Male Infertility Treatment – What you Need to Know
Male infertility refers to a sexually mature male’s inability to impregnate a viable female. According to World Health Organization estimate the overall prevalence of primary infertility in India is between 10-20%. Male infertility accounts for around 40-50% of the total cases. Semen deficits are a major cause of male infertility, and semen quality is utilized as a proxy for male fertility.
Several studies have shown that the seminal quality in Indian men has been declining over the past decades. The problem of infertility negatively impacts several aspects of life such as mental, emotional, social and physical. However, on the brighter side, there are several technological advancements that benefit infertile parents.
What is Male Infertility Treatment
Male infertility is the inability of a man to conceive a child with a woman. It is defined as a disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sex (without contraception) between a man and a woman.
Male Infertility Risk Factors
Causes of infertility
1. Insufficient sperm count: The count of sperm is low in semen
2. Poor quality sperms: Although there are a number of factors that contribute to infertility, the quality of sperm is one that deserves a healthy dose of attention. Poor quality sperm can be due to various factors, like age, environmental toxins, lifestyle choices and more.
3. Sperm Motility issues: Sperm motility is the capacity of sperm to effectively move. This is significant for fertility since sperm must travel through a woman’s reproductive tract to reach the egg and fertilise it. Male factor infertility can be caused by low sperm motility.
4. Sperm Defects: Sperm has an oval head and a lengthy tail. Sperm with head or tail abnormalities, such as a big or malformed head or a crooked or double tail, are abnormal. These abnormalities may hinder the sperm’s ability to reach and pierce an egg.
5. Varicoceles i.e. swollen veins in scrotum: A varicocele is an expansion of the veins within the skin pouch that contains the testicles. These veins transmit blood lacking in oxygen from the testicles. A varicocele develops when blood accumulates in veins instead of moving properly out of the scrotum.
Risk Factors causing infertility
1. Mumps during puberty
2. Ejaculatory issues
3. Infections in the body e.g. sexually transmitted diseases.
4. Immunological Infertility where antibodies mistakenly attack sperm.
5. Hormonal imbalance
6. Chromosome defects
7. Certain medications like chemotherapy, steroids, etc.
8. Lifestyle disorders e.g. consumption of tobacco, alcohol, drugs, etc.
9. Being overweight or obese
What treatment options are available for male infertility?
options for male infertility Treatment depend on the root causes of the problem, family history and the health profile of the patient.
· Hormone Treatment: This involves addressing the problem of hormonal imbalance through medicines to address infertility
· Surgical Interventions: These include procedures such as sperm retrieval and correction of varicocele.
· Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART): These include interventions like intrauterine insemination (IUI), In-vitro fertilization (IVF) and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
Types of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Let’s now deep-dive into some of the Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs). Various types of ARTs are widely available in Rajasthan at affordable costs.
- ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection): In this procedure, a single sperm is inserted into the cytoplasm of the egg directly. This helps overcome the challenge of sperm not being able to penetrate the outer wall of the cell. It is a highly effective method of fertilizing the eggs in a lab. The estimated cost of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection treatment in Rajasthan is Rs. 1.2 Lakh.
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2. IUI (Intrauterine Insemination): This procedure involves the placement of sperms directly into the uterus close to the egg release time. This ideally results in at least one of the eggs being fertilized. The estimated cost of IUI treatment in Rajasthan is Rs. 15,000.
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3. IVF (In-vitro fertilization): In this procedure, the egg is combined with the sperm in vitro, i.e. in a test tube. The ovum is removed from a female and the sperm is allowed to fertilize it in a culture medium. The fertilized egg is also known as zygote is then implanted in the uterus. The estimated cost of IVF treatment in Rajasthan is Rs. 1 Lakh to 2 Lakh.
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Conclusion
In this article, we visited some important information related to Male Infertility Treatment. While this is a rising and prevalent issue, it is not without any solution. There are many viable treatment options available which provide much-needed relief to people hoping to have children of their own.