Description

A low sperm count means that there is less sperm than is typical in fluid called semen from the penis is released during orgasm.

A low sperm count is also called oligospermia (ol-ih-go-SPUR-me-uh). A complete absence of sperm is called azoospermia (ay-zoh-uh-SPUR-me-uh). Your sperm count is considered lower than normal if you have fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen.

Having a low sperm count makes it less likely that one of your sperm will join with your partner's egg to start a pregnancy. If it is necessary, there are treatments to help couples increase their chances of getting pregnant.

Symptoms

The main symptom of a low sperm count is not being able to start a pregnancy. It could not be otherwise obvious symptoms.

In some people, an underlying health problem. the causes of a low sperm count, along with other symptoms. Depending on the condition, these other symptoms may include:

  • Problems with sexual function — for example, some people have low sex desire. Others have trouble getting or keeping an erection that is firm enough to have sexual intercourse, also called erectile dysfunction.
  • Pain, swelling, or a lump in the testicle area.
  • Less facial or body hair or other signs of a chromosome or hormone status.

When to see a doctor

Consult a health care professional if you and your partner has not been able to get pregnant after a year of regular intercourse without the use of birth control. This is the way the condition known as infertility is defined. Obtain a health care examination more soon if you have any of the following:

  • The erection or ejaculation concerns, low sexual desire, or other issues of having sex.
  • The pain, discomfort, a lump or swelling in the testicle area.
  • A history of testicle, prostate or sexual problems.
  • The groin, testicle, penis or scrotum surgery.

Causes

For the body to produce sperm, the testicles, and the specific organs in the brain that produce hormones that you need to function properly. Once sperm are produced in the testes, the sperm travel in delicate tubes until the mixture with the semen. Then expulsion of semen through the penis, usually during an orgasm. Problems with any of these systems can reduce the number of sperm cells in the semen.

When the sperm of the motion or the shape is irregular, which can also reduce fertility.

Even so, the cause of low sperm count often can't be found.

Medical causes

Low sperm count can be caused by health conditions such as:

  • Varicocele. A varicocele (VAR-ih-koe-seel) is a swelling of the veins that drain the testicles. It is a common cause of male infertility. You can reduce sperm count and quality. For some people, surgery to repair a varicocele can improve sperm count, movement and shape. It is not clear exactly why varicoceles cause infertility, but that might have an effect on the temperature in the testicles.
  • Infection. Some infections can affect the health of sperm cells or the body's ability to produce sperm. Certain repeat infections can also cause scarring that blocks the passage of sperm. Sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea or HIV can affect the sperm count and fertility, as well. So you can infections from viruses, bacteria, or fungi that cause the inflammation of one or both testicles, or swelling of the coiled tube at the back of the testicle, known as the epididymis. Most of the infections get better without cause long-term problems. But some infections can cause permanent damage to the testes. Even so, health care professionals may be able to pick up the sperm as part of certain fertility treatments.
  • Problems with ejaculation.Ejaculation is the ejecting of semen from the penis. Usually occurs during the orgasm. If semen enters the bladder during orgasm instead of out through the tip of the penis, which is called retrograde ejaculation. A number of health conditions, and certain types of surgery can cause retrograde ejaculation or lack of ejaculation. These include diabetes, spinal cord injuries, and surgery of the bladder, prostate or urethra. Certain medications can also affect ejaculation. These include blood pressure medications known as alpha blockers. Some problems with premature ejaculation can be treated. The others are for a lifetime. Often sperm can still be collected directly from the testicles as part of certain fertility treatments.
  • Tumors. Cancers and tumors that are not cancer may affect the male reproductive organs directly. It can also affect these organs through the glands that release hormones related to reproduction, such as the pituitary gland. Surgery, radiation or chemotherapy to treat tumors in other areas of the body can also affect the body's ability to produce sperm.
  • Undescended testes. During pregnancy, one or both of a baby before birth the testicles, sometimes, not to fall into the scrotum. The scrotum is the sac that usually contains the testicles. The reduction of fertility is more common in adults who have been born with this condition.
  • The hormone levels are out of balance. A part of the brain called the hypothalamus and the gland at the base of the brain called the pituitary gland to produce hormones that are necessary to create sperm. The testicles produce hormones needed to produce sperm as well. The changes in the levels of these hormones can mean that the body is having trouble making sperm. The changes in the levels of hormones of the thyroid and adrenal glands also may affect the sperm count.
  • The changes in the tubes that carry the sperm. Various tubes in the body carry the sperm. These tubes can be blocked due to various causes. The causes may include injury, surgery, past infections, and trauma. Conditions such as cystic fibrosis can also cause some tubes do not develop or the irregular shape of the forms. A blockage can occur at any level, including within the testes or in the ducts that drain the testicles.
  • Genetic conditions. Some of the genetic changes that are passed on from parents to children because of the male reproductive organs to develop in irregular shapes. For example, a condition called Klinefelter's syndrome can cause the body to produce less sperm. Other genetic conditions associated with infertility include cystic fibrosis, Kallmann's syndrome and Kartagener syndrome.

Problems with ejaculation. Ejaculation is the ejecting of semen from the penis. Usually occurs during the orgasm. If semen enters the bladder during orgasm instead of out through the tip of the penis, which is called retrograde ejaculation. A number of health conditions, and certain types of surgery can cause retrograde ejaculation or lack of ejaculation. These include diabetes, spinal cord injuries, and surgery of the bladder, prostate or urethra.

Certain medications can also affect ejaculation. These include blood pressure medications known as alpha blockers. Some problems with premature ejaculation can be treated. The others are for a lifetime. Often sperm can still be collected directly from the testicles as part of certain fertility treatments.

Some medical treatments can also cause a low sperm count, such as:

  • Certain medications. Medications that can cause the body to produce less sperm are some treatments for arthritis, depression, anxiety, low testosterone levels, digestive problems, infections, high blood pressure and cancer.
  • Before the surgeries. Certain surgeries may prevent you from having sperm in your semen. These operations include vasectomy, inguinal hernia repairs, surgery of the scrotum or testicles, prostate surgeries, and large abdominal surgeries performed for testicular and rectal cancers. Often, surgery can be done to reverse the locks that a surgery in the past caused. Or surgery may help to retrieve sperm directly from the testicles and the coiled tube called the epididymis, which is attached to each testicle.

Causes in a person's environment

The sperm count or function can be affected by exposure to too much of the following:

  • Industrial chemicals. Long-term exposure to insecticides, pesticides, and organic solvents may play a role in the low sperm count.
  • The heavy metals. Exposure to lead or other heavy metals can cause infertility.
  • Radiation or x-rays. exposure to radiation can cause the body to produce less sperm. It can take years for the body to make the typical amounts of sperm after this exposure. With a high dose of radiation, the body may make less sperm than usual for a lifetime.
  • Too much heat in the scrotum. The overheating of the scrotum can affect the sperm count and function.

Health, lifestyle and other causes

Other causes of low sperm count include:

  • The use of drugs. Anabolic steroids taken to increase muscle strength and growth can cause the body to produce less sperm. The use of cocaine or marijuana might reduce the number and quality of sperm as well.
  • The consumption of Alcohol. Heavy, or course, the consumption of alcohol can reduce testosterone levels and cause the body to produce less sperm.
  • Tobacco smoking. People who smoke may have a lower sperm count than non-smokers.
  • The emotional stress. Long-term emotional stress, including stress about fertility issues, can affect the quality of semen.
  • Weight. Obesity can directly affect the sperm. Or you can cause hormone changes that reduce fertility.
  • Sperm test problems. A sperm count may seem lower than it actually is, due to various testing problems. For example, a sperm sample can be taken too soon after your last ejaculation. Or the sample can be taken too soon after an illness or stressful event. The sperm count may also appear lower if the sample does not contain all of the semen out of your penis in freedom because some was spilled during collection. For this reason, the results are usually based on a couple of samples taken over time.

Risk factors

Many of the risk factors are related to low sperm count and other problems that can cause low sperm count.

Some risk factors are lifestyle choices, including:

  • The smoking of tobacco.
  • The consumption of alcohol.
  • The use of certain illegal drugs.

Some health conditions may be risk factors, such as:

  • The overweight.
  • Very stressed.
  • Having been found in the past or present infections.
  • After you have had a trauma to the testicles.
  • Born with a disorder of fertility or having a blood relative with a disorder of fertility.
  • Have certain health conditions, including tumors and long-term illnesses.
  • Having a history of undescended testes.

Some treatments for health conditions also may be risk factors, including:

  • Cancer treatments such as radiotherapy.
  • Certain medications.
  • The vasectomy or major abdominal or pelvic surgery.

Some of the things in a person's environment may also increase the risk of a low sperm count. These include exposure to toxins.

Complications

Infertility caused by low sperm count can be stressful for both you and your partner. Complications can include:

  • Surgery or other treatments for the underlying cause of low sperm count.
  • Expensive and involved fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).
  • The stress of not being able to start a pregnancy.

Prevention

To protect your fertility, try to stay away from any known factors that can affect sperm count and quality. Take these steps:

  • Do not smoke.
  • Limit the consumption of alcohol or do not drink it.
  • Do not use illicit drugs.
  • Talk with your health care professional to find out if any of the medicines you take can affect the sperm count.
  • Stay at a healthy weight.
  • Try not to overheat.
  • Manage stress.
  • Do what you can to avoid exposure to pesticides, heavy metals and other toxins.

Diagnosis

One can know that you have a low sperm count if you receive a professional checkup because you're having trouble getting your partner pregnant. At your appointment, your health care professional working to find out the cause of your fertility problems. Even if your healthcare provider thinks that you have a low sperm count, your partner's fertility may also need to be examined. This can help guide the fertility treatment options for you and your partner.

General physical examination and health history

This includes an examination of the genitals. Your healthcare provider will also ask you questions about any inherited conditions, long-term health problems, illnesses, injuries or surgeries that could affect fertility. You may also ask about your sexual habits and their sexual development.

Semen analysis

A sample of their semen is collected for testing as well. This is called a semen analysis. His semen is examined under a microscope to see how many sperm are present. Sometimes, a team that helps to measure sperm count.

Semen samples can be collected in a couple of ways. You can give an example of by masturbating and ejaculating into a special container in a health care professional's office. Or you can use a special condom to collect semen during sexual intercourse.

New sperm are regularly made in the testes. Sperm take about 42 to 76 days to mature. For a semen analysis reflects its environment over the past three months. The results of any lifestyle change that you have made will not be displayed for up to several months.

One of the most common causes of a low sperm count is incomplete or incorrect, from the collection of a semen sample. The sperm count was also often change on its own. Due to these factors, the most professional of the health check of two or more semen samples through time.

To help you collect accurate sample, your healthcare provider is likely that:

  • Ask you to make sure all of his cum goes in the cup of the collection or compilation of a condom when you ejaculate.
  • We ask that you do not have sex or masturbate for 2 to 7 days before collecting the sample.
  • Collect a second sample at least two weeks after the first.
  • Tell him that you do not use lubricants while collecting the sample. These products can affect the movement of sperm.

The results of the Semen analysis

If you have a low sperm count, semen contains fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter or less than 39 million sperm total for the sample as a whole.

Your chance of getting your partner pregnant drops with a lower number of spermatozoa. Some people don't have sperm in their semen at all. This is known as azoospermia.

Many factors are involved in the pregnancy. The number of sperm in the semen is only one. Many people with low sperm counts are able to get their partners pregnant. Also, some people with the typical sperm count are not capable of initiating a pregnancy. Even if you have enough sperm, other factors are important to initiate a pregnancy. These factors include healthy movement of the sperm, also called motility.

Other tests

Depending on your semen analysis results, your health care professional may recommend more tests. Tests to find the cause of his low sperm count and other possible causes of male infertility can include:

  • Ultrasound of the scrotum. This test uses high-frequency sound waves to look in the testes, and support structures.
  • The hormone test. Your health care professional may recommend a blood test to check the levels of hormones produced by the pituitary gland and the testes. These hormones play a key role in sexual development and in the amount of sperm that the body makes.
  • Post-ejaculation urine analysis. This urine test is performed after you ejaculate. The sperm in the urine may mean that his sperm to travel backwards into the bladder instead of out of your penis during ejaculation. This is a condition called retrograde ejaculation.
  • The genetic testing. When the semen contains very low levels of sperm, certain genetic causes may be involved. A blood test can determine if you have symptoms of a genetic disease. Some people with genetic disorders you decide not to receive fertility treatment. That is because the changes in the genes that cause such conditions may be transmitted from parents to children.
  • The testicular biopsy. This test involves removing small samples of tissue from the testicle with a needle. It is not commonly used to find the cause of the infertility.
  • The Transrectal ultrasound. A small, lubricated wand is placed in the rectum to examine the prostate and look for blockages in the tubes that carry semen.

Treatment

Treatments for low sperm count include:

  • Surgery. For example, a varicocele can often be corrected with surgery. Or obstruction of the vas deferens can be repaired. Past the vasectomy can be reversed. If there is no sperm present in the semen, sperm can often be collected directly from the testis and the epididymis.
  • Treatments for infections. Antibiotics can cure an infection in the reproductive tract caused by germs. But this does not always restore fertility. And it is unlikely that the infections of the genital tract to be related to infertility.
  • Treatments for sexual conditions. Medication or counseling can help improve fertility in conditions such as erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation.
  • Hormone treatments and medications. These treatments can help if you have infertility caused by high or low levels of certain hormones. These treatments can also help you if you have problems with regard to the way in which your body uses hormones.
  • The assisted reproductive technology (ART). Some couples have trouble getting pregnant despite frequent sexual intercourse. The ART refers to treatments that can help couples to become pregnant without having intercourse. ART treatments consist of the collection of the sperm through the ejaculation, or surgery, or donor. The way in which the sperm is collected depends on your situation and desires. The different types of ART are available. The sperm can be placed in the uterus through a tube, in a process called intrauterine insemination. Or the sperm and eggs can be mixed in a laboratory and placed in the uterus, in a process called in vitro fertilization. Or a single healthy sperm can be injected into each mature egg, prior to placement in the uterus. This is called intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

When the treatment does not work

Rarely, male fertility problems can't be treated, and the affected person that the sperm can not be used to initiate a pregnancy. If this happens to you, it is still possible to have a child. You and your partner can think about the use of donor sperm or adoption of a child.

Lifestyle and home remedies

You can take steps at home to increase your chances of getting your partner pregnant, such as:

  • Have sex more often. Have sex every day or every two days. Start 5 to 7 days before the one of your partner's ovaries releases an egg, called ovulation. Sex until two days after ovulation.
  • Not to use certain lubricants during sex. Products such as Astroglide and K-y Jelly, lotions, and saliva could affect the movement of the sperm and the function. Ask your health care professional about sperm-safe lubricant.
  • Exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet.
  • Aim to get at least seven hours of sleep per night.
  • Take charge of stress.
  • In the case of smoking or taking illegal drugs, stop smoking as soon as possible.
  • Try not to overheat.

Alternative medicine

If you have a low sperm count, you can take a multivitamin. But talk with your health care professional before you try any other supplement, or alternative medicine. It is unclear if supplements can help treat male infertility. And some supplements may affect the medications you are taking or have health conditions that you have.

Preparing for your appointment

For low sperm count, you can start by seeing your family health care provider. Then you may be referred to an infertility specialist.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment, and what to expect.

What you can do

  • Be aware of the restrictions prior to your appointment. When you make the appointment, ask if there is something that you need to do beforehand. For example, you may be told not to have sex or masturbate for a certain amount of time.
  • Make a note of the symptoms that I had. Include any of the symptoms that may not appear to be related to the reason why you made the appointment.
  • Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
  • Find out if you have a family history of fertility problems. Have a male blood relative, like a sibling or a parent with problems of fertility or reproduction of the conditions can give to your health care professional for clues about the causes of low sperm count.
  • To know your parents, if you had undescended testes or other conditions at birth or in early childhood.
  • Make a list of all the medicines, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. Include the amount that you take.
  • Take your partner along. Even if you have a low sperm count, your partner may also need tests. These tests can help find out whether your partner has a condition that could be the prevention of pregnancy. It is also good to have your partner with you to help keep track of the instructions your healthcare provider gives you. Your partner can also ask questions you may not think of.
  • Write questions to ask their health professional.

Some basic questions to ask your health care professional include:

  • What do you think can be the cause of my low sperm count?
  • Other that the most likely cause, what are other possible reasons that my partner and I have not been able to get pregnant?
  • What kinds of tests do I need?
  • My partner also needs testing?
  • What treatments are available to raise my sperm count? Which would I recommend?
  • Are there any restrictions that I need to follow?
  • At what point should we think about trying to options such as a sperm donor or adoption?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material that I can take my house? What sites do you recommend to visit?

Feel free to ask any other questions that you think of during your appointment.

What to expect from your doctor

Some of the questions to your health professional may ask you include:

  • At what age did you start puberty?
  • He has had a vasectomy or a vasectomy reversal?
  • Does the use of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine or anabolic steroids?
  • Have you been exposed to toxins such as chemicals, pesticides, radiation or lead, especially on a regular basis?
  • Are you taking any medications, including dietary supplements?
  • Do you have a history of an undescended testicle?
The symptoms and treatment of Low sperm count