Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Male infertility is when a sexually mature male is unable to get a fertile female pregnant. There are many possible causes for this, including genetics, trauma, diseases or infections of themale reproductive tract, and even lifestyle factors like smoking.
Treatment may involve medications, hormone therapy, surgery, and specialist procedures likeintrauterine insemination (IUI).
This article looks at the various causes of male infertility and walks you through what is involved in the diagnosis and treatment. It also offers tips on how to prevent male infertility with healthy lifestyle choices.
Male Infertility Symptoms
Male infertility is defined as the inability of a male to make a fertile female pregnant after a minimum of one year of unprotected sex (sex without using any form of birth control).Other signs and symptoms may be noted depending on the underlying cause.
Causes of Male Infertility
Congenital Causes
Congenital causes of male infertility involve abnormalities of either theendocrine system(which produces hormones) or the male reproductive system (comprising thepenis,testicles, and other sex organs). These include genetic disorders that can impair either of these systems.
Some of these congenital conditions causeazoospermia(the inability to producesperm),oligospermia(the production of low-quality sperm), or malehypogonadism(a lack of the hormonetestosterone).
Others can affect the structure or function of the testicles (“balls”),urethra(the tube that transports sperm out of the penis), orvas deferens(the duct that transports sperm from the testicles to the urethra).
Common congenital (present at birth) causes of male infertility include:
Anatomical Causes
Anatomical causes of male infertility are those in which parts of the male reproductive tract malfunction, typically due to defects that develop later in life.
Anatomical causes of male infertility include:
Reproductive Health Issues
Pathological Causes
Pathological causes of male infertility include infections, diseases, ormalignancies(cancers) that directly or indirectly affect the male reproductive tract.
Some of these causeepididymitis(inflammation of the coiled tube that transports sperm from the testicle), while others cause blockages of ducts and vessels (such asejaculatory duct obstruction).
Others still affect the endocrine organs that regulate the production of sex hormones liketestosteroneandestrogen.
Common pathological causes of male infertility include:
What Is Idiopathic Male Infertility?
Sexual Causes
Sexual dysfunction in males may be due to physical causes, psychological causes, or both. In some cases, the underlying cause may be unknown.
Common forms of sexual dysfunction linked to male infertility include:
Acquired Causes
Common acquired causes of male infertility include:
How Common Is Male Infertility?Around 15% of couples in the United States experience infertility. Of these, 20% of cases are due to issues related solely to the male partner. Another 30% and 40% involve issues with the male partner that contribute to the couple’s inability to get pregnant.
How Common Is Male Infertility?
Around 15% of couples in the United States experience infertility. Of these, 20% of cases are due to issues related solely to the male partner. Another 30% and 40% involve issues with the male partner that contribute to the couple’s inability to get pregnant.
Can Laptops Cause Male Infertility?
How Male Infertility Is Diagnosed
Diagnosing male infertility can be complicated and involve an extensive process of elimination, exploring and excluding all “likely suspects” until a definitive cause is found.
If you and your partner have been unable to get pregnant despite trying for at least a year, speak with your healthcare provider or a specialist in disorders of the male reproductive system known as aurologist.
Signs You’re Having Trouble Getting Pregnant
Medical History
These include testicular or penile injuries, heavy alcohol or drug use, prior radiation or pelvic surgery, or medications that contribute to sexual dysfunction or male hypogonadism. Your sexual practices would also be discussed.
Physical Exam
The physical exam should involve a comprehensive examination of your penis, scrotum, testicles, vas deferens, urethra, and lower abdomen. A tool called anorchidometermay be used to measure the volume of your testicle to check for discrepancies in sexual development.
Adigital rectal exam (DRE)may also be performed. This involves the insertion of a gloved finger into the rectum to check for problems with your prostate gland.
Semen Analysis
Aspermiogramis typically the tool used to investigate male infertility. Also known as a semen analysis, the test evaluates the number and quality of thespermatozoa(sperm cells) along with their shape, size, and motility.
Lab Tests and Procedures
Various lab tests and procedures may be ordered to check for the underlying causes of male infertility, including:
Imaging Studies
The main imaging tool used to diagnose male infertility is asonogram(also known as an ultrasound). The noninvasive test uses high-frequency sound waves to generate images of internal organs and tissues.
There are different types your healthcare provider may use:
The 6 Best At-Home Sperm Tests for Reliable Results
How Is Male Infertility Treated?
Although the actual cause of male infertility may not be found, there may still be treatments available to improve your chances of conception. Even so, not all cases can be “fixed,” and some couples may need to consider adoption or a sperm donor to achieve pregnancy.
Some of the more common treatments used for male infertility include:
Can Supplements Help?While there are many over-the-counter supplements marketed for male infertility, the American Urological Society states that they have “questionable clinical utility” and that the existing evidence is “inadequate” to endorse any such remedy.
Can Supplements Help?
While there are many over-the-counter supplements marketed for male infertility, the American Urological Society states that they have “questionable clinical utility” and that the existing evidence is “inadequate” to endorse any such remedy.
IUI vs. IVF: Making the Right Choice
Can You Prevent Male Infertility?
There are many causes of male infertility that cannot be prevented. With that said, male infertility often involves multiple factors that contribute to the loss of fertility over time. These include lifestyle factors like smoking and drinking.
These four simple tips may helpreduce your risk of male infertility:
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kumar N, Singh AK.Trends of male factor infertility, an important cause of infertility: a review of literature.J Hum Reprod Sci.2015;8(4):191–196. doi:10.4103/0974-1208.170370Kuroda S, Usui K, Sanjo H, et al.Genetic disorders and male infertility.Reprod Med Biol.2020;19(4):314–322. doi:10.1002/rmb2.12336Babakhanzadeh E, Nazari M, Ghasemifar S, Khodadadian A.Some of the factors involved in male infertility: a prospective review.Int J Gen Med.2020;13:29–41. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S241099Assidi M.Infertility in men: advances towards a comprehensive and integrative strategy for precision theranostics.Cells.2022;11(10):1711. doi:10.3390/cells11101711Okonofua FE, Ntoimo LFC, Omonkhua A, et al.Causes and risk factors for male infertility: a scoping review of published studies.Int J Gen Med.2022;15:5985–5997. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S363959Kothandaraman N, Agarwal A, Abu-Elmagd M, Al-Qahtani MH.Pathogenic landscape of idiopathic male infertility: new insight towards its regulatory networks.NPJ Genom Med.2016;1:16023. doi:10.1038/npjgenmed.2016.23Jung JH, Seo JT.Empirical medical therapy in idiopathic male infertility: promise or panacea?Clin Exp Reprod Med.2014;41(3):108–114. doi:10.5653/cerm.2014.41.3.108Mishra D, Singh UP.Male sexual dysfunction: a clinical review.Indian J Health Sexuality Culture.2022;8:4-11. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6806213Schlegel PN, Sigman M, Collura B. et al.Diagnosis and treatment of infertility in men: AUA/ASRM guideline part II.J Urol.2021;205(1):44-51. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000001520Fainberg J, Kashanian JA.Recent advances in understanding and managing male infertility.Version 1. F1000Res.2019;8:F1000 Faculty Rev-670. doi:10.12688/f1000research.17076.1
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kumar N, Singh AK.Trends of male factor infertility, an important cause of infertility: a review of literature.J Hum Reprod Sci.2015;8(4):191–196. doi:10.4103/0974-1208.170370Kuroda S, Usui K, Sanjo H, et al.Genetic disorders and male infertility.Reprod Med Biol.2020;19(4):314–322. doi:10.1002/rmb2.12336Babakhanzadeh E, Nazari M, Ghasemifar S, Khodadadian A.Some of the factors involved in male infertility: a prospective review.Int J Gen Med.2020;13:29–41. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S241099Assidi M.Infertility in men: advances towards a comprehensive and integrative strategy for precision theranostics.Cells.2022;11(10):1711. doi:10.3390/cells11101711Okonofua FE, Ntoimo LFC, Omonkhua A, et al.Causes and risk factors for male infertility: a scoping review of published studies.Int J Gen Med.2022;15:5985–5997. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S363959Kothandaraman N, Agarwal A, Abu-Elmagd M, Al-Qahtani MH.Pathogenic landscape of idiopathic male infertility: new insight towards its regulatory networks.NPJ Genom Med.2016;1:16023. doi:10.1038/npjgenmed.2016.23Jung JH, Seo JT.Empirical medical therapy in idiopathic male infertility: promise or panacea?Clin Exp Reprod Med.2014;41(3):108–114. doi:10.5653/cerm.2014.41.3.108Mishra D, Singh UP.Male sexual dysfunction: a clinical review.Indian J Health Sexuality Culture.2022;8:4-11. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6806213Schlegel PN, Sigman M, Collura B. et al.Diagnosis and treatment of infertility in men: AUA/ASRM guideline part II.J Urol.2021;205(1):44-51. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000001520Fainberg J, Kashanian JA.Recent advances in understanding and managing male infertility.Version 1. F1000Res.2019;8:F1000 Faculty Rev-670. doi:10.12688/f1000research.17076.1
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Kumar N, Singh AK.Trends of male factor infertility, an important cause of infertility: a review of literature.J Hum Reprod Sci.2015;8(4):191–196. doi:10.4103/0974-1208.170370Kuroda S, Usui K, Sanjo H, et al.Genetic disorders and male infertility.Reprod Med Biol.2020;19(4):314–322. doi:10.1002/rmb2.12336Babakhanzadeh E, Nazari M, Ghasemifar S, Khodadadian A.Some of the factors involved in male infertility: a prospective review.Int J Gen Med.2020;13:29–41. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S241099Assidi M.Infertility in men: advances towards a comprehensive and integrative strategy for precision theranostics.Cells.2022;11(10):1711. doi:10.3390/cells11101711Okonofua FE, Ntoimo LFC, Omonkhua A, et al.Causes and risk factors for male infertility: a scoping review of published studies.Int J Gen Med.2022;15:5985–5997. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S363959Kothandaraman N, Agarwal A, Abu-Elmagd M, Al-Qahtani MH.Pathogenic landscape of idiopathic male infertility: new insight towards its regulatory networks.NPJ Genom Med.2016;1:16023. doi:10.1038/npjgenmed.2016.23Jung JH, Seo JT.Empirical medical therapy in idiopathic male infertility: promise or panacea?Clin Exp Reprod Med.2014;41(3):108–114. doi:10.5653/cerm.2014.41.3.108Mishra D, Singh UP.Male sexual dysfunction: a clinical review.Indian J Health Sexuality Culture.2022;8:4-11. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6806213Schlegel PN, Sigman M, Collura B. et al.Diagnosis and treatment of infertility in men: AUA/ASRM guideline part II.J Urol.2021;205(1):44-51. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000001520Fainberg J, Kashanian JA.Recent advances in understanding and managing male infertility.Version 1. F1000Res.2019;8:F1000 Faculty Rev-670. doi:10.12688/f1000research.17076.1
Kumar N, Singh AK.Trends of male factor infertility, an important cause of infertility: a review of literature.J Hum Reprod Sci.2015;8(4):191–196. doi:10.4103/0974-1208.170370
Kuroda S, Usui K, Sanjo H, et al.Genetic disorders and male infertility.Reprod Med Biol.2020;19(4):314–322. doi:10.1002/rmb2.12336
Babakhanzadeh E, Nazari M, Ghasemifar S, Khodadadian A.Some of the factors involved in male infertility: a prospective review.Int J Gen Med.2020;13:29–41. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S241099
Assidi M.Infertility in men: advances towards a comprehensive and integrative strategy for precision theranostics.Cells.2022;11(10):1711. doi:10.3390/cells11101711
Okonofua FE, Ntoimo LFC, Omonkhua A, et al.Causes and risk factors for male infertility: a scoping review of published studies.Int J Gen Med.2022;15:5985–5997. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S363959
Kothandaraman N, Agarwal A, Abu-Elmagd M, Al-Qahtani MH.Pathogenic landscape of idiopathic male infertility: new insight towards its regulatory networks.NPJ Genom Med.2016;1:16023. doi:10.1038/npjgenmed.2016.23
Jung JH, Seo JT.Empirical medical therapy in idiopathic male infertility: promise or panacea?Clin Exp Reprod Med.2014;41(3):108–114. doi:10.5653/cerm.2014.41.3.108
Mishra D, Singh UP.Male sexual dysfunction: a clinical review.Indian J Health Sexuality Culture.2022;8:4-11. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6806213
Schlegel PN, Sigman M, Collura B. et al.Diagnosis and treatment of infertility in men: AUA/ASRM guideline part II.J Urol.2021;205(1):44-51. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000001520
Fainberg J, Kashanian JA.Recent advances in understanding and managing male infertility.Version 1. F1000Res.2019;8:F1000 Faculty Rev-670. doi:10.12688/f1000research.17076.1
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