When the male factor causes infertility

Infertility is a problem increasingly faced by couples nowadays due to lifestyle factors. Conventionally, it was thought to be the woman’s fault but today society is accepting that quite often the medical problem lies with the man.

While recent hit film Vicky Donor popularised sperm donation in a big way across the country, a more subtle message it brought to the fore was how prevalent male infertility is today. Well-known infertility specialists of the city shed light on the issue. 

Dr Kanthi Bansal says that in the past female fertility accounted for the problem in 60% of cases, male infertility for 25%, and in the rest combined factors were at play.

“However, today the male factor is prevalent in 50% of cases. The most common reason is low count and motility of sperms. There are hormonal injections to improve this condition. Sperm donation is indicated in cases of azoospermia (no sperms at all) with testicular failure,” she says.

Some of the other medical reasons for male infertility are problems with ejaculation of semen, cancer of the genital system or exposure to chemotherapy or radiation therapy, diabetes, mumps in adolescence or immunological infertility where antibodies are formed against the sperms, says Dr Bansal.         

Dr Manish Banker agrees that the male factor in infertility is rising. “It is the sole cause in about 35-40% cases and contributes in another 15-20% cases,” he says.

Treatment options are – medical (hormones, multivitamins and antioxidants) for a period of three months; surgical (varicocle litigation in properly selected cases); IUI (intrauterine insemination); IVF (in vitro fertilisation)/ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection of eggs), he explains.

Dr Himanshu Bavishi feels it is easier to treat infertility problems faced by a couple when the male factor is prevalent. “Almost 100% success can be achieved provided a man accepts the appropriate treatment. Around 75% of azoospermic patients can father their own child with their own sperm with use of appropriate technology,” he says.

Dr Bavishi relates the case of a young man from Bhavnagar with azoospermia. “He visited a urologist who told him there was very little chance of success of fathering a child with his own sperm.

He then visited a fertility hospital where a testis biopsy was done and sperms were recovered. IVF treatment was done with his own sperms and his partner conceived in the very first cycle. The couple was blessed with a beautiful child nine months later.”

As for sperm donation Dr Banker says, “It is a treatment when sperms from an anonymous donor (cryopreserved) are used for either simple insemination or IVF-ICSI.”

The success rates vary. The pregnancy rates in IUI are about 12-15 % and in IVF-ICSI depending on the wife's age (35% on an average), he adds.