What is male infertility?
Approximately 50% of infertility cases in heterosexual couples involve male reproductive issues such as low sperm count or poor sperm quality. For a successful pregnancy it is essential to test and treat infertility in male partners and single men seeking parenthood.
Evaluating and diagnosing male infertility
Male infertility treatment begins with a full semen analysis to determine whether issues achieving pregnancy could be due to low sperm count or poor quality. You will provide a semen sample at the clinic or one of our partnering labs in a comfortable environment where you won’t be rushed.
After analyzing the sample we can determine whether male infertility might be a factor in your specific case, and if so, what to do next.
Sometimes treatment for male infertility can be as straightforward as a lifestyle change or picking a new prescription. Sometimes it's a more complex process and requires IUI, IVF or surgery. Sometimes further evaluation and treatment requires referral to a urologist who specializes in reproduction. Whichever direction your initial testing takes you, your doctor is there to ensure you are given the best possible options for your unique needs.
To prepare sperm for IVF and IUI, part of your treatment plan may be to abstain from drinking, smoking, and drugs and to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly among other specifics you’ll discuss with your care team. If you have a hormonal imbalance that is affecting fertility your doctor may prescribe a medication to support a more normal balance.
Occasionally, treating male infertility issues such as varicocele can require surgery. Those experiencing severe oligospermia (extremely low sperm count) can benefit from sperm-harvesting techniques in combination with IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In ICSI a single high-quality sperm is separated from the semen sample and injected directly into an egg in the lab.
Is male infertility treatment right for me?
Treating male infertility is an essential element of the overall infertility treatment process. There are many avenues for achieving a successful pregnancy using your own sperm and there has been incredible success with methods such as IVF with ICSI. Our team will work to improve the quantity and quality of the sperm to give you the highest chance of pregnancy, either naturally or with assistance.
Some patients with male factor infertility elect to use a sperm donor. This can be a very emotionally challenging step to take, but your team at Fertility Centers of Orange County will support you through every decision.
Male Infertility Treatment Success With Fertility Centers of Orange County
Male factor infertility affects 50% of couples. For this reason, semen analysis is often one of the highest-value fertility tests for catching underlying infertility issues.
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Paying for male infertility treatment
Though coverage for fertility care varies widely by insurance plan, the good news is that you have options. We are committed to guiding you through your insurance benefits, out-of-pocket expenses, and other financing options every step of the way.
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There are many potential causes of male infertility. Your semen analysis will help to identify the reason so you and your doctor can move forward with treatment options. Some potential test results:
Low sperm count: Less than 16 million sperm per milliliter of semen is considered a low sperm count. While your sperm count naturally declines with age, there can be many other contributing factor both medical and environmental that your doctor will want to assess.
Poor quality sperm: Sperm that doesn’t survive the typical lifespan of 5 days or has low motility (trouble swimming) is considered poor quality. This can be due to genetic, medical, or environmental factors.
Azoospermia: This is a condition where the semen doesn’t contain any sperm. It affects 1% of men.
Varicocele: This condition involves an enlargement of the veins in the scrotum which causes issues with temperature regulation of the testicles and can affect the quality of sperm.
Hormonal imbalance: There are a number of hormones that affect male fertility including testosterone. Hormonal imbalance can stem from many different systems in the body.
Environmental factors: Many larger environmental factors and lifestyle choices affect male fertility. Using alcohol, nicotine, drugs, and marijuana can lower sperm count and affect quality. Your doctor and support team are there to discuss ways to promote fertility day-to-day which can make a huge difference on your path to a healthy pregnancy.