Infertility Treatment for Men
By: Reckless AlterTotal Views: 148, Word Count: 611,
Infertility is defined as a couple’s incapability to produce a child after 1 year of unprotected intercourse. In any given year, about 15% of couples in Europe and North America who try to conceive are infertile. The fertility of a couple depends upon many factors in both male and female partner. Amid all cases of infertility in developed countries, about 8% could be traced in male, 37% could be traced in female, 35% could be traced in both female and male partners and 5% couldn’t be traced due to understandable factors in either partner.
Any fertility treatment could be expected to have an effect on semen quality, approximately 3 months after it is started as this is a length of time required for a single cycle of spermatogenesis or sperm production. Assisted reproductive technologies are possible if both surgical and medical therapy isn’t appropriate. In choosing a plan for infertility treatment for men, consideration must be given to each couple’s long term goals, monetary constraints and the results of the female partner’s assessment in addition to male factor findings.
Specific Therapy
The most booming medical therapy for male infertility involves reversing infectious, chemical or endocrine imbalances. This is known as specific therapy and it is generally successful because treatment is based on the correction of well defined problems. Examples of this include:
- Treatment for acute prostates, varicocele or epididymitis
- The replacement of the pituitary hormones, follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone for radiation or surgically induced pituitary disease.
- The administration of testosterone in men with hypoandrogenic hypogonadosm.
Infertility Treatment for Men
The treatment for male infertility depends upon the underlying cause. Numerous months to years of treatment are generally necessary to attain fertility. The treatment frequently involves both male and female partners.
Obstruction of the Reproductive Tract: Men who have a blockage in the ducts conveying the sperm from the testis until ejaculation (so that sperm cannot get out) can undergo surgery to correct the blockage. If it doesn’t succeed, another option is an assisted reproductive technology using sperm retrieved from the testes.
Vasectomy (male sterilization) is a different sort of blockage. Vasectomies could be upturned in up to 85% of cases; over 50% of couples could achieve pregnancy following vasectomy reversal. However, the more time that has passed since the vasectomy, the less likely vasectomy reversal is to reinstate fertility.
Treatment of Pituitary Deficiency or Hypothalamic: In a small percentage of cases (i.e. 1 to 2%), infertility in male is due to problems in the hypothalamus and pituitary glands (parts of the brain that regulate hormone production). In this situation, treatment with human chorionic gonadotropin, recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (also known as gonadotropin treatment) is frequently given.
Gonadotropin treatment is started with injections of hcg, 3 times a week (or at times every other day) for up to 6 months. Blood tests are used to examine blood testosterone levels and to adjust the dose if necessary. If sperm cells do not appear in semen after 6 months of treatment, recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone is added by way of injection. The success rate of this therapy is high as most men would ultimately develop sperm in the ejaculate.
In several cases, a total of 1 to 2 years of treatment is needed to attain normal fertility. The cost of these treatments could be quite a lot, particularly if health insurance does not cover the costs of infertility treatment for men.
About the Author
Dr. Reckless Alter is graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine as a physician in 1969 and went on to earn his medical degree in 1973. For over 25 years he has been a pioneer in the field of surgery, with a special focus on wellness medicine and hormones for men. Dr. Reckless is currently a board-certified Family Practitioner and a precautionary Medicine specialist. He has helped heal many problems of men through his treatment.
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