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Is IVF Right for You? What You Need to Know
13 February 2019
Fertility: stages of the menstrual cycle
30 October 2020Risk factors in male fertility
Sterility affects 15% of couples trying to conceive a baby. There is a belief that it is an exclusive problem for women, something wrong, since male infertility is as normal as female.
Our lifestyle means that the number and quality of sperm has decreased worldwide in recent years, due to risk factors that alter the quality and volume of sperm, as well as the activity of sperm itself.
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
Data from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) are conclusive, highlighting that a third of infertility is due to only male factors and another third belongs only to female factors. Likewise, in approximately 40% of infertile couples, infertility is assigned to the man as the sole or contributing cause; and about a third of infertile couples have more than one factor in their inability to conceive. Most of the cases of male infertility are obtained by a low count or the absence of sperm, disorders called oligospermia and azoospermia respectively, as well as the abnormal shape of the sperm or changes in its quality. These problems are caused by risk factors such as infections, advancing age, some medical conditions, exposure to chemicals or high temperatures, and harmful habits.
Lifestyle
Excessive alcohol consumption has a highly negative effect on male fertility. In the case of smoking and cannabis use, when analyzing semen samples, the sperm had abnormal sizes and shapes; In addition, they had high levels of reactive oxygen species, causing cellular damage that prevents effectiveness in fertilization. The simple fact of wearing pants or underwear that is very tight at the pelvic level is another risk factor for infertility in men. This is true because of the local increase in heat and pressure from the testicles. However, this factor must be persistent throughout the day to have a harmful effect over time.
Sexual problems present a risk for fertility; certain problems in erection or ejaculation also make it impossible to develop a natural pregnancy. A man's age can affect fertility as well, but to a lesser extent than a woman’s can.
Problems with male anatomy
In many cases of hypo fertility, excessive heat comes from alterations in the anatomy. If you suffer from Varicocele, the dilation of the blood vessels that causes their approach to the testicles will increase the temperature of the sperm. Another type of problem, known as cryptorchidism, occurs when the testicles have not descended through the inguinal canal into the scrotum. One more disorder of anatomy is the affection of the pituitary gland.
In addition, infection by microbes (bacteria or viruses) is a known cause, as is chronic or acute inflammation of the testicles. Another less common cause of male hypo fertility, but existing, is an alteration of the ducts that move the sperm from the testicles to the outside, its closure can be present from birth or after a surgical intervention.
Genetic disorders
In certain cases, the origin of infertility is genetic. There are some situations where the total absence of sperm comes from a mutation in the DNA responsible for mucoviscosis in the conductive channels of sperm. It has also been studied that an abnormality of the chromosome and can lead to a decrease in the production of sperm. Retrograde ejaculation is another disorder where semen travels to the bladder during orgasm instead of being expelled from the penis.
Other factors within this category are genetic or organism diseases, which disrupt male reproduction. Here is a list of the most common: hormonal diseases, sexually transmitted infections, having had mumps after puberty, diabetes, cancer treated with chemotherapy, Klinefelter syndrome or insufficient antibodies that bind sperm. Likewise, obesity is also a negative factor that significantly reduces the chances of fertilization.
A problem to consider
Some risk factors depend on the daily lifestyle and can be corrected individually, however, for problems that require the help of a health professional our team of Global Fertility professionals is specialized in solving them.
Our lifestyle means that the number and quality of sperm has decreased worldwide in recent years, due to risk factors that alter the quality and volume of sperm, as well as the activity of sperm itself.
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