Male infertility is still a taboo subject. There is little discussion about the problems that many men face, which often result in difficulty achieving pregnancy.
The World Health Organization states that about 40% of cases of difficulty conceiving are related to a problem with male fertility. That’s right, the problem exists and it’s much bigger than we imagine!
What are the main causes?
Generally, we can say that difficulties surrounding male infertility result from some disease or abnormality in the sperm.
But it is also possible for the difficulty in conceiving to be mainly related to lifestyle choices that many men make, and in such cases, simply changing habits may be enough to increase the chances of pregnancy.
Among the main factors that can cause infertility, we can mention:
- Age (over time, sperm production declines);
- Sexually transmitted diseases;
- Sperm abnormalities;
- Medical conditions such as azoospermia and varicocele.
How to detect the problem
To find out what may be causing difficulties in conceiving, a very simple test called a semen analysis is performed. Through this test, the following characteristics of the sperm are examined:
- Concentration: in this parameter, the amount of sperm per milliliter is measured. Normally, this count should be at least 15 million sperm per milliliter.
- Morphology: this analysis checks the size and shape of the sperm, as these factors are necessary for fertilizing the egg. Sperm must have an ideal shape that allows them to achieve fertilization.
- Motility: this evaluates how well the sperm move within the body.
How to treat male infertility
Depending on the cause of infertility, medical intervention or, in some cases, even surgery may be required.
However, as we mentioned earlier, infertility may occur due to habits that many men develop. So, if you are thinking about having children, it’s important to consider that habits like smoking, drinking excessive alcohol, and having an unhealthy diet are factors that will affect your body’s ability to produce quality sperm.
Therefore, maintaining good habits is a very important step for those who wish to have children in the future. Exercising and paying attention to diet, for example, are essential steps that will support and increase your chances of conceiving.
In any case, if you are experiencing difficulties conceiving, the most important thing is to have a medical consultation so that the true cause of the problem can be diagnosed and, therefore, the most effective treatment can be recommended.
