Urology and Andrology

Infertility

Track 5:Infertility

Male infertility is any health issue in a man that lowers the chances of his female partner getting pregnant. About 13 out of 100 couples cannot get pregnant with unprotected sex. There are many causes for infertility in men and women. In over a third of infertility cases, the problem is with the man. This is most often due to problems with his sperm production or with sperm delivery. The man's body makes tiny cells called sperm. During sex, ejaculation normally delivers the sperm into the woman's body.

The male reproductive system makes, stores, and transports sperm. Chemicals in your body called hormones control this. Sperm and male sex hormone (testosterone) are made in the 2 testicles. The testicles are in the scrotum, a sac of skin below the penis. When the sperm leave the testicles, they go into a tube behind each testicle. This tube is called the epididymis. Male fertility depends on your body making normal sperm and delivering them. The sperm go into the female partner's vagina. The sperm travel through her cervix into her uterus to her fallopian tubes. There, if a sperm and egg meet, fertilization happens.

 The system only works when genes, hormone levels and environmental conditions are right. Male infertility can often be fixed with an outpatient procedure. These are done under general anesthesia or IV sedation. The chance for pregnancy depends on many things. It mostly depends on the age and fertility of your female partner. Infertility is not your or your partner's fault. The American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) estimates that in about a third of infertility cases it is due to the male. Another third is the female.