Identifying The Causes Of Male Sterility



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Often times, men arrive to see an infertility specialist with their wives, waiting to hear the cause of female infertility -- only to find that they are part of the problem. It's estimated that 40% of all infertility difficulties are caused by a combination of male and female factors, and that men account for 30% of the issues. Male infertility is usually discovered when a couple unsuccessfully tries to conceive for 6 months to a year, but researchers may discover other previously unknown diseases, conditions, abnormalities and causes of male sterility. "Exposures to chemicals as a fetus may lead to adult diseases. Perhaps such exposures may be causing the changes in the sperm DNA," says Rebecca Sokol M.D., a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Southern California. She adds, "Studies to uncover a relationship between chemical exposures and alterations in sperm DNA should shed light on this."

One of the possible causes of male infertility is cryptorchidism (the failure of the testicles to descend), which is a widespread side effect of premature birth and might need corrective surgery. Varicocele (veins in the scrotum which become enlarged) is present in nearly half of all instances of male sterility. The larger veins lead to a rise in the scrotum temperature, thereby affecting the sperm.

At times an obstruction is present in the male reproductive system, for instance scarring or a urinary tract infection. Furthermore, accidents or injuries can damage the male reproductive organs, or deficiencies of certain hormones can interfere with sperm production. Some pharmaceutical drugs cause reproductive disorders, and some health conditions can significantly impede a man's ability to reproduce too.

Medical conditions are often the causes of male sterility. For example, sometimes doctors notice nerve damage caused by diabetic neuropathy, which causes problems with erections and ejaculations. Extreme obesity can cause hypothyroidism and hormonal imbalances, interfering with sperm production. As well, a man may be unable to produce sperm if he has hypogonadism (undeveloped testes), testicular torsion (impaired blood supply to one of the testicles) or undescended testicles or varicocele (a group of enlarged veins inside the scrotum). Inherited conditions like Down syndrome or Klinefelter's syndrome may also impair the ability to produce sperm.

It's now widely believed that 25 to 50% of the causes of male sterility are related to genetic defects during embryonic development. Often the man lives his whole life without even knowing. Obstructed organs, enlarged veins and hormone inadequacies seem to be the major culprits. There are a number of clinics specializing in both male and female infertility issues within each state, making it less taboo to seek treatment. Often times these infertility services and procedures will help couples to conceive using medications or a minimally invasive surgical procedure.

When a couple is unable to conceive a child, it can create a lot of emotional problems and stress. If you're looking for infertility solutions, visit the Infertility Problems site for some helpful advice.

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