Over the years and the change in cultural mentality, the male factor has begun to become aware of its impact on matters associated with infertility. Gone are the times when fertility was a fundamentally female issue, the time when women were singled out exclusively for being to blame for infertility in a couple.
Men in the 21st century want to delve into the subject of their own fertility, they want to investigate, read, talk and get fully involved in making decisions about their own fatherhood. They do not want to leave anything to chance, they want to know in depth what this issue is about, which for years only women carried, they want to get involved in the process of having a child and accompany their partner in their search, they want to talk about their own doubts, their own fears, the deepest desires of their heart.
Specialists know that, as the years have gone by, the concept of infertility has taken an interesting turn. Today, it is known that 30% of infertility cases are due to the male factor, and, therefore, when a couple comes to the consultation, both she and he must go through an exhaustive study to find the causes why they have not been able to get pregnant.
As Dr. Fidel Cano, Human Reproduction Specialist at Inser, assures, “If we wanted to break a percentage cake, we would say that between 50 to 60 percent of the causes of infertility are due to a female problem. However, by making that partition we could not obtain such exact data, since a good percentage is also the couple’s problem. For example: the most complex pathology at the reproductive level and the most difficult to deal with in terms of treatment is habitual abortion (the woman has had more than three losses); Such cases were usually attributed exclusively to women, but today we know that a good part corresponds to an alteration in the chromosomal packing of spermatozoa.”
Some interesting facts that will help a man to know and take care of his fertility are:
1. The symptoms associated with male infertility can be related to: having unprotected sex for at least a year without getting pregnant, difficulties in ejaculation and erection, among others.
2. One of the main causes of male infertility is attributed to varicocele, a disease that consists of swelling of the veins of the scrotum. This condition usually occurs between 15 and 25 years of age and is most often seen on the left side of the scrotum. Although many men have symptoms such as enlarged and twisted veins in the scrotum, dull pain or discomfort, painless testicular tumor, bulge inside the scrotum, possible infertility problems, or decreased sperm count, some men have no noticeable symptoms.
3. The consumption of alcohol, tobacco and psychoactive substances in any amount has a direct impact on male fertility. These habits can damage sperm morphology and cause miscarriages. Therefore, a man who wants to be a father in the near future must take care of himself and avoid the use of these substances in his daily life.
4. Overweight and obesity also affect the possibilities of reproduction in men. This happens because the testicles are located on the outside of the body, and, when having problems with excess weight, the testicular temperature increases in this area and produces sperm alterations.
5. Family history is essential to learn more about some difficulties in male fertility. Knowing if a man has infertile brothers, cousins, uncles or relatives can be of great help to the specialist, because in this way he can be clear about some of the multiple causes that can affect his own fertility.
6. To take care of the male fertility, it is also important to avoid promiscuous behaviors. It is known that in developed countries, the main cause of infertility in men is carrying diseases such as blenorrhagia, gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia. Having healthy relationships is the first step to avoid the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and put infertility at risk in the couple.
7. The spermogram is the most important diagnostic test to learn more about male infertility. With this study, the physical aspects of the semen such as volume, pH, viscosity, color; In addition, the number of spermatozoa, their motility, morphology and vitality are analyzed. It also offers valuable information about the presence of other cells such as macrophages, lymphocytes, leukocytes, bacteria and fungi, which depending on their number, can be an important cause of infertility. To have the test, the man must take a sample of semen by masturbation in a suitable container to deliver it to the laboratory.
It is important that the spermogram procedure be performed with conditions that represent the individual’s state of health and basal activity. To minimize variables in the spermogram collection, the following guidelines should be followed: recommendations established by the World Health Organization (WHO). An abnormal spermogram result does not necessarily indicate a health problem. This result must be confirmed with a second examination 20 days after the first.
8. The spermogram basically studies three conditions of spermatozoa: the concentration, motility and morphology of spermatozoa. The normal patterns in terms of concentration are given by the WHO: in a volume of 1.5 centimeters, the concentration must be at least 15 million sperm (to achieve a natural pregnancy).
Regarding motility: sperm are classified into A, B, C, and D. The A and B are the ones that move well and have the ability to reach the egg. The C’s and D’s don’t do so well.
Finally, morphology analyzes the shape of the sperm and the parts that make them up – head, neck and tail – and then counts how many normal sperm there are and how many abnormal ones. According to the WHO’s criteria, if out of one hundred spermatozoa four or more have a normal morphology, it is within the appropriate values. Depending on the results of the study, the specialist may order more advanced exams and laboratory tests, which include, among others, hormonal profile, thyroid, testosterone, ultrasounds, etc. After these tests will come the diagnosis and then the appropriate and specific treatment for the couple.
9. There are treatments to achieve pregnancy in a couple where the male factor is a determining factor in the couple’s infertility. Among them are: Artificial insemination with donor sperm, In Vitro Fertilization, Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), among others. Only the specialist can define what type of treatment to go to according to the patient’s needs.
10. In case a man suspects that he may be having problems in his fertility (even if he already has one or more children), it is necessary to go to a human reproduction specialist to study his case more thoroughly and look for alternatives to achieve a pregnancy in the short term. If you need an appointment with one of our Inser specialists, click here.
