MALE INFERTILITY

 

UNDERSTANDING AND FINDING A SOLUTION

 

One of the difficulties a couple faces in conceiving a baby is male infertility, which leads men to consult and find solutions to successfully start a family.

 

CAUSES OF MALE INFERTILITY

 

There is a wide variety of possible causes of male infertility. Once the reason has been determined, the doctor can prescribe treatment and advise the man (and the couple) in the most appropriate way. Among the most frequently mentioned problems are the following:

 

• Poor sperm quality
• Low sperm count: when there are less than 10 million spermatozoa per ml of semen it is called oligospermia
• Reduced sperm motility: asthenospermia
• Multiple causes: when several factors are involved, we use the term oligoasthenospermia.

 

Other causes can explain male infertility:

 

• Trauma: shock affecting 1 or 2 testicles
• STD (sexually transmitted disease)
• Testicular varicose veins (varicocele)
• Birth defect (cryptorchidism)
• Regular alcohol and/or tobacco consumption
• Stress
• Retrograde ejaculation (towards the bladder)

 

TREATMENTS AND SOLUTIONS

 

Male infertility can be countered not only through a healthier lifestyle and by optimizing sexual relations, but also through treatment.

 

Depending on the causes, the doctor may consider different solutions:

 

• Surgical treatment: especially in case of varicocele or malformations
• Infection treatment if necessary (antibiotic therapy for example)
• Other medications: corticosteroids, hormones…

 

In many cases, problems of male infertility lead to a MAP (Medically Assisted Procreation) protocol.

 

TIPS ON HOW TO OPTIMIZE MALE FERTILITY

 

When a man has difficulties conceiving a child, professionals recommend that he abstain from sexual intercourse for 3 to 5 days before making a new attempt. To increase the likelihood of pregnancy, it is also recommended to have this sexual intercourse during the woman’s ovulation period. When male infertility is involved, the whole couple must optimize the chances of conceiving.

 

LIFESTYLE

 

Stress is a common cause of infertility problems. The concerned man will inevitably feel the benefits of a more serene lifestyle, avoiding professional overwork, contributing to the appeasing of tensions within the couple…

 

By working on his lifestyle, he will be able to increase his chances of procreating:

 

• Cessation of alcohol and tobacco consumption
• Balanced eating: A correlation has been determined between a diet containing high levels of saturated fats and the decrease in the number of spermatozoa. On the other hand, Omega 3s stimulate the formation of the acrosome (head of the spermatozoon), which facilitates penetration into the ovule.
• Carrots are thought to improve sperm quality by 6.5 to 8%
• Avoid endocrine disruptors (which directly influence hormonal chains)
• Reduce stress: Studies show that the ejaculation produced by stressed or overworked men releases less semen.
• Reinstate a standard BMI: The Body Mass Index is the reference measure that determines your ideal weight for a healthy body. The higher the BMI, the more likely will be for men to encounter infertility problems. Like many other health problems, infertility is directly influenced by a person’s lifestyle.