Payal and Abhishek Goyal were married for the past five years. As a working couple, they had quite a comfortable life till they planned a family. Though they enjoyed a healthy sexual life, things went awry when they felt it was time to have a baby. When the doctor advised tests for the couple, it was found that everything was not okay with Abhishek.
This came as a bolt from the blue! Abhishek was totally devastated as questioning the masculinity of a man is the worst insult. Though Payal was very supportive and reassuring, the emotional turmoil of Abhishek slid him into depression.
There are many of us who face a similar situation and in our society speaking of male infertility is a taboo. Not only is a person heckled and ridiculed, he is pushed to the brink. Not many of us understand that this is a medical condition and in most cases can be cured.
Let’s see what male infertility is and how it can be cured!
What is male infertility?
The American Urological Association has defined male infertility as “any health issue in a man that lowers the chances of his fertile female partner getting pregnant.”
Is it common among Indians?
As per a paper submitted in The National Medical Journal of India, the prevalence of infertility in India is 15% to 20%. The male factor of this is up to 20-40%. This number has been rising from the 1980s and has now become 60% as against the maximum of 40% as per studies displayed at the Challenges in Infertility Management Summit in 2014.
Mostly affecting the urban population, it is also prevalent in the rural population due to excessive usage of pesticides.
Causes of male Infertility
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Genital infections like Chlamydia and Gonorrhea can cause temporary infertility in men. This can be resolved by treating the disease condition.
Physical Damage, Birth Defects & Blockages: Some men have blockages in the parts of their testicles. There are some men who have other blockages that prevent the passage of the sperm into the semen. Physical trauma to the testicles, prostate, and the urethra can also lead to infertility.
Genetic diseases: Genetic diseases like Cystic Fibrosis or chromosomal disorders cause infertility, but this is rare.
Retrograde ejaculation: This means that semen doesn’t come out of the penis during ejaculation. It enters the bladder. This condition can be caused by diabetes, and surgery to the bladder, prostate, or urethra. It can even be caused by certain medications.
Hormonal problems: Hormonal imbalances in the pituitary and thyroid glands can cause infertility. Medication generally resolves this kind of infertility.
When the immune system goes haywire, it treats the sperm cells as foreign objects and targets them. This can lead to infertility.
Sexual problems: Erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation affect fertility. Erectile dysfunction can be caused by various reasons. Psychological issues like anxiety, guilt, low self-esteem and physical health issues like diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol levels, and heart diseases. Impotence may be the side effect of certain medications like antidepressants.
Varicoceles: Enlarged varicose veins that develop in the scrotum prevent blood from flowing properly. These varicoceles are found in up to 40% of men evaluated for infertility. They may contribute to male infertility.
Apart from these reasons lifestyle causes like excessive exercise, stress, obesity, drugs like marijuana, and alcohol cause infertility in men.
Male infertility in most cases can be cured. Consult a Urologist online! Don’t give up hope!
You can consult expert urologists at Apollo Hospitals online with Apollo Edoc here
Advice: Infertility can emotionally hurt you. It is pointless to be a recluse and suffer. There is need for psychological counselling and emotional support.
Caution: Believing quacks, and wonder herbs to treat your infertility without an understanding of the causes can be harmful and dangerous!
Diagnostics for Male Infertility:
Physical Examination
Sperm and semen analysis.
Hormone evaluation.
Genetic testing.
Testicular biopsy.
Medications for hormone problems.
Surgery for obstructions, and varicoceles
Assisted Reproductive Techniques – ARTs
Intrauterine insemination.
In-vitro fertilization.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection
Consult expert urologists who specialize in male infertility treatments at Apollo Hospitals. You can get an appointment for an online consultation here
To book appointments with expert Urologists for male infertility treatments, visit the link below:
- Urologist In Chennai
- Urologist In Bangalore
- Urologist In Delhi
- Urologist In Hyderabad
- Urologist In Kolkata
