Understanding Male Infertility
If you’ve been trying to get pregnant, it makes sense to look at both partners. Male infertility is more common than many people realize, and checking for it is often one of the first steps.
Fertility Centers of New England is here to help guide you through different causes of male infertility, as well as diagnosis and treatment options that can help you grow your family.
A question we hear often
How do we know if male infertility is part of the problem?
The only way to know is through testing. For the male partner, that usually starts with a semen analysis, a simple, noninvasive test. Depending on the results, your doctor may recommend other tests to get the full picture. Learn more about male factor infertility.
Could Male Infertility Be Part of the Picture?
Many men with fertility issues feel healthy and notice no symptoms. Often, the first sign is that pregnancy is taking longer than expected.
Signs worth mentioning to a doctor
- Erectile dysfunction or problems with ejaculation
- Pain or swelling in the testicles
Causes of male infertility
Male infertility can have many causes. Some of the most common are:
- Hormone imbalances
- Damage to the testicles or differences in how they developed
- Genetic factors
- Age
- Health conditions such as diabetes, liver disease or kidney disease
- Environmental factors and lifestyle habits, such as smoking, heavy drinking or drug use
How Male Infertility Is Diagnosed
Testing for male infertility is usually straightforward. Your doctor will decide which steps make sense for you.
Your results help your care team build a treatment plan that fits for you.
Male Infertility Treatment Options
If you’ve been diagnosed with a condition that compromises your fertility, we are here to guide you along the way. There is a broad spectrum of treatment options for male infertility, each catering to specific causes or conditions.
Some options treat the male partner directly. Others, like IVF and ICSI, help sperm and egg come together in the lab.
Some habits can affect sperm health. Quitting smoking, drinking less alcohol and getting regular exercise may help. Learn more ways to support male fertility.
If hormone levels are affecting sperm production, medication may help bring them back into balance. If an infection is involved, it can often be treated with antibiotics or other medication.
Surgical interventions are another key treatment avenue. For instance, varicocele surgery is performed to repair enlarged veins in the scrotum (varicocele) that may be causing infertility. This procedure improves blood flow to the testicles, promoting better sperm production and quality. Other surgical procedures can help correct blockages in the tubes that transport sperm, enabling a clear path for sperm to reach the ejaculate.
Assisted reproductive technologies, such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), have revolutionized the field of fertility treatment. IVF involves fertilizing an egg with sperm outside the body and then implanting the resulting embryo in the woman’s uterus. This technique can be particularly beneficial for men with low sperm count or motility issues.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is a technique where a single live sperm is directly injected into the center of a human egg. This method is especially beneficial in cases of severe male factor infertility, as it allows fertilization even when normal IVF attempts have failed. By requiring only one sperm for fertilization, ICSI can significantly increase the chances of successful pregnancy.
How Fertility Centers of New England Can Help
At Fertility Centers of New England, we offer a full spectrum of treatment options to diagnose and treat male infertility. With the right support and treatment plan, many men can successfully overcome this challenge and fulfill their dreams of parenthood.
Frequently Asked Questions
The male partner provides a semen sample, which is then examined in the lab. Our team will give you instructions on how and where to provide it, and what to do in the days before.
Sometimes. Habits like smoking and heavy drinking can affect sperm health, and changing them may help. Your doctor can tell you whether it’s likely to make a difference for you.
Many couples can. Treatments like IVF with ICSI need only a small number of healthy sperm. Your doctor will review your results and talk you through the options.
