Most Infertile Couples Don’t Factor In Male Factor as the Problem

One of the first things that I tell couples when they come in for a consultation is that infertility is something that either the woman or man can suffer from. Unfortunately in our country, with the male-dominated society we live in, when a couple is unable to get pregnant, hardly anyone including the woman herself think that the problem may lie with the man.

The Test

The fact is that the problem can lie as much with the man, as it can with his wife or partner. Here is the standard testing and treatment procedure we follow when we are testing a man for infertility.

• We start with a semen analysis
• The patient has to provide semen for testing- this may be collected in the lab or he can collect it at home, but will have to ensure that it is brought to the lab within an hour after it has been produced
• This sample with then be analyzed to check whether there is sperm present in it
• A sperm count will also be performed ; if this is found to be less than 15Million sperm per milliliter or semen/ if the total sperm count is less than 30-million/entire ejaculate, its considered to be a low sperm count
• The technician also analyzes what the motility (movement) of the sperm is like and whether  they are of normal shape


You can see what a sperm test report should look like at
http://www.drmalpani.com/knowledge-center/resources/book/chapter4b


The Problems

There are different problems that can be present in isolation or it may be a combination of problems that is causing infertility, such as:

• The sperm may not be  moving well - low motility
• The sperm count may be low, but all of them may have good movement- low sperm count
• There may be no sperm present at all – azoospermia
• There may be sufficient sperm with good motility but a large percentage of the sperm may be abnormally-shaped- abnormal morphology

The semen analysis results help us ascertain which treatment options will be most suitable to the patient.

For men with a low sperm count or poor motility, IVF/ICSI is usually the best option.
For men with azoospermia ( zero sperm count), we need to use additional procedures, such as TESE.

If we don’t find any sperm after the TESA/TESE procedure, we recommend that our patients opt for donor sperm or consider adoption. Regardless of which option the patient decides to opt for, we provide complete guidance and support to the couple.


Want to confirm you do not have male factor infertility ? What's your sperm count ( million per ml) ? sperm motility ( percentage) ? grade of motility ? morphology ? Please send me your medical details by filling in the form at www.drmalpani.com/free-second-opinion so that I can guide you better!