When couples have been trying to conceive for a long time without success they often try to determine the reason for their fertility problem. Medical research suggests that about one third of fertility problems are male infertility, one third of fertility problems are female infertility and one third of fertility problems are caused by a combination of male and female infertility. A diagnostic evaluation by an infertility doctor (Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility subspecialist) should be relatively inexpensive, can be completed within 1-2 months, and allows you to be counseled on the range of effective treatment options for your specific situation.
Male infertility includes difficulty in completing sexual intercourse, sperm that are unable to reach and fertilize the egg within the fallopian tube, and abnormal sperm production.
Having a difficult time completing sexual intercourse includes erectile dysfunction and ejaculatory problems. In some situations, medications will treat these problems effectively. If treatment is ineffective or not possible and if the man is able to produce a semen sample into a container, then IUI (intrauterine insemination) at the time of ovulation can restore fertility.
Sperm is normally deposited within the vaginal vault during intercourse and it then travels to the fallopian tube, where fertilization of the egg normally occurs. The number of motile sperm that are usually “lost” during this passage is tremendous. For example, most of these sperm deposited into the vagina are destroyed by the acidity of the vaginal vault within an hour. The sperm that is able to reach the cervical mucus can often live there comfortably for a few days and some of these sperm swim to the fallopian tube, where fertilization may occur. It is thought that when about 50 million sperm are initially released within the vaginal vault only a few thousand of these sperm are able to make it all the way to the fallopian tube. If there is a problem with the sperm living comfortably within the cervical mucus, then the number of motile sperm reaching the fallopian tube is decreased even more, and the use of IUI (intrauterine insemination) to place the sperm into the uterine cavity (above the cervix) at the time of ovulation can help the sperm reach the egg.
The most common test for normal sperm production is the semen analysis. A semen analysis determines the volume of semen (amount of semen), the sperm concentration (number of sperm per mL of semen), the sperm motility (percentage of the total number of sperm that are moving), and morphology (the shape of the sperm). For mild to moderate abnormalities on semen analysis, IUI (intrauterine insemination) can be helpful to place the sperm closer to the fallopian tube and egg. If there is a severe problem on semen analysis, then IVF with ICSI (assisted fertilization) or the use of donor sperm can be appropriate.
Dr. Eric Daiter at The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, LLC has personally performed thousands of semen analyses and is very experienced in male infertility. He would be happy to help you. For an appointment to discuss your situation with Dr. Daiter, please call the office at 908 226 0250. Visit us on the web at http://www.drericdaitermd.com http://www.ericdaiter.com and http://www.infertilitytutorials.com
