Treatment and prevention of male infertility
Introduction: Infertility has become a highly prevalent disease, which has a great impact on the well-being of many families. Specifically for male infertility, those who suffer from the disease should receive early professional treatment, otherwise they will suffer more harm. We invite Prof. Qiu Yongchao to explain to you.
What is the treatment for male infertility?
1. How do patients find out they are infertile? What are the symptoms?
A: The basic definition of infertility by the World Health Organization is that a couple is defined as infertile if they are not using contraception and have a normal sexual life, and neither the female partner conceives within one year. However, the clinical presentation in China is that some men and women have normal sexual intercourse for two to three years, or even longer, after cohabitation, but neither has conceived before they go to the hospital to be checked for infertility, while only 7% of women go to the hospital without conceiving within a year.
Reference material: Definition of male infertility (WHO): the couple does not use contraception, has sexual intercourse with sufficient frequency, and the woman has not conceived within a year.
Epidemiology: About 15% of couples seek medical attention for infertility 1 year after marriage.
About 50% of infertility is a male factor. If the female partner is fertile, it will partially compensate for the lack of fertility in the male partner.
The main causes of decreased male fertility include congenital and acquired genitourinary tract malformations, malignancies, reproductive tract infections, elevated scrotal temperature (varicocele), endocrine disorders, genetic defects, and immune factors.
Up to 30-40% of male infertility patients cannot find the exact cause (idiopathic male infertility).
2. What tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis of infertility in men?
A: Men should first undergo a semen test and decide whether to proceed to the next step based on the semen test results.
If the patient’s semen examination is normal, it can be basically determined that the male is not the focus of the examination, and the infertility should be considered to be the cause of the female partner, and the female partner should be introduced to the gynecology department for a key examination.
If the male’s semen examination is abnormal, the next step will be chosen according to the actual situation. Semen examination is only the first step, and further definite diagnosis may also be made by testicular ultrasound, blood sampling for serum sex hormones, karyotype and Y chromosome microdeletion, etc. However, semen examination is the first step for all men when they are examined. About half of the men with infertility as the main complaint will have semen abnormalities.
Semen abnormalities can be classified into the types of insufficient sperm count (oligospermia), sufficient sperm count with low viability (weak spermatozoa), and too many abnormal sperm (deformed spermatozoa). An experienced physician will then present the cause of the disease and treatment options after the normal examination is completed, depending on the patient’s specific situation. There are many causes of male infertility, such as malformations of the genitourinary tract, malignant tumors, infections, varicose veins of the spermatozoa, and some congenital genetic problems. In 60%-70% of patients, an accurate diagnosis can be made through tests, but in the remaining 30%-40% of patients, the exact cause cannot be identified, and this type of infertility is called idiopathic male infertility. This is because it is difficult to diagnose accurately with the current level of medical experience and medical care, these patients may be due to environmental pollution, work stress, poor rest, excessive smoking and drinking, and other aspects of the cause.
3. Do all infertility patients need to take medication? What are the common drugs?
A: Generally speaking, all infertility patients can be treated by taking drugs. However, depending on the cause of the disease, there are some drugs that are not effective, while there are some that are effective. According to the current medical level and experience, the treatment effect is obvious is weak spermatozoa, while the treatment effect of deformed spermatozoa and oligospermia is relatively poor.
4. Can infertility be treated surgically? What conditions must be treated surgically?
If the semen is insufficient due to vas deferens obstruction, sperm can be obtained through simple surgery, such as epididymal puncture to remove sperm for artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization. It can also be treated by vasectomy. In some patients, varicocele affects the sperm production function of the testicles. Varicocele surgery can be done to improve the blood circulation of the testicles as well as to improve the quality of sperm.
5. Is there a correlation between male infertility and lack of a specific vitamin/trace element?
A: Most patients with male infertility have vitamin or trace element deficiencies, which are related to the changes in our living environment and dietary habits nowadays. Nowadays, the living environment is polluted and there are too many artificial farming and cultivated things to consume, and there are fewer pure and natural things. In terms of diet, the food consumed now is over-processed, and a lot of nutrients are lost during the processing of food, especially vitamins and trace elements are lost. In addition to over-processing, there is also an unbalanced diet, eating more refined food and less coarse food, all of which can affect the balance of vitamins and trace elements, affecting the balance of the internal environment, leading to a decline in immune function and some important functions. Fertility is just one of the aspects. When prescribing medication doctors will take into account these problems and will prescribe drugs that supplement trace elements and vitamins, such as Jin Shier Kang, etc.
How can male infertility be prevented?
1, male infertility can be prevented? What bad habits do I need to pay attention to in my life?
A: The first point in the prevention of male infertility in life is to rest, to have regular rest, do not overwork and stay up late.
The second in the diet of nutrition, nutrition should be balanced, including the food mix, fish, meat, protein, and coarse grains. There are also in the processing of food, pay attention to the balanced mix of coarse and fine grains and nutrients.
The third is to pay attention to exercise, the male appropriate exercise, can improve the vitality of sperm.
The fourth is to pay attention to the cessation of smoking and alcohol, which are factors that may lead to infertility.
In addition, there are also environmental factors, such as often put the cell phone inside the pants pocket. The cell phone is too close to the testicles and the radiation from the cell phone may affect the sperm production function of the testicles. In today’s life, there are various kinds of radiation, cell phones, computers, TV, microwave ovens, etc., and some workplaces with high radiation, such as machine rooms, radiation stations, etc., can affect male infertility. And testicular temperature should not be too high, too high will affect the sperm function, now the weather is hot a lot of young people wearing jeans, tight pants, breathable function of the pants and clothing, etc., and infertile men and men ready to have children should not soak in hot springs, the high temperature of hot springs will affect the sperm function. Not suitable for sedentary, sedentary will lead to the accumulation of metabolic waste in the body in the testes and pelvis leading to infertility.
2, daily supplementation of multi-dimensional elements (vitamins + trace elements), such as gold Shiercon, to improve personal immunity can prevent male infertility?
A: In preparation for pregnancy before six months or three months, men should pay attention to the maintenance of their own, appropriate amount of multivitamin elements, but according to the actual situation, such as Jin Shier Kang, this drug belongs to the multivitamin, containing a variety of vitamins mixed together, is more ideal vitamin supplementation drugs. If you want a single supplement is also possible, you have to choose according to the actual situation.