You may be able to reverse the condition if the cause is something you can stop, like taking certain medications or keeping your testicles too warm. You may not be able to change some causes of low sperm count, such as one that happens as a result of genetic issues.
From start to finish, it takes the male body an average of 74 days to produce new sperm cells. As the body is constantly producing sperm cells, a healthy male will usually always have some sperm cells in their semen. Most couples should be able to conceive within 12 months of trying.
Causes of male infertility
Abnormal sperm production or function due to undescended testicles, genetic defects, health problems such as diabetes, or infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, mumps or HIV. Enlarged veins in the testes (varicocele) also can affect the quality of sperm.
Your doctor may prescribe an estrogen receptor blocker, such as clomiphene citrate, which stimulates the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in the brain. This generates hormone production and the release of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), which can increase sperm production.
Conditions such as cancer of the testicle or prostate, diabetes, high blood pressure and peripheral vascular disease can cause a man to have a low sperm count. Lifesaving cancer treatment either surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy can destroy sperm cells, and greatly decrease a man's sperm count.
It is possible to get pregnant if your partner has low sperm count. Even with no treatment, studies have shown that 23% of infertile couples conceive after two years, and 33% conceive after four years. And 7.6% of men with severe low sperm count can still produce a pregnancy within two years with no treatment at all.
You are considered to have a low sperm count if you have fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter or less than 39 million sperm total per ejaculate. Your chance of getting your partner pregnant decreases with decreasing sperm counts. Some men have no sperm in their semen at all.
Low testosterone does not always directly cause infertility. Men with low testosterone can still produce healthy sperm because sperm production is mainly stimulated by other hormones. However, low levels of testosterone may result in decreased production of sperm.
While there are some situations in which male infertility can be reversed with medication or surgery, in most cases, assisted reproductive technology (ART; for example, in vitro fertilization or "IVF") is the recommended approach.
Medicine for improving sperm count or quality include Clomid, FSH, anastrozole, and hCG. These drugs should only be used by men diagnosed with infertility under the care of a physician.
A trained expert checks your sperm count, their shape, movement, and other characteristics. In general, if you have a higher number of normal-shaped sperm, it means you have higher fertility. But there are plenty of exceptions to this. A lot of guys with low sperm counts or abnormal semen are still fertile.
Zinc. One of the most important nutrients for male fertility, zinc is essential for production of sperm, sperm morphology, sperm count and proper sperm functioning. In studies, zinc concentration in semen is directly related to sperm quality—men with infertility typically have low levels of zinc in their semen.
In cases where no sperm are present in the ejaculate, sperm can often be retrieved directly from the testicles or epididymis using sperm retrieval techniques. Treating infections. Antibiotic treatment might cure an infection of the reproductive tract, but doesn't always restore fertility.
Some at-home tests also check how well sperm can move. For a home sperm test, you collect a semen sample by ejaculating into a small cup. A home sperm test may be appealing because you can do it in the privacy of your own home. Results are often ready within a few minutes.
Complications of male infertility can include: Stress and relationship difficulties related to the inability to have a child. Expensive and involved reproductive techniques. Increased risk of testicular cancer, melanoma, colon cancer and prostate cancer.
Nearly half of all male factor infertility cases can be successfully treated or reversed. Fertility treatments for male infertility include lifestyle changes, hormone therapy, surgical techniques to retrieve sperm, and in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Having a low sperm count decreases the odds that one of your sperm will fertilize your partner's egg, resulting in pregnancy. Nonetheless, many men who have a low sperm count are still able to father a child.
IVF with ICSI is often the best treatment option for men with low sperm count. Hormonal treatment: If a male patient has low levels of the pituitary hormones that stimulate sperm production, we may attempt hormonal treatment before considering more invasive options (such as IVF with ICSI).
In vitro fertilization: For some couples dealing with male infertility, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is the treatment of choice. During the IVF process, the ovaries are stimulated with injectable fertility medications to cause multiple eggs to mature.
Clomid can significantly improve fertility for men with low sperm counts caused by low testosterone levels. Clomid increases FSH production (increasing sperm production) and LH (testosterone production), leading to better sperm production and function. Taking Clomid is one of many ways men can boost their fertility.
At least 10 x 10(6) spermatozoa/ml, of which at least 30% are motile and 15% have progressive motility, are required for IVF or insemination therapy, despite the fact that pregnancies can be achieved with lower parameters. As a minimum, 20% of spermatozoa should be of normal morphology.