Male Infertility
Transcript from
September 25, 2002 Today's Show guest,
Dr. Marc Goldstein
Men make up 40 percent of the infertile population,
and for them, learning about their infertility can
be an emotional event. Dr. Marc Goldstein, a
urologist at New York Weill Cornell Medical Center
in New York, talks about different methods that can
help couples conceive if a man is diagnosed as
infertile.
If a man has a low sperm count, the procedure ICSY
is performed. The doctor picks the best or strongest
sperm and punctures the egg with it. A few days
later, a small catheter pushes the embryos into the
uterus. Then the woman waits for her pregnancy test.
For a woman under 40, the delivery rate is 40
percent. For a woman 41-42, the pregnancy rate is 25
percent. For a woman of 43, the pregnancy rate is 10
percent.
For a woman under 38, the doctor tries to limit the
amount of embryos put into the uterus. For a woman
over 38, the doctor puts in a few more.
Number One
Cause of Male Infertility
Vericose veins are the number one cause for male
infertility. A vericoseal procedure can usually
correct this problem but this varies in every case.
Motility
Two hundred million sperm is normal for a fertile
male. A sperm count of forty million is considered
infertile. More than half have to be swimming fast
in order for them to naturally conceive.
Blockages
Blockages are another cause of male infertility. A
testicle can produce blockages, and so can sexually
transmitted diseases. A surgeon will use
microsurgery to repair or correct things.
Other Causes
Other causes include genetic causes which can result
in very low sperm count, slow motility and mis-shaped
sperm. Or, there can be a hormonal imbalance like a
low level of testosterone. Also, men should avoid
saunas and electric blankets as well as drinking or
smoking.
What Kind of Expert Should a Man See?
You should go to a urologist who specializes in
semen analysis. You should also get a full physical
exam where the testicles are examined. Remember, in
biblical times, infertility was blamed on the woman.
But the truth is that 40 percent of the time, it is
a male problem, and 40 percent of the time a female
problem, while 20 percent is unexplained.
|
