Main Causes Of Male Infertility

Male infertility is one of the most critical reproductive health problems. Most of the time, when couples struggle to conceive, it is usually the women who are assumed to have problems with their reproductive health. However, more and more studies have shown that not only male factors are also at play, but they are increasing in incidence.

Breaking down male infertility

Male infertility is a multi-faceted problem. This condition can be attributed to many factors including medical factors, environmental factors, and lifestyle factors. Below is the breakdown of those factors:

Medical factors

Firstly, problems with testicles can lead to male infertility such as varicocele (veins bruising) or undescended testicles. Varicocele can make the sperm quality decline while undescended testicles increase the chance of infertility in males. Secondly, infertility can be caused by infections or sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, HIV or inflammation of the epididymis (epididymitis) or testicles (orchitis). Moreover, there are also possibilities that the sperms are mistakenly attacked by antibodies or the male reproductive system is affected by tumors. In addition, the deformation of the sperm tube-like inadvertent injury from surgery, prior infections, trauma or abnormal development can hinder the normal sperm flow. Lastly, there might be the occurrence of other problems including reverting ejaculation issues (semen moving backwards to the bladder), hormone imbalances (e.g. low testosterone), sexual intercourse troubles and celiac disease (vulnerability to gluten).

Environmental factors

The environment has a substantial influence on male fertility. It is said that overexposure to specific environmental factors will negatively affect the male reproductive system. For example, intensive exposure to industrial chemicals such as benzenes, toluene, xylene, pesticides, herbicides, organic solvents, painting materials decreases the quality of sperm; exposure to radiation or X-rays prevents sperm from being produced normally. Heavy metal exposure and overheating the testicles can also cause other infertility problems.

Lifestyle factors

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle has a significant impact on the chance of infertility. Causes such as drinking alcohol, taking drugs, smoking, stress and being overweight or underweight increase the risk of infertility. For instance, drug-abusing used to encourage muscle growth reduces the size of testicles and sperm production; alcohol makes the testosterone levels decline which gives the rise of erectile dysfunction; and stress causes hormone imbalance.

It is essential that we know the main causes of male infertility in order to avoid unhealthy lifestyles or have appropriate treatments for certain health conditions. If you and your partner struggles to conceive, consult a fertility specialist to undergo screening and treatment.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.