Infertility and The Male Reproductive
System
by Michael
Russell
zone3
From several reports and studies available, about a third of
infertility problems are due to problems with the male reproductive tract,
another third due to problems in the female reproductive system, while
others are either due to a combined factor or are unexplained.
Unlike the female sex, that has a very complicated reproductive system,
the male system is less complicated and most causes of male infertility
can be traced to sperm disorders. Several million sperm cells is are
released in the male ejaculation (semen) during sexual intercourse.
However, out of these millions deposited into the vagina, only a few
hundreds will finally make the journey to the female egg and have a chance
of fertilizing it. The number of sperm that make this all-important
journey determines to a large extent, a man's chances of getting his
partner pregnant. This is because, the more sperm cells that get to the
egg, the better the chances of a successful fertilization.
There are several biological reactions that occur at the point of
contact between the sperm cell and the egg. The more sperm cells that come
close to the egg, the more likelihood that one of them will posses what it
takes to cross the 'protective walls' around the egg. There are several
factors that determine the success of the male sperm in this respect,
these include; the number of sperm cells released known as 'sperm count',
the motility of the sperms, the sperm quality and the shape and size of
the sperm cells.
Problemswith any of these factors may cause difficulties with
fertility. Sperm count, i.e. the number of sperm cells released in the
semen, is a very important factor in male fertility. A larger amount of
sperm cells is almost always a guarantee that enough cells would make the
journey to the egg and achieve the needed fertilization. However, what
seems to be even more crucial is the vitality and motility of these sperm
cells. A few virile cells reaching the egg would produce a better result
than a bunch of abnormal sperm cells. Some men with a low sperm count, but
high sperm quality happen to be fertile. The sense here is that, an
optimal sperm count with high quality sperm cells is the key to male
fertility.
Problems with any part of the male reproductive tract generally tells
on the sperm quality and sperm count. There are several health and
environmental issues that affect male fertility.
Age - As with the whole body, a man's reproductive capacity reduces
with age and this also affects the sperm quality. It is estimated that as
from age 35, the male sperm quality may start diminishing and this may
also affect the sperm count and motility.
Lifestyle Choices - Environment and the lifestyle choices you make can
also have an impact on your fertility. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat
from hot baths, steam rooms or wearing tight underwear may affect your
fertility. Exposure to toxic substances like pesticides, radioactivity or
electromagnetic emissions, especially at work may cause sperm
abnormalities. It is always advised that you consult your healthcare
provider if you are concerned about these and other occupational
hazards.
The use of drugs such as those for heart diseases and high blood
pressure tend to exert adverse effects on male fertility and some cancer
treatments, especially when chemotherapy is involved may also contribute
to infertility.
Diseases like diabetes, central nervous system problems and most
sexually transmitted diseases have been shown to be bad for fertility.
Untreated STDs are known to destroy parts of the male reproductive tracts
through which sperm is transported.
Alcohol abuse and cigarette smoking have a negative impact on sperm
production and a number of lubricants used during sexual intercourse, such
as vagina creams, have also been shown to have negative effects on male
sperm quality.
Outside these environmental and 'self imposed' factors, there are other
structural and anatomical factors that may also cause sperm disorders and
fertility problems.
Erectile dysfunction is the inability to get or maintain an erection.
It is the commonest anatomical cause of male infertility. Undescended
testes, retrograde ejaculation and scrotal varicoele are other structural
problems of the male reproductive tract that may affect fertility.
If you have any concern about your reproductive health or you seem to
suffer from any of the conditions above, you should talk to your
healthcare provider NOW. You stand a betterchance if you seek help early
enough.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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