Common Causes Of Infertility In Men

Contrary to what some people may think, when a couple is experiencing infertility the cause is not always a problem on the woman’s side. Studies have shown that there are many male infertility causes. And, according to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, only about one-third of infertility cases are caused purely by female factor infertility. Another one-third involves is caused by problems by both the male and the female or may have unexplained causes. And the last one-third of all infertility cases are caused only by male infertility causes.

So, it is evident that male infertility causes account for a large percentage of the problems couples experience with fertility. Let’s look at what these causes can be.

One common male infertility cause is a varicocele. This is when the skin of the scrotum has veins that are dilated on one or both sides. This dilation can heat the inside of the scrotum, and this, in turn, affects sperm production.

Having an undescended testicle can also be a male infertility cause. Testicles grow inside the abdomen as a baby develops, and then before the baby is born the testicles descend into their correct place in the scrotum. An undescended testicle is one that did not, for some reason, move down into the scrotum.

These days, undescended testicles are generally noticed and fixed before a baby grows up. But, that was not the case not so long ago. Consequently, there are a lot of adults with this issue. Undescended testicles do not produce sperm, so obviously this problem affects fertility.

Another male infertility cause is low sperm count. Some men’s testicles simply do not produce the normal amount of sperm. This means that with each ejaculation, fewer sperm are released, so the chances of one reaching and joining with the woman’s egg are much slimmer.

Abnormal sperm shape and movement is a male infertility cause as well. In order for sperm to swim up and reach the egg, they must be able to move rapidly. Odd or slow movement will hinder fertilization from happening. Also, if sperm are shaped abnormally, they may not be able to penetrate the egg.

Some men have a condition called hypospadias. This is when a man’s urinary opening is not in the correct place; instead, it is located on the underside of the penis. This male infertility cause can prevent sperm from reaching a woman’s cervix, so it should be surgically corrected if possible.

Retrograde ejaculation is a physical problem that occurs when semen enters the bladder rather than emerging through the penis during ejaculation. This is definitely a male infertility cause, because it does not at all allow the sperm to come into contact with the egg.

Sexual issues can also be male infertility causes. Premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction can contribute to a difficulty in a couple getting pregnant.

Just as there are for women, there are quite a few male infertility causes. This is why doctors need to do testing on women and men to diagnose problems before they can be treated.