Low sperm count- Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

by Indira IVF Indira IVF - Largest Fertility Chain In India

Low sperm count means that the semen ejaculated by a man during orgasm has lesser sperms than normal. A low sperm count is known as Oligospermia.

A complete absence of sperm is known as azoospermia. A sperm is regarded lower than normal if there are less than 15 million sperm per ml of semen.

A low sperm counts lowers the odds of fertilization with your partner’s egg, leading to pregnancy. However, many men with low sperm count can still father a baby.

Symptoms

The major low sperm count signs is the inability of the male to father a child. There aren’t any hard and fast symptoms. But in some men, problems like chromosomal abnormality, lack of right hormonal balance, dilated testicle veins of blockage in the passage of sperm may lead to signs and symptoms.

Some low sperm count symptoms may comprise of:

1. Problem in sexual intercourse: low sex drive or erectile dysfunction.

2. Pain or swelling in the testicle area.

3. Lower facing hair or abnormal hormones.

When to visit a doctor

You should see a doctor if you have been trying to conceive a baby for over a year and failed to do so with unprotected sex. Some other situations to see a doctor are:

1. Ejaculation issues, problems with sexual function

2. Pain, discomfort or lump in testicles

3. Prostrate problem

4. Groin, penis or scrotum surgery

Causes

The production of sperm is a complicated procedure and needs normal performance of the testicles, pituitary glands and hypothalamus. Once the sperms are produced, tubes transport them to mix them with semen and ejaculate out of your penis.

Most of the causes of low sperm count are not identified, but some are given below:

The medical causes for low sperm count can occur because of several health

problems and medical treatments. Some of them include varicocele- swelling of the testicle veins. It may also lead to low quality of the sperm.

Infection can also affect sperm health and sperm production. Ejaculation problems may also cause loss of sperm count. Antibodies which attack sperm mistakenly identify sperm as harmful things and destroy them.

Hormonal imbalances may lead to inefficient production of sperm. Alterations of thyroid, adrenal gland may impair productivity of sperm.

Sometimes chromosome defects may also lead to infertility problems and abnormal development of male reproductive organs.

The environmental cases for low sperm count include overexposure to industrial chemical such as pesticides, herbicides, painting items etc. Exposure to heavy metals can also lead to infertility. Overheating of the testicles may impair sperm production and deteriorate its functioning.

Testing and diagnosis

Firstly, your doctor will do a general examination and go through your medical history. it comprises of assessment of your genitals, asking questions about any inherited diseases, injuries, surgeries which could impact your fertility. Your doctor will also ask questions about your sexual habits.

Semen analysis

A low sperm count is diagnosed with semen test. Sperm count is evaluated under a microscope to see the sperm within which kind of grid pattern. Semen samples can be obtained in several ways such as masturbating and ejaculating in a container, or while using a condom during intercourse etc.

Some of the other tests included to know the cause of low sperm count are given below:

1. Scrotal ultrasound

2. Hormonal testing

3. Post ejaculation analysis

4. Genetic testing

Treatment

The treatment for low sperm count comprise of:

1. Surgery: For instance, a varicocele can be only be surgically treated. Or if you have obstruction in vas deferens, then a surgery can repair it. In case when there are no sperm present in the ejaculation, sperm can be directly recovered from the testicles with the help of sperm retrieval technology.

2. Treat the infection: Antibiotics can treat the infection of the reproductive organs, but it canot restore your fertility.

3. Treating sexual intercourse issues: Counseling as well as medication can help you cure your infertility problems like erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation.

4. Treatment of hormones: Your doctor may suggest some hormone

replacement medication in cases when your infertility has occurred because of low or high levels of specific hormones or problems with the manner your body is using it.

5. ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) ART treatments include obtaining sperm via normal ejaculation, surgical means or from getting it from a donor, depending on your situation and desire. The sperm is then inserted to the genitals of the female or transferred via IUI or IVF.

These are some of the low sperm count treatment options available.