Male infertility is defined as any condition which adversely affects the chances of initiating a pregnancy with a female partner.
Overview
What is Male Infertility?
Symptoms
What are the signs of Male Infertility?
Male infertility is often asymptomatic with the most common presenting symptom being that the female partner is unable to get pregnant after 12 months of unprotected sex.
Swollen testes
Undescended testes
Reduced sperm count and volume
History of prior testicular complications (torsion, cryptorchidism, trauma)
Infections (mumps orchitis, epididymitis)
Environmental factors (excessive heat, radiation, chemotherapy)
Medications and/or drug use (alcohol, marijuana).
Causes
What are the causes of Male Infertility?
Facrtors contributing to altered sperm production and reduced fertility include:
Age
Overweight/obesity
Excess oestrogen
Low sperm count and volume
Injury to testicles
Hormone imbalance
Smoking
Alcohol
Drugs & medications
STI's - chlamydia, gonorrhoea
Diagnosis
How do I know if I have Male Infertility?
o investigate your infertility, your doctor is likely to ask you about your medical and family history, perform a physical exam or request the following tests:
Full blood count (FBC)
Sperm/Semen analysis
Male hormone profile
Oestrogen metabolites