Contents:
- Medical Video: Improving Fertility in Men with Poor Sperm Count | UCLA Urology
- Get to know the sign of a man who is infertile
- What are the causes of male infertility?
- Then, what pregnancy program can be done by infertile men?
- 1. Fertility therapy
- 2. Artificial insemination
- 3. IVF
Medical Video: Improving Fertility in Men with Poor Sperm Count | UCLA Urology
Not only women, fertility problems in men can also be a reason why some couples have not been given children. In men, this is because the quantity and quality of the sperm are not optimal so they cannot fertilize the ovum properly.
If you are a man who is experiencing fertility problems, don't be anxious and desperate first. There is still an opportunity for you and your partner to have a baby by undergoing a pregnant program. So, what are the pregnant programs that can be done by infertile men? See the explanation below.
Get to know the sign of a man who is infertile
The main sign of infertile men is when he is unable to impregnate and produce children.
However, besides that there are some physical symptoms in men suspected of leading to signs of infertile men, including:
- Erectile dysfunction: The condition of the penis is not able to erect optimally when having sex
- Varicocele or varicose veins in the testicles sac: Swelling of veins in the scrotum, aka the testicles that line the testicles. This can cause sperm quality to be not optimal.
- Ejaculation volume: If the volume is very small, the sperm quality may not be good
What are the causes of male infertility?
Generally, this condition occurs because of a disturbance in sperm, both in terms of concentration or the amount, shape, and movement of sperm. Abnormalities in sperm can only be known through sperm analysis in WHO standard laboratories.
Disorders of the sperm can be caused by several factors such as:
- Infectious disease
- Genetic problems
- Exposed to poisons or pollution from the environment
- Deformity of the male reproductive organs
Health or lifestyle problems can also affect male fertility. For example, men who are obese tend to be more difficult to have children.
Because the quality of sperm in obese men tends to decrease so that it cannot fertilize the ovum optimally. Let alone to fertilize the ovum, obese men sometimes have difficulty when penetrating because it is blocked by the layer of body fat.
While bad life habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol, can be one of the causes of infertile men. Again, the quality and quantity of sperm in active smokers is worse than non-smokers.
In fact, smoking habits can also reduce erectile ability in men to experience erectile dysfunction. But remember, smoking is not the only cause of men becoming infertile, but exacerbating sperm disorders.
Then, what pregnancy program can be done by infertile men?
When declared infertile, don't rush to despair first. You still have the opportunity to have children by doing a number of pregnant programs. This pregnant program is done to help improve the quantity and quality of sperm so that it can fertilize the ovum optimally.
Before deciding on a pregnant program, you must know the cause of infertility first. Because, every cause of fertility problems has different solutions and treatments
For more details, let's peel one by one.
1. Fertility therapy
There are several fertility therapies that can be done, but this depends on the condition of each man's sperm.
Fertilizers
If men have abnormal amounts, shapes, and movements of sperm, this will usually be overcome by supplementation.
Unfortunately, this method takes 3 to 9 months to increase the quantity and quality of sperm. Meanwhile, not all married couples can wait that long.
What's more, this method is often carried out without checking the condition of the sperm first. In fact, it might not be necessary.
For example, a man who has azoospermia or no sperm (empty sperm) would certainly be impossible to have sperm immediately just by giving supplements or fertility vitamins. The condition of empty sperm is usually caused by blockages in the reproductive organs that cannot be treated with fertilizers.
Operation
In addition to fertilizers, fertility therapy can also be done by surgery. This can be done to treat varicocele or varicose veins in the testicles.
But sometimes, varicocele surgery cannot make the quality and quantity of sperm much better. Because, the process of damage that occurs in sperm-producing cells and tissues has occurred for many years.
This means that the operation performed cannot directly correct fertility problems. Patients who undergo varicocele surgery usually take the next 6 to 9 months to see the changes.
2. Artificial insemination
Artificial insemination is a way that can be done to increase the chances of pregnancy by placing sperm directly in the uterine cavity. This method can be applied to men whose sperm is not moving properly, even though the amount is sufficient.
Before being inserted into the uterus, sperm will undergo a process of capacitation to prepare sperm so that they can fertilize the egg well.
Artificial insemination is done when the woman enters a fertile period, which is when the ovary produces an egg that is ready to be fertilized. That way, sperm do not need to swim or move too far to reach the egg.
In addition, this action cannot be done if the number of sperm cells is very small. Therefore, not all abnormalities in sperm are suitable for artificial insemination. The success rate of artificial insemination is only 10 to 15 percent, tends to be smaller than the success rate of IVF.
3. IVF
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is an option for couples to get pregnant.
Unlike artificial insemination, IVF is done by combining eggs and sperm outside the body. So, when the egg cells have been fertilized, then the results of fertilization are transferred into the woman's womb so that it can grow into a fetus.
If you have a problem with very little sperm count despite good movement, the IVF program is the right choice. This program can also be done on men who experience azoospermia problems, aka no sperm (empty sperm).
The success rate of IVF depends on the age of the prospective mother. If this program is conducted on prospective mothers under the age of 30 years, the success rate is around 60 percent.
Whereas if it is done for prospective mothers over the age of 40 years, the chances tend to decrease, only around 45 percent. That is why, many couples prefer tube babies because the opportunities are quite large and do not spend a long time.
