An Overview Of Infertility And Womens Issues
Most of the time, when we think of infertility and issues with becoming pregnant, we assume it must be a problem with female infertility. As a society, we often view infertility as a “woman’s issue” because women have most often been given the obligation of conception issues. The truth is that 40% to 50% of infertility issues that couples face actually involve male infertility. Many men feel as if they are not a “real man” if they cannot produce a child. However, infertility issues have nothing to do with a guy’s manliness, but rather have to do with medical issues that can normally be treated.
There are many explanations for male infertility. They can be anything from lifestyle and family history to medical issues or testicular injuries. Some common problems associated with male fertility are hypogonadism and varicocele or azoopermia, which can typically be treated depending on the severity. Studies show males who smoke cigarettes or marijuana or consume large amounts of alcohol tend to have reduced sperm counts and a lower quality of sperm.
Another study suggests that males who have taken certain antidepressant drugs had lower sperm counts as well. There are also other studies that have linked obesity with reduced or lower sperm counts. Issues with family history can also cause infertility. Yet another family related cause may be the use of certain medicines or drugs by the effected male’s mother during her pregnancy with him. Some studies point towards environmental exposures, such as radiation exposure or excessive heat, as playing a role in reproductive health.
If the male partner is having complications and infertility issues, medical procedures and medications exist which can quite often help the situation. In order to get started, the man must see a doctor, usually a fertility expert, to try and diagnose the problem. The most common physician he will see is going to be an expert in infertility and other issues and maybe even a urologist. The doctor will have to do an analysis of the semen to see how many sperm are available and if they are of good quality. If there is a problem with the semen flowing through the tubes, then most of the time the physician or specialist can fix this. The fertility specialist can harvest the sperm through a needle that is put into the male genital tract. If there are additional problems, they can usually be cleared up with the use of fertility drugs.
The male factor in the infertility issue is something that has come to the forefront in medical technology and awareness. No longer are women the ones who are thought of as being the reason why she can’t get pregnant. Infertility and men are invading the consciousness of society and medical science and the good news about this is that it is helping couples to live happier, as well as opening up more options for treatment. When the men and women take on infertility issues together, they have a greater chance to correct any problems and move on to having a happy and healthy pregnancy.