Swimming Lessons: An Introduction to Male Infertility

Men prefer to see things in the simplest possible terms. Car go fast. Watch game now. Meat good.

It’s little surprise that when the complicated and sensitive issue of infertility arises, we men shrug our shoulders and assume the problem exists somewhere in the House of Mystery that is a woman’s body. After all, thinks the guy, I just have this three-piece set here. It seems to be working. Must be you.

This male-centric thinking pre-empted a closer look at men’s infertility for centuries. But today, half of all couples who seek help conceiving find some contributing male factor, and about a third learn there is no issue with the woman’s fertility at all.

Any couple who has been having regular, unprotected sex for a year or more without pregnancy is considered “subfertile” and should investigate possible male causes. A trip to the urologist and a few lab tests can save time and heartache—not to mention thousands of dollars in more advanced solutions.

Fertility specialists begin by taking a medical history, physical examination and semen analysis.

Medical history

Urologists will ask detailed questions of your medical background because several diseases, conditions and surgeries adversely affect male fertility. Leading the category are surgeries involving reproductive organs (such as procedures for hernias or undescended testicles) and histories of disease (especially sexually transmitted diseases). Cancer patients may be infertile as a result of chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Lifestyle choices are also a big factor. Primary vices to control include alcohol, tobacco, steroids and marijuana. Heavy drinkers and serious pot smokers have lower testosterone levels and increased instances of abnormally shaped sperm (see “morphology” on the next page). That doesn’t mean their children will be abnormal, but their ability to conceive may be compromised.

If you frequently take hot baths, steams or saunas, back off for a while, since heat decreases the ability to make sperm. Similarly, tight pants can impair healthy blood flow and make it too warm downstairs.

Ten percent of all infertility is due to sexual dysfunction. If that’s an issue, just tell your doctor and ask for help. You can’t get on base if you can’t swing the bat.