This archive report was first published on 21 April 2020.
According to Dr. Kireki Omanwa, an obstetrician and fertility specialist, infertility in men can be caused by several factors.
One of the main causes is blocked tubes, which can be caused by a sexually transmitted disease. This blockage affects the tubes that bring sperm down to the urethra, preventing sperm from being ejaculated.
“Sperm is produced in the testes and is stored in the epididymis. During intercourse, when a man is having an orgasm, in a microsecond sperms are transported from the storage and get mixed with prostate gland fluid and comes out as an ejaculate. You can ejaculate seminal fluid without sperm if the tubes are blocked,” Dr. Kireki explains.
Another cause of infertility in men is hormonal imbalance. If a man has an excess of female hormones, it can deter the production of sperms. Dr. Kireki notes that when a patient presents themselves, they first ask for a semen sample. When the analysis shows that there is no sperm, they ask them to do a blood test for a hormone check.
Undescended testicles are also a cause of infertility in men. Normally, when a baby boy is in the mother’s womb, before delivery, the testicles descend and get into the scrotum. However, sometimes this is not always the case, and one of the testicles can remain in the canal. If this is not discovered early, and measures are not put in place to pull it down, the boy may grow up to face fertility issues.
Abnormal connections of the tubes in men can also cause infertility. Dr. Kireki points out that sometimes the connections of the tubes can have a misalignment or disconnection. This can cause sperm to flow back into the bladder and into urine instead of being ejaculated.
Other causes of infertility in men include cancer treatments like radiation therapy, autoimmune diseases, and conditions like diabetes where the drugs can cause low libido and infertility.
