MALE INFERTILITY (Part 1)

In our society today, when we hear of infertility we immediately conclude that it is a woman’ issue. However, research studies have shown that approximately one-third of infertility is a female factor, one-third is a male factor and one-third is idiopathic (unexplained) or a combination of both factors.

According to the World Health Organization [WHO] definition, infertility is “a disease of the male and female reproduction system that leads to the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy 12months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse in a couple who have never had a child”.

By regular, we mean at least 3 days or more in a week of sexual intercourse.

Under normal conditions, millions of spermatocytes (germ cells) are regenerated every day and are produced in a system of tiny tubes called the seminiferous tubules located in the testicles. These germ cells differentiate and push like a tadpole towards the epididymis where they gain the ability to swim for progressive motility (movement), complete their development and become a mature sperm cell. A complete cycle of sperm production to maturation takes about 64 days.
These mature sperm cells travel into a long, muscular tube that extends from the epididymis into the pelvic cavity (vas deferens) awaiting stimulation. Upon stimulation during sexual activity, the accessory glands (seminal vesicles and prostate gland) produce a whitish liquid called the semen. The produced semen mixes with the sperm cell and can carry about 500 million sperm through the urethra for ejaculation out from the penis.
For a successful pregnancy to occur, after ejaculation, a sperm cell must rapidly swim upstream through the cervix into the uterus to the fallopian tubes in order to meet the egg in the female reproductive tract during unprotected sexual intercourse but this rapid process can only be positive when your hormones, environment and genetic factors are in good conditions.

CAUSES OF MALE INFERTILITY

There are so many factors that can keep the sperm from fertilizing the egg; even the littlest detail such as the temperature of the scrotum may affect fertility. Some of the main reasons why a man may have abnormal sperm or low sperm count include:

Environmental Factors: Some environmental agents are very hazardous to the male reproductive system thereby leading to male infertility. Research studies suggest that communities with high levels of environmental pollution such as contaminated water, pesticides, paints, and industrial chemicals or herbicides yields population of men with low sperm count.

Lifestyle Choices: Your lifestyle practices may also affect the production of normal sperm cells.
• Overweight and obesity – that is excessive fat accumulation, leads to a higher risk of infertility due to the decrease in sperm quality. Sperm quality decreases in obese men because the white adipose tissue (fats) causes an increased conversion of testosterone (male hormone) into oestrogen (female hormone). Female hormones cannot induce sperm production! Also, excess fat may lead to an increase in the temperature of the scrotum. The excess heat generated from fat accumulation may burn out the sperm cells produced in the testicles leading to male infertility.

• Tight clothes or the use of excessive hot bath or even the type of job you do such as truck driving, firefighters, welders may affect male fertility rate due to the excess heat generated from these occupations.

• Smoking, excess alcohol and excess caffeine intake leads to decreased male fertility.

• Studies have shown that psychological stress is linked with abnormal sperm and reduced paternity.

• Recreational drugs like steroids, marijuana, cocaine, including certain antibiotics and prescription medicines pose a threat to a normal sperm cell.

• Among other factors are testicular heat stress, intense cycling training, lack of sleep, and excessive exposure to electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones and laptops at close proximity to the testes.
Retrograde Ejaculation: This occurs when the sperm move backwards into the bladder in your body instead of it to be ejaculated out from the penis. Normally, the muscle of the bladder tightens inorder to hold your urine but in retrograde ejaculation, the muscle may be collapsed causing an opening that allows sperm and other fluid to flow back into the bladder. The sperm produced may be normal but the setback is that this normal sperm is unable to reach the vagina of the female reproductive tract since it is not ejaculated out, thereby leading to the inability of the sperm to fertilize the female egg.

Retrograde ejaculation may be due to past surgery of the bladder or the prostate, spinal cord injury, diabetes, side effect from medications used to treat high blood pressure or the use of anti-depressants. Two common signs of retrograde ejaculation are little or no semen after orgasm (dry ejaculation) and cloudy urine because the urine is filled with the semen after ejaculation.……………………………………..…TO BE CONTINUED