Overcome obstacles to conception with male infertility treatment

An estimated 1 in 8 couples deals with infertility while trying to conceive a child, and many discover that they need male infertility treatment. David T. Vandermolen MD, MS, the founder of our Northern Louisiana fertility center, understands the frustration and helplessness our patients often feel in this situation. Dr. Vandermolen provides the compassionate care and clinical expertise needed to assist with family building, including treatment for male factor infertility.

Understanding fertility basics

One common misconception about infertility is that it only affects women. While a female infertility issue is the cause of infertility in about a third of cases, another third occur because of male factor infertility. The remaining one-third are from combined male and female fertility issues or undetermined causes. Seeking treatment from an experienced fertility specialist such as Dr. Vandermolen can help you and your partner identify female or male infertility factors and get the help you need.

Common causes of male infertility

Just as with female patients, infertility in men can develop for a variety of reasons. Physical abnormalities, illness, environmental factors and genetic conditions are all causes of male infertility. Additionally, hormone imbalances and prior surgeries can influence the ability to conceive.

Several risk factors may increase the odds of male factor infertility.

• Excessive tobacco and alcohol use
• Having an unhealthy body weight
• Certain medications, such as chemotherapy and radiation
• Trauma to the testicular area
• Regular exposure to toxins

Diagnosing male infertility

As part of a thorough fertility evaluation, Dr. Vandermolen will complete a full workup for our female patients, which includes lab work, a physical exam and an ultrasound of the reproductive organs. With male partners, he will order a semen analysis to determine if male infertility is a factor. For this simple test, the male partner provides a semen sample, and the laboratory assesses the sperm based on several criteria.

• Size
• Shape
• Speed
• Count
• Motility, or movement
• pH

Male infertility treatment options

If the semen analysis reveals abnormalities, our Northern Louisiana fertility center expert will refer your partner to a urologist, a physician who specializes in disorders of the male reproductive and urological system. The urologist may suggest hormone testing, scrotal ultrasound or more specialized sperm function tests.

Dr. Vandermolen will then work with you and your partner to develop a customized male infertility treatment plan involving the two of you as a couple. If sperm volume or quality are low, options may involve intrauterine insemination (IUI) or IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). For some men, lifestyle changes, medications or surgery may be recommended to improve the number and quality of sperm available for use in these procedures.

If you and your partner have tried to conceive without success, let Dr. Vandermolen assist with making your dreams come true. At ArkLaTex Fertility, we offer advanced diagnostics and top-notch infertility treatment. Call our Northern Louisiana fertility center for more information about male infertility treatment or to schedule an appointment.