Male infertility is a man inability to cause pregnancy in a fertile female, commonly due to deficiency of sperm cells in the semen. Sexual dysfunction, also called erectile dysfunction, is an inability to maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. Both conditions may be treatable through medication or hormone therapy.
Male infertility is due to low sperm production, abnormal sperm function or blockages that prevent the delivery of sperm. Illnesses, injuries, chronic health problems, lifestyle choices and other factors can play a role in causing male infertility.
Common Symptoms of Male Infertility
The main sign of male infertility is the inability to conceive a child. There may be no other obvious signs or symptoms. In some cases, however, an underlying problem such as an inherited disorder, hormonal imbalance, dilated veins around the testicle, or a condition that blocks the passage of sperm causes signs and symptoms.
- Problems with sexual function — for example, difficulty with ejaculation or small volumes of fluid ejaculated, reduced sexual desire or difficulty maintaining an erection (erectile dysfunction)
- Pain, swelling or a lump in the testicle area
- Recurrent respiratory infections
- Inability to smell
- Abnormal breast growth (gynecomastia)
- Decreased facial or body hair or other signs of a chromosomal or hormonal abnormality
- Having a lower than normal sperm count (fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen or a total sperm count of less than 39 million per ejaculate)
Common surgical procedure for Male Infertility
- Micro Surgical Varicocelectomy: When abnormal semen parameter is because of testicular vein varicosities, this need ligation of testicular varicose vein. In microsurgical technique, ligation of venous channel in done under operating microscope thus reducing risk of post operative scrotal oedema and no risk of injury to testicular artery.
- Testicular Biopsy: when sperm are nor seen in semen, then directly a small tissue is collected from testis by needle biopsy and the tissue is examined under a microscope to see either presence of sperm or to retrieve sperm for IVF.
