Causes of low sperm count means lower chances of conceiving

If the semen (fluid) that you ejaculate during an orgasm is abnormal, you might be suffering from low sperm count. Your sperm count should be 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen to be considered normal. Infertility affects 15 percent of healthy couples, and of those cases, males are the cause 40 percent of the time. Low sperm count is the cause for one-third of male infertility cases. The lower your sperm count, the lower your chances of fertilizing your partner’s eggs.

Low sperm count can be caused by numerous factors. Some of the most common causes are:

·         Damaged vessel

·         Low Production

·         Varicocele

·         Antibodies

·         Other factors

If you are suffering from damaged vessels, blunt force trauma or an infection may have caused significant damage to your sperm canal. Your testicles are connected to the penis by these sperm vessels. Surgical procedures can also lead to damaged vessels.

Alternatively, you may suffer from low sperm count because you are unable to produce large amounts of sperm. This may occur because of a genetic disorder or you may have issues with your organs or glands. For instance, you could have issues creating sperm in your testicles if you have problems with your purity glands.

Varicocele causes a low sperm count because of swollen veins. If you suffer from Varicocele, you are unable to produce sperm due to a vein inside of your scrotum that has become swollen. The good news is that this cause can typically be corrected through minor surgery.

Antibodies fight off diseases, but some can cause you to have a low sperm count. These specific antibodies are known as “anti-sperm antibodies.” They mistake sperm as harmful invaders, and destroy the sperm before it has a chance to exit your body.

There are some self-inflicted causes of low sperm count. The type of lifestyle you live will play an important role in your chances of reproducing. If you use drugs and alcohol, or encounter a great deal of stress, your sperm count can be lowered. Studies show that men who do not smoke or use tobacco products have a higher sperm count than those who do. Stay away from stressful situations, both at work and home, because the hormones you need to produce sperm can be affected. You should maintain a healthy weight. Obesity has been known to reduce male fertility because of hormone changes; therefore, maintaining a good diet and exercising regularly is important.

Although some low-sperm count cases cannot be treated, others can. There are medications that you can take that will improve your sperm count. Men who use Clomiphene have the ability to improve their sperm’s production and motility. You can take human chorionic gonadotropin to boost your sperm production, as well as your testosterone levels. Always consult with a doctor or specialist before taking medications to improve your sperm count. A specialist can explain the positive and negatives, such as conception statistics and side effects.

If you have a low sperm count that does not prevent you from conceiving a child, but your chances at conception can be affected. If you are unsuccessful, there are other options available for you, such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), or sperm donors.

A couple is said to be having fertility difficulties when they have had regular unprotected sex for 12 months without achieving a pregnancy. Up to 15% of all couples fit this definition. The aim of investigating couples experiencing fertility difficulties is to identify potentially treatable infertility causes (diagnosis), and to identify their chances of achieving a pregnancy without further assistance (prognosis). While infertility is classified into “causes affecting women” and “causes affecting men,” the reality is that there is often a bit of both that compounds the situation. Almost 20% of the time, no clear reason is found at all (which is called unexplained infertility).

·         Ovulation (egg production) disorders, causing complete absence of or reduced production of eggs e.g.

·         Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

·         Premature menopause

·         Tubal disorders – blockage or absence of one of both fallopian tubes e.g. pelvic infection, scarring from surgery

·         Abnormal semen test – low or no sperm, inactive sperm, abnormal appearing sperm or any combination of these

·         Other factors such as age, genetic disorders and endometriosis can also have an impact on the chance of pregnancy.

·         Testing for egg production – this might involve keeping a temperature chart, hormone testing and ultrasound scans, depending on the individual situation.

·         Testing the Fallopian tubes for blockage – which can be done either using an X-ray called a Hysterosalpingogram (or HSG) or surgery called a laparoscopy.

·         A semen analysis – this needs to be repeated at Fertility Solutions to be sure of the severity of the problem.

Sometimes the cause of a couple’s infertility is so obvious that no testing is needed (e.g. the man has had a vasectomy), but for most couples it isn’t that clear cut. The tests that are carried out include:

Once a problem has been identified, more tests may be required to determine the precise infertility cause and whether it will respond to treatment. Sometimes no problem at all will be identified. This is called Unexplained Infertility. Disorders of egg production can be treated with a variety of medicines to bring on ovulation known as ovulation induction or OI.  Insemination with partner or donor sperm can be a treatment option as long as the fallopian tubes are open (patent) and if using partner’s sperm there is only a mild problem with the sperm.  IVF is a further option for some and can be used as a treatment for any cause of infertility provided we can get an egg, some sperm and there is a uterus. However, depending on the cause(s) of infertility, there can be other treatments that might also be successful.  Surgery might be an option for some forms of fallopian tube problems.