Although many people struggle with infertility, it can often be labeled as a condition that only affects the female partner. But did you know that male-factor infertility issues can account for around 30% of cases?
In order to properly diagnose male-factor infertility, a semen analysis needs to be performed on a sperm sample. A semen analysis allows your physician to get a closer look at the sperm motility (movement), sperm volume, and the shape of the sperm.
There are many causes to why male-factor infertility can occur. We believe it is extremely important to partner with a urologist to help identify and create a treatment plan regarding any underlying issues. Some of the main causes of male-factor infertility are:
If you are experiencing male-factor fertility, you may be recommended to visit a urologist as soon as possible to discover the root cause. We will partner with your urologist, and together develop a treatment plan which may include:
After one or multiple semen analyses, your physician can then determine whether the health of the sperm is indeed impacting male fertility. Initially, implementing lifestyle changes may be encouraged to improve sperm health. It can take a few months for sperm to fully mature, but if conditions do not improve, clinical treatment may be considered.
For moderate male factor infertility, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) may be recommended to create embryos. In IVF, sperm is placed alongside an egg in a culture dish and transferred to an incubator where fertilization occurs naturally. For moderate to severe male factor infertility, IVF with ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) may be advised in order to produce an embryo. In these cycles, our embryologists can utilize (ICSI) to inject a single sperm directly into each egg.
For mild infertility cases with an unexplained low sperm count, an IUI may be performed in order to increase conception chances. Sperm is placed in the female partner’s uterus during ovulation, increasing the odds that sperm will reach an egg.
Indiana Fertility Institute is proud to partner with several nationally certified sperm banks. Donors at these sperm banks go through a rigorous screening process, and the sperm is then quarantined. After selecting a donor you are comfortable with, the frozen sample will be shipped to our facility. Proceeding with the next steps is dependent on each unique fertility situation.
Infertility can be challenging, but you have options. Request a consultation with one of our fertility specialists today; we’re here to help.