What causes a low sperm count?
by Admin
Posted on 25-03-2023 09:05 AM
For several decades, researchers have known that sperm quality and fertility rates have been declining in most western nations. According to one 2017 study, the average sperm count in north america, europe, australia, and new zealand dropped by 59. 3% between 1973 and 2011. Despite studies having identified this, scientists still do not fully understand the reasons for this decline.
Research into reliable methods for reversing a low sperm count is ongoing. Practitioners of ancient, herbal, and traditional medicine have used several nonpharmacologic remedies to increase sperm count and improve sperm health for thousands of years. What is more, researchers have suggested that most of these remedies can actually influence sperm count in some way.
Simple steps to increase the chances of producing healthy sperm include:
maintain a healthy weight. Some research suggests that increasing body mass index (bmi) is linked with decreasing sperm count and sperm movement. Eat a healthy diet. Choose plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidants — and might help improve sperm health. Prevent sexually transmitted infections (stis). Sexually transmitted infections — such as chlamydia and gonorrhea — can cause infertility in men. Limiting the number of sexual partners and always using a condom for sex — or staying in a mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who isn't infected — can help protect against stis.
How is oligospermia diagnosed?
Low sperm count is also called oligospermia.
It’s usually diagnosed when a man has less than 15 million sperm per milliliter of sperm. Low sperm count doesn’t mean that there’s a complete absence of sperm – that’s a different condition called azoospermia.
What it is: the total number of sperm found in the provided semen sample. What is considered normal: at least 20 million per milliliter (m/ml) sperm per ejaculate may be sufficient to achieve pregnancy, but normal range is considered 40 million to 300 million sperm per ml of fluid according to usc fertility. Having a lower than normal count of sperm is sometimes called oligospermia. Azoospermia is when no sperm cells are found. What might be wrong if results are abnormal: having a lower sperm count may indicate a number of problems, including: chronic or undiagnosed health problems (such as diabetes or celiac disease ).
How should I take care of myself to make sure my sperm count is the best it can be?
Few people know that the average man’s sperm count has dropped steadily over the past 40 years. This fact should scare everyone, especially men. However, sperm health is the last thing on the minds of most men. How nutrition impacts sperm is even farther away from our collective consciousness. So why is the quality of sperm decreasing? is this really a problem? can we blame it on foods we’re eating? this post tackles these questions and shares some sperm-friendly nutrition tips.
If our kansas fertility center expert suspects low sperm count, he may refer your partner to a urologist, a specialist who has expertise with the male reproductive system. Treatment options for low sperm count may include surgery to repair obstructions, antibiotics for any infections or medications to adjust hormone levels. Additionally, dr. Gehlbach often utilizes assisted reproductive technology options such as sperm extraction and in vitro fertilization (ivf) to increase the odds of a successful pregnancy. When patients visit our kansas fertility center, dr. Gehlbach and our team provide comprehensive care to diagnose and treat infertility, including investigating issues related to low sperm count.
Your doctor may recommend iui, which is an assisted reproductive technique that is also known as artificial insemination. This is typically recommended for men with low sperm concentration, which is a reduced number of sperm, or low sperm motility, or movement. It may also be recommended when the source of infertility cannot be determined and the sperm count is normal. In this procedure, a man produces a semen specimen in a supplied container at home or in private at his doctor’s office. The sperm is then “washed,” so that natural, hormone-like compounds called prostaglandins can be removed. Prostaglandins can cause uterine muscle cramping and can interfere with conception.
Varicocele varicocele is a common male factor infertility condition in which a varicose veins connected to the spermatic cord, which runs between the testes and scrotum, become enlarged. This causes blood to flow improperly and back up, causing swelling in the testes and scrotum and may prevent normal cooling of the testicle. This can lead to reduced sperm count, motility, and morphology. Varicocele is treated surgically by tying off the enlarged veins. However, the surgery does not always correct the sperm abnormalities. Read more about varicocele undescended testicle undescended testicle is a condition when one or both testicles fail to move from the abdomen into the scrotum during fetal development.