The fact that male infertility is growing is particularly alarming in light of this. One-third of the time, among cisgender, heterosexual couples who have fertility challenges, the problem is with the guy, and these issues can be quite complicated.. Whether you plan to have children or not, knowing the ins and outs of your reproductive system is critical knowledge for every man.
Male infertility can be described as the inability to conceive a child with a woman’s egg. However, Jeff Foster, a physician who specialises in men’s health, tells Inverse that a guy who receives the diagnosis might be suffering a wide range of issues. Man Alive: The Health Problems of Men and How to Fix ’em author Foster spoke with Inverse about this extraordinarily prevalent diagnosis.
In certain circumstances, infertility problems may be traced back to a person’s way of life, according to Foster. In other circumstances, a person’s genes or biology may be to blame. Azoospermia, or the absence of any sperm, affects only 10 to 15 percent of males who have reproductive issues.
MALE INFERTILITY: WHY DOES IT OCCUR?
• According to Foster, the most common cause is a problem with the physical process of getting and keeping an erection.
• There are several possible explanations for this: Hormonal problems like low testosterone may be to blame. Thyroid problems or diabetes might also be a possible cause. The arteries of the penis can be harmed by both heart disease and diabetes, making it harder to get and sustain an erection.
• For men who are having trouble getting erections to work, then the sperm may be defective. Foster adds that in some cases, a person’s lifestyle may be the root of the problem, and that some components of a man’s lifestyle are more problematic than others.
• The following people are the worst offenders:
• Chronic obesity, according to Foster, can have a variety of negative effects on a man’s ability to reproduce. When a man is obese, he may have a decreased testosterone level as well as a damaged blood supply.
• Men’s sperm motility and concentration can be lowered if they smoke. Sperm morphology and DNA can be harmed by smoking.
• There is no such thing as a myth when it comes to wearing tight-fitting underwear. Semen quality might be harmed by wearing briefs that are too tight. Underwear that helps maintain the scrotal temperature below body temperature is preferable to groin-suffocating underwear that raises the temperature below the belt. This is why the testicles are external to the body, according to Foster.
• Male infertility has been linked to excessive alcohol drinking in men.
• Since of their chemical effect on the body, anabolic steroids have an outsized impact because they lower sperm production and, more frighteningly, maintain it that way even if you quit taking the medications, Foster adds.
• Substance abuse, such as that associated with recreational drugs, damages the route that results in the generation of sperm when people abuse drugs like marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines.
• Despite the obviousness of vasectomies, Foster emphasises the need of understanding that reversal is not always effective.
• If your lifestyle isn’t to blame, it might be genetics or an illness that’s to blame. Among the possible outcomes are:
• When an extra X chromosome is present at birth, a person is said to have Klinefelter’s syndrome. A disorder known as hypogonadism — a lack of testosterone or sperm production in the human body — is a result of this.
• More than 97% of males with Cystic Fibrosis lack a sperm canal, which is common among Caucasians.
• Testicles are absent in cryptorchidism, a medical disease.
• Varicoceles: The testicles of a man are encircled by varicose veins. The greater the number of varicose veins, the greater the risk of infertility. The problem is “simple to cure surgically in most guys and fixable,” according to Foster.
• Treatments for testicular cancer, as well as the illness itself, can cause infertility.
• Pituitary and pituitary gland dysfunction can be caused by other disorders.
IS THERE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF SPERMS AND A HEALTHY NUMBER?
There is a lot of debate about sperm count when it comes to male fertility—if you don’t have sperm, you can’t easily conceive. Men’s fertility health is affected by a number of other factors as well. Doctors look at three more factors in addition to sperm count when assessing the health of a patient’s sperm.
When it comes to diagnosing and treating patients, clinicians must answer the following three questions:
• Mobileness of sperm: How quickly and efficiently can sperm “swim” in a person?
• The form of the sperm is known as sperm morphology.
• The volume of ejaculate: well, you get the gist.
IS MALE INFERTILITY RISING?
There’s been a lot of concern recently about the decline in fertility rates in the United States. Fertility rates have declined the highest among young women, who are also the most likely to benefit from more fertility flexibility. Fewer births may be beneficial in some instances, such as reducing the number of undesired pregnancies and increasing the number of individuals with options outside of family life.
The number of people who are unable to conceive seems to be on the rise as well, according to Foster.
There has been an increase in the number of men and women being referred for infertility therapy over the previous several years,” adds the doctor.
Do men’s mental health issues stem from a lack of fertility?
Men who are trying to start a family may be devastated by their inability to do so. Infertility has always been viewed as a “woman’s problem,” Foster explains. Due to the fact that this is the case, males generally face two major problems when they are dealing with reproductive concerns. One comes directly from the field of study. The second, on the other hand, is more sociological in nature.
Fertility treatment often revolves around the woman, according to Foster, in part because women are more likely to have to undergo physical procedures like IVF and pelvic scans in order to become pregnant. As a result, males may feel sidelined or “a donor and nothing more,” Foster adds.
When a man has reproductive troubles, he is more likely to face cultural disputes than women, especially if he is straight and cis-gendered.
A man’s ability to have sex, to have sex, and to have sex is seen as an essential aspect of being a man, Foster explains.
Men who have been diagnosed with infertility may find it difficult to open up to close friends and family members for fear of repercussions. Foster asserts that, despite the fact that they are likely experiencing identical strains, males often fail to communicate their sentiments to their relationships.
People also saerch
Is infertility increasing in men?
Infertility among men is on the rise, according to doctors. To help you out, here are the facts. There are several factors involved with male infertility, and it is more frequent than you may imagine. Male infertility studies are severely limited.
Is male infertility getting worse?
For decades, male fertility looked to be decreasing even when established risk factors were taken into account. After 60 years, male sperm count has dropped by half worldwide in 1992, according to a research.
Is male fertility on a rapid decline?
LONDON (Reuters) – The FTSE 100 index closed at a new record high on Monday Researchers on Tuesday reported that sperm counts in males from the United States, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand had decreased by more than 50% in less than 40 years. Moreover, they indicated that the rate of deterioration is not slowing down.
Why is male fertility decreasing?
Sperm counts have been shown to decrease over time, according to a large body of research. Increased rates of obesity, a poor diet, and exposure to environmental contaminants are a few of the possible explanations that researchers are still working to identify. It remains to be seen if the drop in sperm counts correlates to a decrease in fertility.
