Male Infertility

Excerpt

Infertility is usually defined as the inability of a couple to conceive even after one year of unprotected, frequent sexual intercourse. It affects about 15% of all couples in the United States and at least 180 million worldwide. Male infertility is defined as the inability of a male to make a fertile female pregnant, also for a minimum of at least one year of unprotected intercourse. The male is solely responsible for about 20% and is a contributing factor in another 30% to 40% of all infertility cases. As male and female causes often co-exist, it is important that both partners are investigated for infertility and managed together. Overall, the male factor is substantially contributory in about 50% of all cases of infertility.

There are several reasons for male fertility to occur, including both reversible and irreversible conditions. Other factors that could influence each of the partners could be their age, medications, surgical history, exposure to environmental toxins, genetic problems, and systemic diseases. The key purpose for evaluating a male for infertility is to identify his contributing factors, offer treatment for those that are reversible, determine if he is a candidate for assisted reproductive techniques (ART) and offer counseling for irreversible and untreatable conditions. In rare cases, male infertility could be a herald to a more serious condition. This is an additional reason to do a comprehensive evaluation of the male partners of infertile couples; so that any significant, underlying medical conditions can be identified and treated.