Center for Reproductive and Fetal Medicine

MALE INFERTILITY

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MALE INFERTILITY

Infertility is one reproductive system disease. It can affect a man, a woman or both. Male infertility means that a man has a problem with his reproductive system so he can not start a natural pregnancy with his partner.

The problems with production of healthy sperm are the most common causes of male infertility. Sperm may be immature, abnormally shaped, or unable to swim. In some cases, there may be little to no sperm production. This problem can be caused by many different situations, such as:

  • Infections or inflammatory conditions. An example is mumps infection after adolescence.
  • Hormone or pituitary problems
  • Immune problems in which antibodies are produced against your own sperm
  • Environmental factors and lifestyle factors. These include tobacco use, heavy alcohol use, marijuana or steroid use, or exposure to toxins.
  • Genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis or hemochromatosis

 

They may still arise structural problems genetic in nature. Infection or inflammation from a sexually transmitted disease can also block sperm. Other causes include scar tissue from surgery or swollen veins in the scrotum. Other factors may include erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation. Liver or kidney disease or treatment for seizure disorders are examples of problems that can cause infertility.

Symptoms of male infertility

You may experience male infertility if your partner has not become pregnant after one year of regular free sex. The reproductive specialist will examine both you and your partner to find the cause of infertility.

There are numerous symptoms already present in the body, but men are unaware that they are signs or can lead to infertility. Some of them are hormonal imbalance, difficulty ejaculating, lower than normal sperm count, decreased sexual drive or loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, fluid secretion, pain and lumps in and around the testicles. Breast growth, bad breath and frequent respiratory infections can also be sign of male infertility.

How is male infertility diagnosed?

The reproductive specialist will examine your health history and perform a physical examination. Other tests for male infertility may include:: sperm count (sperm analysis), blood tests, imaging tests such as ultrasound to examine the testicles, blood vessels and structures inside the scrotum, testicular biopsy.

Treatment

According to studies, one in eight men with infertility problems has a treatable condition and after treatment he can have a natural pregnancy with his partner. However, in some cases, your specialist doctor may recommend that you and your partner look for assisted reproduction therapy. This treatment involves helping your partner get pregnant. This can be done through different methods such as artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and endotracheal intubation (GIFT) as well as intracellular sperm injection (ICSI).

Men with fertility problems, they are not alone in the struggle they give. There are now solutions -thanks to modern technology- that allow every man to have a biological child. With the right guidance from a trained specialist but also with a cool approach, whatever you dreamed of can come true.

Center for Reproductive and Fetal Medicine

Effective doctor-patient communication is vital to providing high-quality health care. Any communication regarding your medical profile (getting results, instructions, answering questions, concerns) will be done directly with the doctor. This means no midwife or secretary will interrupt your conversations. Instead, if you call with any concerns, they will be there right away to address your needs. Contact us by calling 694 649 8771 or by completing the relevant Contact Form.

Dr. Alexandros Traianos

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FREQUENT QUESTIONS

The association of IVF drugs with cancer risk is a major concern for women enrolled in these programs. But the plethora of bibliographic reports collected from credible scientific studies and published in reputable medical journals worldwide are reassuring and do not confirm this concern.

Of course not. In about a third of cases, infertility is due to the woman (female factor), while in a third of cases, it is due to the man (male factor). The remaining one-third is due to both (both men and women) or even to unknown factors.

The quantity and quality of a man's sperm can be affected by his health and lifestyle. Some factors that can reduce the quantity and / or quality of sperm are:

  • the alcohol
  • drugs
  • environmental toxins, including pesticides and lead
  • smoking
  • health problems
  • medicines
  • radiotherapy and chemotherapy
  • the age

Success rates vary at each IVF Center. Very important factors are also the age of the woman, the levels of her hormones and of course the sperm of the husband. Rates generally range from 45% or slightly higher for women up to 35 years old.

Infertility is defined as the failure to conceive after one year (or 6 months, if it is a woman over 35) with normal, regular sexual intercourse. In other words, when a year passes without the woman becoming pregnant, the couple should consult their doctor to determine the cause of the pregnancy and then treat it. We must all, however, be aware and not forget that the age factor is the most critical for female fertility and that the individualized approach of each couple is the "golden key" that solves the problem.

The number of treatment cycles a woman can undergo is not specified. It is certain that in our country there are high level obstetricians-gynecologists and organized infertility treatment centers, which offer impeccable medical services at this level. If there are correct indications (eg ovaries that respond to stimulation therapy, good quality endometrium, etc.) the success rate -especially with the use of newer techniques and biotechnological drugs, which show increased bioactivity compared to conventional drugs from urine- totals approximately 65%-70% after 4 cycles of treatment.

At the Center for Reproductive Medicine of Dr. Traianos we offer egg / sperm cryopreservation services for those who have a personal or medical reason and need this service. We use the most modern vitrification technique in the freezing of sperm and eggs.

The collection of eggs takes 10-15 minutes, it is not painful, it is done under intoxication and after the end of the process you return to your activities.

In general, experts agree that the fact that a couple has already had a child can be considered evidence that there is no infertility problem in the first place. It is like a small test that has been done and proves that they "succeeded" at least once. On the other hand, we need to know that in the meantime things may have changed and a problem may have arisen (eg the man may have had some inflammation that affects the quality of his sperm or has mediated something that affects female fertility: an inflammation, a gynecological surgery, an abortion, etc.). In any case, if a reasonable period of time (one year) passes and a couple can not achieve a pregnancy, then he should with the help of his doctor investigate if there has been a problem that causes infertility.