steroids, etc. Seek the consultation of Dr. Shivani Bhutani if you think that a medication you are currently taking may be reducing your sperm count or affecting fertility.

Treat Underlying Medical Conditions: Few Medical conditions and infections also affect fertility. One of the causes of infertility in men can also be undiagnosed or untreated infection of the reproductive system or urinary tract. Sexually transmitted infections can also lead to reduced sperm motility. Always be honest to your doctor about your current and past health history.

Bottom line

Male infertility is mostly linked to lifestyle and a few underlying conditions. Few lifestyle modifications in consultation with a good fertility specialist can help overcome these conditions.

Dr. Shivani Bhutani has been for many years successfully treating couples with infertility issues. Contact to book appointment

Eva Hospital

What Are Some Common Issues Related to Male Infertility?

June 15, 2021March 29, 2024
by Eva Hospital

Out of all infertility cases, about 40 to 50% are attributed to malefactors. Male infertility is defined as the male’s incapability to impregnate a fertile female.

It is an ailment with psychological, economic, medical implications leading to trauma & stress, especially in a social setup like India’s.

Infertility is a reproductive system disorder that can be According to the World Health Organization (WHO) if a couple fails to conceive while having unprotected sexual intercourse for 12 months or more, infertility can be established.

Types of issues related to male infertility

other than the ability to not conceive a child, a man may experience a handful of other issues that can represent an underlying problem:

Physiological Issues

Here are some medical issues causing conception problems that you may not be aware of unless tested:

Testicular Problems

Testicles are the sacs that enclose and protect the sperm. Varicocele is a condition of swelling in the testicles due to a tumor or infection that inhibits normal activity. It may also happen that one or both testicles never descend into the scrotum. Men who experience this are less likely to exhibit healthy fertility levels.

Health Issues

Frequent respiratory infections, past surgery, diseases, medication consumed in the past, or large hormonal changes have all been associated with infertility in men. Medicines that are given for arthritis, cancer, depression, digestion, infection, or high blood pressure also have a bad effect on sperm production, function, and delivery.

Hormonal Abnormalities

Hormonal imbalance or low testosterone levels also affect reproductive ability. High levels of the milk-producing hormone prolactin, blood sugar, or problems with the hormone-producing organs like the thyroid or adrenal gland can interfere with sperm production, libido, and orgasm.

Low Sperm Count

A sufficient number of sperm cells are required in high concentration in the male’s semen for it to fertilize the female’s eggs.

Clinically speaking, less than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen, is a low sperm count. It is one of the most common causes of a male’s inability to impregnate a woman.

Quality of Sperm/ motility

Besides a good sperm count, sperms should also naturally possess other qualities such as motility. The morphology(structure of cell) and the ability to move fast govern sperm quality.

A decrease in sperm mobility inhibits it from reaching the eggs. The abnormal shape makes it less effective too.

Issues with Sexual Activity

Predominantly, this includes problems with the ejaculatory process, producing less semen, having a low libido, or having trouble maintaining an erection. It could be due to hormonal imbalance, other medical conditions, lifestyle habits, or unexplained factors.

Ejaculation disorder can impact pregnancy chances. Improper ejaculation means that sperm may not reach the egg and fertilize it.

It could be a complete inability to ejaculate, ejaculating too early, or into the urinary bladder (retrograde ejaculation). The latter is a physiological problem.

Also Read: Do Not Let Infertility Treatment Impact Your Marriage Adversely

Genetic Issues Related to Male Infertility

The genes contain two types of chromosomes- X & Y. The Y chromosome is the male chromosome. Due to abnormal gene mutations, some men get Klinefelter’s XXY syndrome in where their cells contain an extra X chromosome (female-sex determining structure ).

Dr. Shivani Bhutani, renowned IVF specialist says,” Advanced solutions are available for such couples. Genetic problems can be resolved by sperm screening, and by using a sperm donor.”

Environmental/Lifestyle Factors

Environmental factors can create some common issues related to male infertility. It plays a big role in giving problems in conception. These choices include:

Drugs and Alcohol

Illegal drugs & alcohol have the ability to reduce sperm production. Extreme drinking can also decrease testosterone levels, cause erectile dysfunction, and liver damage leading to infertility.

Steroidal medicines can cause testicles to decrease in size and decline count, while drugs such as cocaine or marijuana can substantially diminish sperm quality.

Cigarettes

Smoking can potentially cause low sperm count. Even secondary or passive smoking can play havoc with your fertility levels.

Stress

Stress directly linked to hormone production. When there is mental and emotional stress, anxiety, or depression, a man may not be in the best fertile condition.

Obesity

Maintaining an optimal weight is important not only for overall health but reproductive health too. Obesity can cause harm to sperm cells by drastic hormonal fluctuations in the body leading to male infertility.

Conclusion

Most people associate fertility with women and tend to ignore issues related to male infertility. However, many couples across the world are unable to conceive due to the male being infertile.

Understanding the causes that lead to male inability can help couples deal with them and seek befitting treatment. Discuss your problem with our counselor at Eva Hospital at any time.

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male infertility symptoms