What are the main causes of male infertility?
The commonest reason, is a low sperm count, which can be attributed to various causes; • Idiopathic i.e., when the exact cause is not known. • Varicocele It is a swollen varicose vein in the scrotum, most commonly on the left side. Blood accumulated in the swollen testicular veins leads to increased temperature in the testis & damages sperm production. It can be diagnosed, by asking the patient to stand erect and cough . The cord like structure from which the testis hangs i.e., the spermatic cord, feels like a “bunch of worms”, on palpation. • Duct blockage Infection like gonorrohea, TB, filariasis; on surgery for hernia/hydrocele may lead to blockage of the passage between the testes and the penis. In this case sperms will be absent from the semen(azoospermia). • Hormonal imbalance Hormonal imbalance due to pituitary or adrenal gland can lead to infertility. • Substance Abuse Exessive intake of alcohol and/or drugs leads to decrease in liver function and increase in levels of the horm
