Forbes Health’s editorial team is independent and objective. To support our report charts and continue to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive payment from companies that promote it on the Forbes Health site. This payment comes from two main sources. First, we provide paid places to promote itrs to showcase your offers. The refund we get for those locations affects how offers to promote itrs look on the site and where they appear. This site does not come with all available companies or products. in the market. Secondly, we also come with links to promote your offers in some of our articles; These “affiliate links” are likely to generate profits for our site when you click on them.
The refund we get from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or recommendations our editorial team provides in our articles or have any effect on Forbes Health’s editorial content. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information that we believe you will find relevant, Forbes Health does not and cannot guarantee that the data provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in this regard, or as to the accuracy or applicability thereof.
Like female fertility, male fertility also adjusts with age. As men age, the quality of their sperm can decline, among other challenges, leading to an overall decline in fertility.
However, age is far from the only thing at stake when it comes to male infertility. Other reasons come with structural disorders in the genital tract, genetics, hormones, and lifestyle choices. Fertility disorders are far from unusual and remedies are available.
Age plays a role in male fertility. ” For men, the decline is slower,” says Scott Lundy, M. D. , a urologist who specializes in male infertility and sexual medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. “As we age, the testicles, like any other organ, don’t serve as well as they once did. “
For men, aging can affect the quality of their sperm, adding motility, morphology (shape) and concentration, making it harder for sperm to fertilize an egg. Men also produce fewer sperm as they age.
In general, fertility begins to decline in men past the age of 40, with an annual decline in fertility of up to 23% from the age of 39[1]Declining in Human Fertility Rates with Male age: Is it due to a decline in male fertility with age?. Gynecological and obstetric research. 2011; 71: 229-235. 30[2]Harris ID, Fronczak C, Roth L, Meacham RB. Fertility and male aging. Reverend Urol. 2011;13(4):e184-90. . Another study on intrauterine synthetic insemination found that after six cycles, men aged 35 years or younger had a fertility rate of 52%, while men over 35 years of age had a fertility rate of 25%[3]Mathieu C, Ecochard R, Bied V. Cumulative conception rate after intrauterine synthetic insemination with sperm of the husband: influence of the age of the husbandHum. Repr. 1995;10(5):1090-1097. .
According to the National Institutes of Health, one-third of all fertility disorders are due to male infertility, while the third is similar to female reproductive points and the remaining third can be attributed to a combination of male and female reproductive disorders, or unknown reasons. [4] How unusual is male infertility and why?National Institutes of Health. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
To put those numbers in context, about 15% of couples can’t conceive after a year of unprotected sex. After two years, 10% still conceive[5]Optimize male fertility. American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
“It’s no more unusual than you think when you think of any infertility in couples,” says Justin J. Houman, M. D. , urologist and specialist in male reproductive medicine and surgery at Tower Urology in Los Angeles.
Often, there are no symptoms of male infertility, other than the inability to conceive after a year of unprotected sex. “Most men who have minimal fertility have no symptoms,” says Dr. Lundy.
However, it is possible to have certain symptoms, for example, when fertility disorders are similar to low testosterone levels, which can lead to disorders similar to a man’s libido or having and/or maintaining an erection.
According to Dr. Lundy, there are 4 broad causes of male infertility: anatomical, genetic, hormonal, and lifestyle problems.
Specifically, the Urological Care Foundation lists the following as the main reasons for male infertility:
Dr. Lundy notes that “most of the time, it’s multifactorial,” meaning several other reasons contribute to male fertility problems.
The first step for those questioning their fertility is a physical exam and a review of their medical history. A doctor will need to know the points that can affect fertility, such as diseases from the formative years, medications you take now and in the past, past surgeries. and past exposure to radiation, pesticides, or heavy metals. They will also make inquiries about an individual’s lifestyle, adding alcohol and drug use.
From there, a guy can pass the following tests to assess his fertility:
A semen investigation is one of the first tests performed, in which sperm is collected in a sterile cup. The sperm is then studied down to the volume, number, and shape of the sperm, as well as how the sperm move.
“This screening gives us an intelligent initial look at this man’s fertility,” says Dr. Lundy.
From there, a doctor may order a blood test to assess the levels of hormones involved in fertility, adding follicle-stimulating hormone, loose and total checkosterone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, and estradiol. In addition to offering insight into how a man produces sperm, blood tests can also rule out other major fitness issues.
Depending on the semen investigation and blood test results, a doctor might choose to perform a scrotal ultrasound to detect any structural problems. The ultrasound is completed by tapping a probe into the rectum, which then sends sound waves to nearby ejaculatory ducts. . This would possibly reveal imaginable obstructions or malformations of the seminal vesicles or ejaculatory duct.
Men facing fertility disorders have a number of remedy features available:
If remedies for infertility are not successful, there are also assisted replication techniques to explore. In those cases, the health care provider may surgically remove the sperm for use in fertility remedies. The remedy advised will depend on the nature and cause of the man’s infertility. , but possibly include:
Formally, infertility is explained as not conceiving after 12 months of unprotected sex. However, men don’t want to wait until they succeed in this benchmark before going to see a doctor.
“I inspire couples to come as soon as they think about it and are worried,” says Dr. Lundy. “If it’s before 12 months, we can provide information. “
Dr. Houman agrees and encourages couples to seek an evaluation “if you and your spouse have not reached your reproductive goals within six months. “
“The most important thing I would say is that infertility is much less unusual than you think,” Dr. Houman says. It emphasizes the ease of being evaluated for infertility, so you don’t have to wait and ask questions.
The data provided on Forbes Health is for educational purposes only. Your fitness and well-being are unique to you, and the products and facilities we review may not be suitable for you. We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnoses or remedies. Plans. For personalized advice, consult a fitness professional.
Forbes Health adheres to strict editorial integrity criteria. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date of publication, the data contained herein may no longer be available. Reviews expressed are those of the writer only and have not been provided, endorsed or otherwise endorsed through our advertisers.