Male factors are responsible for infertility in 30 – 40% of couples. Male factor infertility includes problems with the man's sperm. The difficulty may be with the sperm themselves or the delivery system that takes them from the testicles, where they are formed, through the penis and into the woman's vagina.
Normally, there are at least 20 million healthy sperm in each milliliter of semen ejaculated. Some men produce no sperm at all or very few. Others may have sperm that are oddly shaped or unable to move properly. Any of these problems can cause infertility.
Even if a man produces healthy sperm, exposure to certain conditions or substances may kill them. For example, heat is harmful to sperm. Fevers, long soaks in hot tubs, and tight underwear that keeps the testicles close to the body all can result in temporary drops in sperm counts. It takes 90 days for sperm to mature, so any man who has had a high fever within 3 months may have a low sperm count also.
AGENTS HARMFUL TO SPERM
Chemotherapy, Radiation treatment Alcohol, Antibiotics (nitrofurantoin, sulfa drugs), Ulcer treatments (cimetidine), Marijuana, Nicotine, Diethylstilbestrol (DES), Anabolic steroids (used for body building), Some lubricants used during sex.
A man's reproductive system can be affected if his mother took DES while pregnant with him.
Some substances have a permanent effect, while others are only temporary. A man trying to father a child may want to consult with his doctor if he has been exposed to any of these agents.
Other men have difficulty in getting the sperm to the right place. Some are impotent or cannot maintain an erection sufficient to allow intercourse. Others have blockages in the tubes that carry the sperm from the testicles through the penis. These blockages may be caused by infections, some sexually transmitted. In other men, a condition called retrograde ejaculation results in sperm going the wrong way once they reach the penis. Instead of going out the penis, they move backward up into the bladder.
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