Male infertility: Shining a light on male infertility and removing the stigma

According to scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, sperm counts among men in the West have more than halved in the past 40 years and are currently failing by an average of 1.4 per cent a year. Doctor Larissa said: “Men are often the neglected, shame ridden and forgotten part of the infertility. Whether it be a medical issue affecting their ability to conceive, or whether it’s the burden of anger and frustration they have to bear seeing the person they love most in the world struggle to conceive, the emotions engendered are many and complex, yet often endured in silence. There still continues to be a stigma around male infertility, which is nowhere near as widely discussed as a female problem, and this stigma is even seen in the medical profession where the term ‘andrological ignorance’ has been coined to describe the paucity of male fertility treatments and male contraception, compared to the female were there are many more options.”

Male infertility is due to low sperm production, abnormal sperm function or blockages that prevent the delivery of sperm.

The impact of this on a man could be devastating. Doctor Corda explained: “A survey done in 2017 found that 93 per cent of men said that infertility had a negative impact on their lives, their wellbeing and self esteem.

“Men claimed to feel depressed, anxious, lonely and even suicidal. The incidence of male suicide is increasing, yet we continue to shroud issues which affect men in cultural taboos and creating even more of a barrier for me to talk.

“Men are being left in the dark about the importance of sperm health to pregnancy and the health of the future child, which means a delay in recognising there is a problem and presenting to the doctor, which can ultimately end up compromising the success of any treatment.”

Symptoms of male infertility are not always noticeable however signs of infertility could include:

  • Problems with sexual function such as difficulty with ejaculation
  • Pain, swelling or a lump in the testicle area
  • Recurrent respiratory infections
  • Inability to smell
  • Abnormal breast growth
  • Decreased facial or body hair
  • A lower than normal sperm count

“We cannot have a conversation about infertility without involving the men too.

“Their contribution to the process of conception is just as important as a woman’s and it’s time we start discussing it on equal terms as well, providing men with an arena to discuss their problems in, but also with good education on practical changes they can make and start to help optimise their chance of success when it comes to having a baby later down the line,” said Doctor Corda.

“Despite the fact that studies have shown a man’s fertility at the age of 40 is about half of that of a man aged 20.

“And the fact that sperm counts are declining all over the world, such that over 15 per cent of young men now have poor semen quality.

“There doesn’t seem to be the same push to raise fertility awareness in men and enable them to be more proactive, so that they can detect any problems sooner rather than later and still have time to optimise their sperm production.”

source: express.co.uk