Demystifying common causes of male infertility for our patients
If you and your partner are trying to get pregnant without success, we can help. David T. Vandermolen MD, MS, our Northern Louisiana fertility specialist, founded this clinic to assist couples and individuals with building the families they desire. Dr. Vandermolen combines clinical expertise with compassionate care to diagnose and treat common infertility problems, including identifying causes of male infertility.
Infertility issues affect both men and women
Before proposing any infertility treatment, our Northern Louisiana fertility specialist will order a complete panel of fertility tests for both male and female partners.
Many people mistakenly believe that infertility only affects women; however, between 30% and 40 % of infertility cases are related to male infertility. Another one-third result from female infertility issues, and the final third are related to fertility issues in both partners, or from unknown causes in 10% of cases.
The male reproductive system at a glance
In men, the reproductive system consists of reproductive organs that work together to generate sperm, keep them safe, and release the sperm during sexual activity so that reproduction can occur. Part of male reproduction includes production of important sex hormones, such as testosterone, which support male body development and the ability to father children. If disruptions arise with the male reproductive system, male factor infertility problems can occur.
What are common causes of male infertility?
Although many women experience symptoms related to female infertility, the most common symptom for men is often being unable to conceive a child with their partner. To identify any male factor infertility problems, Dr. Vandermolen will order a semen analysis, which will assess the sperm number, concentration, shapes, motility-swimming rates, and volume of sperm produced in the sample, as well as seminal fluid qualities. The resulting data will enable our Northern Louisiana fertility specialist to pinpoint potential causes of male infertility. As based on semen analysis and hormone findings, as needed urologist evaluation may and is often involved as well. Potential findings and causes include:
- Low sperm count (oligospermia) or the absence of sperm (azoospermia)
- Genetic disorders, such as Klinefelter syndrome
- Physical trauma to the testicles
- Chemotherapy or radiation
- Hormone imbalances
- Swollen veins in the testicles, referred to as varicoceles
- Excessive use of alcohol, tobacco or marijuana
How can we treat male factor infertility?
Dr. Vandermolen will make infertility treatment recommendations based on the specific causes of male infertility. He may suggest lifestyle changes to promote overall wellness, medications to regulate hormones, urologist evaluations and treatment and/or surgery to correct physical abnormalities. In many cases, our Northern Louisiana fertility specialist may propose intrauterine insemination (IUI) or IVF to increase the chances of success.
Welcoming a new baby into your family is still an attainable dream. The team at ArkLaTex Fertility is available to answer your questions about male infertility and provide the information you and your partner need to make the best decisions about next steps. To schedule an appointment, call our office.