Infertility is defined
as inability for a couple to achieve pregnancy after one year (of trying
not of marriage), in a couple with adequate unprotected sexual intercourse
and in the absence of birth control.
When a couple has regular intercourse of at least 3 times a week, 50% of them would achieve pregnancy within
three months and 85% within one year.
Therefore only about 15% will be defined to have infertility
In Africa, it is the
female who bears the brunt of the problem, as you see her moving about
searching for the solution to a problem she feels is coming from her. Things
are however changing as women are becoming more enlightened.
The reason why the man
may feel all is well with him may be because at every intercourse he ejaculates
‘something’ he feels contains enough sperm for fertilization; semen quality is more important than
volume.
What are the causes of
infertility in men?
—
A disease called Kallmann’s syndrome (men with
this may not have the ability to smell).
—
Problems with your pituitary gland, which can occur
due to a tumor, radiation exposure or surgery.
—
Hyperprolactinaemia: this is due to a tumor in
the brain that produces excess of the hormone called prolactin. Males usually
have problems seeing well, decreased libido and abnormal sperm.
—
Testosterone replacement therapy inhibits
production of sperm.
—
Problems with the thyroid gland.
—
Men with diabetes mellitus.
—
Men who have abnormalities in their body
structures. Examples include Congenital (from birth) absence of vas deferens,
obstruction of vas deferens and congenital abnormalities of the ejaculatory
system.
—
Chromosomal abnormalities.
—
Men who had mumps as boys. Orchitis often
develops 4-6 days after the mumps begins.
—
Chemical or radiation exposure: this occurs in
men who work in companies that deal with radiation or chemical exposure. The
radiation kills all the cells that produce sperm. The man is rendered infertile
permanently.
—
Retrograde ejaculation: this is ejaculating backwards
(like into the bladder) instead of outside.
—
Impotence.
—
Decreased libido.
In about 10-15% of cases the cause of infertility will not be found.
powerful guide to male infertility prevention.
There is usually nothing that can be done to prevent male infertility
caused by genetic problems or illness (many types of male infertility
aren't preventable). However, there are ways men can decrease the possibility of
infertility.
The following ways have been suggested:
·
Avoid smoking (damages sperm DNA) and excessive alcohol.
·
Avoid usage of drugs of abuse
like marijuana.
·
Maintain a healthy weight by regular exercises.
·
Reduce the stressors in your life.
·
Avoid radiation exposure. if you work in such companies, protect yourself
at all times.
·
Avoid exposure to toxic substances.
·
Observe good personal hygiene and health practices
·
Wearing loose-fitting underwear.
·
Avoid excessive heat to the testes (as is seen in commercial
drivers- placing something on the sit helps decrease the heat getting to your
testes).
·
Maintain optimal frequency of coital activity:
sperm counts can be depressed by daily coital activity and sperm motility may
be depressed by coital activity that takes place too infrequently (abstinence
10–14 days or more.
·
Wear protective equipments to protect the
testicles, in any sport such as baseball, football, cricket, lacrosse, hockey, softball,
paintball, rodeo, motocross, wrestling, soccer, karate or other martial arts or
any sport where a ball, foot, arm, knee or bat can come into contact with the
groin.
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