Introduction: Infertility is a problem for modern urbanites, part of the responsibility is still attributable to men, the main problem of male infertility is the problem of sperm, if sperm motility is reduced, or even no sperm, will directly lead to infertility. So what can be done? We invite experts to answer your concerns
Interview outline.
Etiology
Q: Is azoospermia a condition in which there is no sperm at all?
A: Azoospermia is a condition in which no sperm are found in the semen on three or more semen examinations.
Q: Is azoospermia caused by the testicles?
A: There are many causes of azoospermia. It can be caused by various reasons that the testes themselves do not produce sperm; another situation is that there is sperm production in the testes, but problems with the vas deferens and other transport tubes such as blockage can also cause azoospermia. In conclusion, problems in any of these areas can lead to azoospermia, including the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, testes, epididymis, vas deferens, and ejaculatory ducts.
Q: Is the male sperm situation optimistic?
A: Due to environmental issues and food safety, the quality of male sperm is getting worse. Azoospermia accounts for about 1% of the entire population and 10% to 15% of infertility patients.
Q: Is there a congenital and acquired difference in azoospermia?
A: There is a difference between congenital and acquired azoospermia. There can be congenital factors such as chromosomal abnormalities and abnormal development of the vas deferens, and there are also acquired factors such as radiotherapy and testicular epididymitis that can cause azoospermia.
Diagnosis
Q: What are the early manifestations of azoospermia?
A: Azoospermia is difficult to self-diagnose because most azoospermia patients feel that their sex life is normal. Although some patients with obstructive azoospermia may have a relatively small amount of semen, they cannot compare it with others, so it is difficult to detect it by themselves, and it is usually detected by laboratory tests.
Q: How long after marriage should I go for examination if I have no children?
A: It is recommended that if you have a regular sexual life after marriage and have not been able to conceive a child for more than one year without contraception, you need to undergo a semen examination.
Q: How to check for azoospermia in hospital?
A: First of all, mainly through 3 semen examinations, azoospermia is suspected if no sperm is found in the semen. Then other tests such as chromosomes, sex hormones, seminal plasma biochemistry, etc. will further determine the specific cause of the disease.
Treatment
Q: Is it necessary to treat azoospermia in the early stage? Is it possible to self-regulate?
A: At present, there is no particularly effective self-regulation method. Generally, when azoospermia is found, the cause should be sought and actively treated in a timely manner. Of course, if there is no sperm due to some congenital factors, the use of sperm donor should be considered.
Q: What are the effective treatment methods?
A: Effective treatment is to take different methods according to the cause: in case of obstructive azoospermia, the blocked vas deferens can be opened through surgical methods such as transurethral ejaculatory orifice, vas deferens reopening or vas deferens epididymal anastomosis; if there is difficulty in opening, patients who cannot be reopened can undergo IVF; in case of non-obstructive azoospermia, the sperm can be retrieved through microscopic subtesticular testicular incision. In some patients, although there is no sperm inside the semen and no obstructive factors, research has found that there are still sperm in certain points in the testes, and it is possible to find these places with sperm after magnifying the testes 15-20 times through a microscope. After the sperm is found, it can be temporarily frozen and stored by the hospital for later in vitro fertilization. There are not many hospitals in China that can perform this microscopic sperm retrieval technique, but we have it at our hospital, with a 50% chance of success.
Q: Is microscopic surgery expensive?
A: The cost of this procedure is not expensive, usually around 5000-6000 dollars.
Q: Can azoospermia recur after being cured?
A: If the azoospermia is caused by blockage of the vas deferens, there is a possibility of re-blockage after recanalization. And if it is not caused by blockage, it cannot be said to be cured, but should be called whether sperm can be retrieved or not. The treatment at this time is to find ways to find sperm in relatively small numbers to; in addition there is the possibility of surgery to find a lot of sperm frozen in a test tube,.
Prevention
Q: What should I pay attention to in the diet of azoospermia?
A: Azoospermia and ordinary diet does not have much to do with some special diets such as cottonseed oil can lead to azoospermia. In fact, some special occupations such as long-term work in a hot environment, painters, hairdressers are relatively easy to cause azoospermia. It is possible to produce sperm again after early release from these environments.
Q: Can supplements prevent azoospermia?
A: There is not much relationship between supplements and azoospermia, but supplements may be better for the body.
Q: Can nocturnal urination prevent azoospermia?
A: There is no relationship between nocturnal urination and azoospermia.
Misconceptions
Q: Does temperature affect the quality of sperm?
A: High temperature does have some effect on the quality of sperm. Therefore, when you have fertility requirements, you should try to go to hot places such as sauna and hot springs as little as possible.
Q: Can frequent sexual intercourse cause azoospermia?
A: No, because sperm is continuously produced.
Q: Is too little semen during ejaculation a case of oligospermia and weak sperm?
A: Low semen volume does not mean oligospermia. Oligospermia is defined as density less than 15 million/ml, and weak spermia is defined as forward motion sperm (a+b) <32%, which is not related to semen volume. < span="">
Q: Is the absence of semen ejaculation azoospermia?
A: The absence of semen ejaculation is azoospermia.
Q: Does drinking a lot of alcohol damage sperm?
A: Excessive alcohol consumption can affect sperm quality. It is recommended to drink less alcohol and a small amount of red wine has an antioxidant effect, which may have some benefits for sperm.