Diagnosis
When you see a physician because you and your partner are unable to conceive, he or she will try to uncover the underlying reason. Even if your doctor feels that a low sperm count is the problem, your partner must be evaluated to rule out other potential contributing factors and to determine if assisted reproductive therapies may be required.
General physical examination and medical history
This include an examination of your genitalia and a discussion of any hereditary problems, chronic health conditions, illnesses, injuries, or surgical procedures that may limit your fertility. Your doctor may also enquire about your sexual habits and sexual development.
Semen analysis
In the course of sperm research, a low sperm count is determined. In most cases, the amount of sperm is determined by counting the number of sperm inside grid squares while analysing semen under a microscope. In unusual circumstances, sperm count may be estimated by computer.
Obtaining sperm samples may be done in a number of different methods. You must masturbate and ejaculate into a certain container in order to deliver a sample at the doctor’s office. Due to their religious or cultural convictions, a number of men opted for an alternate sperm collecting procedure. In such circumstances, semen may be collected during sexual activity by using a specialised condom.
Continuous development of testicular sperm production takes between 42 and 76 days. Therefore, a recent sperm analysis explains your surroundings during the last three months. It will take many months for the favourable effects of your efforts to manifest.
Incomplete or incorrect sperm sample collection is one of the leading reasons of low sperm count. Sperm counts also change often. Due to these circumstances, the vast majority of physicians will examine two or more sperm samples to guarantee sample consistency throughout time.
To guarantee the accuracy of a collection, your physician will:
- Request that all of your sperm enter the collecting cup or condom during ejaculation.
- For two to seven days previous to sample collection, you must abstain from ejaculating.
- Collect a second sample at least two weeks after the first sample.
- Because lubricants may impair sperm motility, you should avoid their usage.
Semen analysis results
Normal sperm concentrations range from 15 million to more than 200 million per millilitre of semen. If you have less than 15 million sperm per millilitre or fewer than 39 million sperm per ejaculate, your sperm count is considered low.
Your probability of becoming pregnant decreases as your sperm count decreases. Certain men’ sperm do not contain sperm. This is known as azoospermia (ay-zoh-uh-SPUR-me-uh).
The quantity of sperm in a man’s sperm is just one of several factors involved in conception. Some men with low sperm counts are effective fathers. Similarly, a number of males with normal sperm counts are infertile. Even with sufficient sperm, other factors, such as sperm mobility, are required for fertilisation (motility).
Other tests
Depending on initial findings, your doctor may recommend more tests to discover the reason of your low sperm count and other probable causes of male infertility. Examples include:
- Scrotal ultrasound This examination employs ultrasonic waves to evaluate the testicles and their supporting structures.
- Hormone testing Your doctor may prescribe a blood test to determine the amount of hormones produced by the pituitary gland and testicles, which are necessary for sexual development and sperm production.
- Post-ejaculation urinalysis Sperm in the urine may indicate that sperm are migrating into the bladder rather than out of the penis after ejaculation (retrograde ejaculation).
- Genetic tests Extremely low sperm concentration might be caused by genetic causes. A blood test may discover minute Y chromosome abnormalities that signal a hereditary disease. In addition, genetic testing may be administered to diagnose certain congenital or inherited illnesses.
- Testicular biopsy This test requires the collection of testicular samples by needle. The results of the testicular biopsy may reveal whether or not sperm production is normal. If so, your problem is likely due to a blockage or another difficulty with sperm migration. Infrequently is this test used to determine the cause of infertility, since it is often reserved for special cases.
- Anti-sperm antibody tests These unusual tests are used to identify immune cells (antibodies) that target sperm and impede their functionality.
- Specialized sperm function tests Several tests may be performed to determine how well your sperm survive after ejaculation, how well they can enter an egg, and if they have difficulty adhering to the egg. These tests are conducted infrequently and often do not appreciably alter treatment recommendations.
- Transrectal ultrasound A small, lubricated probe is inserted into the rectum to inspect the prostate and find blockages in the sperm delivery routes (ejaculatory ducts and seminal vesicles).
Treatment
Among the treatments for low sperm count are:
Surgery Typically, a varicocele or obstructed vas deferens may be corrected surgically. Former vasectomies may be undone. When no sperm are present in the ejaculate, sperm may often be removed directly from the testicles or epididymis using sperm extraction techniques.
Treating infections A reproductive system infection may be treated with antibiotics, although this does not always restore fertility.
Treatments for sexual intercourse problems In conditions such as erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation, fertility may be enhanced by medication or counselling.
Hormone treatments and medications In cases when infertility is caused by abnormally high or low levels of specific hormones or problems with how the body utilises hormones, your doctor may prescribe hormone replacement treatment or medications.
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) Assisted reproductive technology (ART) includes obtaining sperm by regular ejaculation, surgical extraction, or a donor, depending on the patient’s health and wishes. The sperm are then inserted into the female vaginal canal, used for in vitro fertilisation, or injected intracytoplasmically.
People also search
What are my options if my husband has low sperm count?
If your sperm count is fairly low and you and your partner have been trying to conceive naturally for at least two years, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) may be an option. Eggs are removed from a woman’s ovaries and fertilised in a laboratory during IVF.
Can I get pregnant with low sperm count?
How does sperm count influence fertility? Sperm count may have an effect on fertility, since a low sperm count reduces your partner’s probability of getting pregnant. Sperm quality concerns may potentially impair a man’s ability to conceive a child.
Is IVF successful with low sperm count?
Sperm with limited motility may still be used to fertilise eggs during IVF. On the laboratory, sperm and egg are placed near to one another in a petri dish so that the inadequately motile sperm do not have to travel far to reach the egg. IVF may still be successful despite low sperm counts.
