It’s not uncommon for people to consider infertility primarily as a female issue. However, it involves men nearly as often. In fact, almost half of all patients undergoing fertility treatment have a male factor component to consider. While many people are aware that age plays a large role in female infertility, it isn’t as linear of a relationship with men and their fertility.
Male fertility does decline with age, however not as markedly as it does in females.
During the infertility evaluation, a semen analysis is done to assess the sperm count, motility and shape; all factors which play an important role in conception. The male fertility advantage comes from their ability to produce sperm throughout their reproductive lifetime; so the sperm that they produce isn’t as old as they are, it’s only about 90 days old! However, this also means changes in their overall health at a specific time can influence their ability to produce sperm effectively. For this reason, if the patient has already completed a semen analysis previously, but it’s over a year old, I may recommend repeating it to make sure no changes have occurred.
When any of these parameters are found to be significantly abnormal, I often refer my patients to a Male Fertility specialist (Urologists with additional training in Male Infertility). The single most important part of this evaluation is to make sure there aren’t any major underlying health issues causing the abnormal sperm count – typically by a physical exam and blood work. Once this is done, further testing such as hormone panels, genetic testing or ultrasounds may be done to further evaluate the cause. Depending on the many other factors involved in your family building equation, the Urologist may prescribe medications or recommend diagnostic or therapeutic interventions as part of the treatment. This often involves close communication and coordination with the Reproduce Endocrinology specialist (me!) who is simultaneously treating the female patient.
In conclusion, recognizing that male factor fertility issues could be contributing to your difficulty conceiving is important. If you have concerns, the first step is to get a semen analysis done that may provide some insight. This is a simple and informative test which can set you off on the right path, allowing you to address if any intervention is needed early on.
Knowledge is power and reaching out to a Fertility specialist may make all the difference in your family building journey.
