Up to 15 percent of couples are infertile. This means they aren’t able to conceive a child even though they’ve had frequent, unprotected sexual intercourse for a year or longer. In up to half of these couples, male infertility plays a role.

Symptoms

Although most men with male infertility do not notice symptoms other than inability to conceive a child, signs and symptoms associated with male infertility include:

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if you have been unable to conceive a child after a year of regular, unprotected intercourse or sooner if you have any of the following:

Risk factors

Risk factors linked to male infertility include:

Complications

Infertility can be stressful for both you and your partner. Complications of male infertility can include:

Tests and diagnosis

Many infertile couples have more than one cause of infertility, so it’s likely you will both need to see a doctor. It might take a number of tests to determine the cause of infertility. In some cases, a cause is never identified.

Infertility tests can be expensive and might not be covered by insurance — find out what your medical plan covers ahead of time.

Diagnosing male infertility problems usually involves:

Your doctor might recommend additional tests to help identify the cause of your infertility. These can include:

Treatments and drugs

Treatments for male infertility include:

When treatment doesn’t work

In rare cases, male fertility problems can’t be treated, and it’s impossible for a man to father a child. Your doctor might suggest that you and your partner consider using sperm from a donor or adopting a child.

Lifestyle and home remedies

There are a few steps you can take at home to increase your chances of achieving pregnancy:

Prevention

Many types of male infertility aren’t preventable. However, you can avoid some known causes of male infertility. For example:

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *