Often, infertility in men is identified after a couple’s unsuccessful attempts at conception. Surprisingly, male infertility is more common than you might think. Men are a contributing or solo cause of infertility issues in couples in 40% of the cases.
Understanding the factors that lead to male infertility is essential for you to implement preventative measures. If you struggle with Upper East Side male fertility, physicians can prescribe proper treatment based on the underlying cause. This blog will look at the possible causes of male infertility.
Abnormal Sperm Production
Genetic factors often cause problems with sperm quality and numbers. Some fragments of the male chromosome might be missing in men with sperm issues. This might cause absent sperm in the semen; low sperm count to cause conception, or abnormal sperm shape that makes it difficult for the sperm to penetrate the ova.
Other psychological issues that affect your sexual health include; premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, and ejaculatory incompetence. Premature ejaculation is a problem if a man ejaculates before proper penetration in the vagina.
Older Age
The assumption as a man, you can reproduce even into advanced age is not true. Naturally, fertility declines as you get old. After 35 years, the reproductive potential of men significantly drops. After 40 years, the likelihood of a man successfully fathering a kid without genetic mutations declines by around 11% every year.
Men older than 50 have a significantly higher percentage of fathering children suffering from conditions such as autism, neurofibromatosis, down syndrome, and Kleinfelder syndrome. Therefore, age is one of the possible causes of infertility.
Overweight
Overweight is another factor that might contribute to infertility in men. If you have a BMI above 30, it can affect your sperm quality. This is because the fat deposits might overload and affect the metabolism of male reproductive hormones, particularly testosterone.
This causes adverse changes in sperm DNA and development. The good news is that you can adopt measures to gain or lose weight and finally conceive once you attain a healthy body weight.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
According to medical research, sexually transmitted infections have been found to cause male infertility. These include chlamydia, gonorrhea, and ureaplasma. The microorganisms that cause the infections cause changes to sperm quality.
In chronic and severe cases of STIs, they can result in obstruction of the sperm duct. If you notice any sign of an infection, it should be diagnosed and treated with appropriate antibiotics.
Smoking And Drug Abuse
Addictive and inhaled substances adversely affect your sperm quality and sperm count. This is due to the cannabinoid and nicotine receptors’ effect on the testicular tissue. Nicotine causes oxidative stress that negatively affects sperm quality and hence fertilization potential.
Cocaine also alters sperm motility and development. Other addictive substances contributing to male infertility include marijuana, alcohol, and anabolic steroids. Quitting smoking and other addictive substances will reverse most of the spermatic damage in a few months.
Highlighted are some common causes of male infertility. This list is, however, not comprehensive. If you are not getting pregnant for more than a year, it’s advisable to consult with a qualified gynecologist for a precise diagnosis.
The doctor will conduct an in-depth evaluation to find out the underlying condition. Male infertility is curable to some extent, depending on the underlying cause. In some cases, fertilization can be successfully conducted with the help of assisted reproductive processes.