Causes Of Secondary Infertility In Males

This condition arises when a couple has at least one child, is trying to get pregnant again, but doesn't conceive after at least one year of trying. This diagnosis can be confusing. You had no trouble getting pregnant last time. So, why isn't it happening now? In many cases, about one-third of all the secondary infertility cases can be traced to be originated in men.

Kanchi Khurana, Senior Fertility Consultant, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Chandigarh, explains: "Secondary infertility strikes a man as he ages and usually comes to the fore when the couple tries for a second child but are unable to conceive one. But not all men suffer from secondary infertility. A healthy lifestyle, exercise and cutting down on vices like alcohol and tobacco can go a long way in boosting the sperm health of men. But despite doing all the good things, some men do suffer from secondary infertility."

Causes Of Secondary Infertility In Men

Varicocele: This condition is responsible for 1 in 5 male secondary infertility cases. Varicocele is an enlargement of veins in the scrotum or the sac of the skin encasing the testicles. This is one of the most common conditions causing decreased sperm production and infertility in men. About 30 percent of the infertile men may have varicocele. A heated environment can be deadly for sperm, causing them to diminish and die.

Reduced or decreased testosterone levels: Testosterone or male sex hormone as it is commonly referred to plays a key role in sperm production. Levels of testosterone can be decreased due to aging, injury to genital or urinary organs or certain medical conditions such as genitourinary infections, thyroid disease, DM, TB, Mumps, Smallpox, Stress or surgery of the genital tract.

Unhealthy Habits: Tobacco, drugs and alcohol can make life hard for your little swimmers. It's one thing to have got healthily pregnant these last time around, but a build-up of toxins in your body may eventually catch up with you, masquerading as secondary infertility.

Poor semen quality: As age advances the quality of semen (that carries sperm) tends to decline. After the age of 40 years, poor-quality semen is one of the most common causes of secondary infertility in males.

Stress: Stress can unleash a torrent of setbacks -- premature age lines, insomnia, chronic anxiety and perhaps worst of all, infertility. Even if you were under just as much stress before your first child was born, it's possible that the mental pressure has now snowballed into a physical manifestation.

Prostate enlargement or prostate removal: Prostate enlargement causes low sperm count and may hinder ejaculation. Prostate removal due to cancer or other conditions can cause retrograde ejaculation and hence infertility.

Use of drugs: Some antibiotics and a few medications used to treat high blood pressure for example can affect sperm count and quality. Also, chemotherapy or radiotherapy used for most cancers will decrease the sperm count and quality.

Use of commercial sexual lubricant: These non-toxic, natural lubricants including peanut, sunflower and vegetable oils and petroleum jellies are toxic to sperms and hence decrease fertility.

Exposure to chemicals: Pesticides, lead, industrial chemicals and excessive heat or cold can impact a man's fertility. In the world we live in, we are unwittingly exposed to toxins every day. But some toxins are even more damaging than others. Lead-laden products, pesticides, harmful chemicals and radiation are vicious for sperm.

Excessive weight gain: This decreases the levels of testosterone and increases estrogen levels. Obesity, overweight and type 2 diabetes are common causes of infertility. Often, an increase in weight disrupts the hormonal equilibrium, leading to hampered sperm production and quality.

(IANS)