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Male Infertility Treatment

Male Infertility Treatment in Los Angeles, Glendale and Irvine, CA

 

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Male infertility accounts for about one-third of all couple infertility issues. The majority of male infertility problems can be resolved by using fertility treatments or treating the underlying problem.

 

How common is male infertility?

 

Approximately 12% of couples are not able to achieve pregnancy after one full year of unprotected sexual intercourse. Of these couples, one-third of couples discover fertility in both partners or have unexplained infertility. One-third of couples find that the problem is related to female infertility, whereas the other one-third find that the problem is related to male infertility.

 

How does the doctor diagnose male infertility?

 

Male infertility is diagnosed using semen analysis. This simple test involves having the man produce a semen specimen, which is sent to the laboratory for evaluation. The lab workers measure the amount of semen, count the number of sperm, evaluate sperm motility (movement), and assess sperm shape. If all findings are normal, other testing may be necessary.

 

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What laboratory tests are necessary to diagnose male infertility?

 

Other than the specialized semen analysis, general laboratory testing involves genetic karyotyping, assessment of hormone levels (testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, and estradiol), and urinalysis.

What diagnostic tests may be required?

The doctor may choose to perform a testicular ultrasound, testicular biopsy, and/or vasography.

What symptoms are associated with male infertility?

When a couple tries to conceive and fail to achieve pregnancy after 12 months, the man and the woman are evaluated. Unlike female infertility, the symptoms of male infertility are not common. These symptoms include low libido, abnormal hair grown, and sexual dysfunction.

What are the risk factors for male infertility?

The risk factors include:

• Age over 40 years
• Obesity or being overweight
• Previous or current sexually transmitted infection (STI)
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol consumption

What are the causes of male infertility?

Several things can contribute to male infertility. These include:

 

• Low sperm count
• Complete absence of sperm
• Abnormal sperm movement
• Abnormal sperm shape
• Problems with sperm delivery (retrograde ejaculation or previous vasectomy)
• Erectile dysfunction
• Varicocele (varicose vein fund in the scrotum)

How is male infertility treated?

When an infection is present, treatment involves taking antibiotics. To remove a varicocele, surgery is necessary. For men who have had a vasectomy, surgical reversal is an option. In addition, there are medications (fertility drugs) that improve sperm production. If these treatments are unsuccessful, or when the cause of infertility is unknown, intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection are options. If the sperm does not ejaculate, but are produced, the doctor can take sperm directly from the testicles and artificially inseminate the female.

What are sperm extraction procedures?

Sperm can be extracted from the male reproductive organs using aspiration techniques. These are minor surgical procedures used to collect sperm from the vas deferens, epididymis, or testicle. Sperm are extracted 65% of the time from the male testes when no sperm is found in the ejaculatory ducts.

What is mapping of the testes?

Mapping of a failing testes involves assessing the atrophic or failing testes for viable sperm. This procedure is based on observations that sperm production is often patchy, but the more sites that are sampled within the testes increases the chance of finding usable sperm.