Are Women Solely Responsible for Infertility?

Even today, most people blame women for not conceiving. They firmly believe that infertility is a women’s issue because of which women still have to undergo a lot of societal and psychological pressure for not having a child.

After having progressed as a society and having access to so much awareness about infertility through social media, campaigns, and even education, this is the state.

But in truth, males are equally responsible. According to WHO, 50% of cases are male factor infertility. There has been a steady dip in the sperm count of males in the past three decades.

Dr. Nisarg Patel, a leading IVF doctor in Ahmedabad and the founder of Nisha IVF Centre, states, “Male infertility has been increasingly observed in men between the age group of 29-35. They have abnormal morphology, low sperm count, or poor motility.” 

He further says, “Many Indian men refuse to acknowledge that they may be the cause of infertility, which stops them from getting tested for male infertility. At our IVF hospital in Ahmedabad, we see many husbands who even refuse to attend treatment sessions. Couples come to us for female infertility treatment with thick folders of testing done on women but negligible or zero testing done on men.”

Why do women have to bear the brunt of infertility?

In India, millions of couples in their reproductive age have fertility issues that make it difficult for them to conceive.

Sadly, when it comes to infertility, women are generally held responsible. But the fact is, males and females equally contribute to the fertility issue. You can check the chart below.

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In our patriarchal society, men are viewed as being more powerful than women. They relate male masculinity, sexual capability, and power to having children. When a man cannot have a child, it makes him feel inferior, and he blames the woman for their inability to conceive. This prejudice puts women in an unfavorable situation, potentially resulting in psychological and physical abuse.

Continue reading to know about the causes and treatment options available to treat male infertility.

Yes, you read it right. There are treatments available that can help you father a child.  At Nisha IVF Centre in Ahmedabad, we have highly experienced IVF doctors and the most advanced male infertility treatment in Ahmedabad to help you realize your dream of becoming a parent.

And most importantly, we take great care in maintaining confidentiality and never share personal information with anyone.

What is male infertility?

Men who are unable to ejaculate, have low testosterone, or have low sperm count have fertility problems. Male infertility is quite common, and one man out of 20 has a low sperm count in their semen, whereas one in hundred men does not have sperm in their ejaculation.

Male infertility test

The fertility doctor will ask you to undergo a few tests to determine or rule out male infertility. 

• Blood tests: It is done to check for thyroid, testosterone, and hormone levels. The doctor may do genetic testing to verify chromosomal abnormalities.

• Semen analysis: This test gives a detailed analysis of the sperm’s quantity, quality, and motility.

• Scrotal ultrasound: It helps determine testicular problems and varicoceles.

At Nisha IVF hospital in Ahmedabad, we carry out all the above tests, and our expert professionals carefully examine the samples to get to the exact cause of the problem. 

What are the causes of male infertility?

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The following factors can cause infertility:

• Undescended testicles
• Genetic disorders
• Injury to the testicles or scrotum
• Retrograde or premature ejaculation
• Enlarged veins in the scrotum
• Testicular cancer
• Epididymis infection
• Hormonal issues

Apart from the above causes, other factors contribute to an increase in the rate of male infertility. According to Dr. Nisarg Patel, an accomplished IVF doctor in Ahmedabad, unhealthy lifestyles, stress, lack of physical activity, pollution, drinking alcohol, and smoking all negatively affect sperm parameters.

What are the treatments to overcome male infertility?

Medical science has made revolutionary breakthroughs in the field of reproductive science. We have come a long way from the first IVF baby. The IVF success rate has substantially increased, and newer methods and technology have been pioneered that offer positive results.

Now men with low sperm counts can father a child through assisted reproduction treatments such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), and IMSI (Intracytoplasmic morphologically-selected sperm injection).

At our IVF hospital in Ahmedabad, Nisha IVF, we offer the most advanced fertility treatments customized to your individual needs. We have a state-of-the-art IVF laboratory with highly experienced and competent embryologists. 

If sperm is not present in your ejaculate to undergo IVF treatment, our fertility specialist will perform one of these sperm retrieval procedures to collect the sperm: 

Image Source: https://www.kjkhospital.com/microsurgical-sperm-aspiration/

• Testicular Sperm Aspiration (TESA) – It is recommended for people with no sperm in their ejaculate (azoospermia). In this procedure, the doctor will remove fluid from the patient’s testicles with the help of a needle and check it for sperms. 
• Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE) – During this method, the fertility specialist will extract the sperm from the testicular tissue obtained through biopsy. It is one of the most successful methods to retrieve sperm for IVF treatment.
• Microsurgical Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (MESA) – This procedure is generally recommended for people with an epididymal or vassal issue. The doctor will cut open the scrotal skin exposing the epididymis and testis in this procedure. With the help of an operating microscope, he will extract the sperm from the epididymal tubules.
• Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESA) – This is a minimally invasive procedure wherein the doctor harvests the sperm from the epididymis with a thin needle.
• After the sperm retrieval procedure, the harvested sperm is used for fertility treatment. Given below are different types of fertility treatments available to help you conceive.

IVF Treatment

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During the IVF process, the eggs from the woman’s ovaries are harvested after the stimulation process that helps her produce more than one egg. The eggs and sperm are placed together in the petri-dish for fertilization. After the eggs are fertilized, the resultant embryos are transferred to the woman’s uterus after 3 to 5 days. 

ICSI Treatment

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ICSI is an advanced form of IVF treatment wherein a single sperm is injected into each of the retrieved eggs.  After fertilization, the fertility specialist will transfer one or two embryos into the uterus. This method is mainly used in the case of male infertility, where there is a limited number of sperm available.

At Nisha IVF Centre in Ahmedabad, we are experts in infertility treatment and have successfully handled thousands of cases. People from far and near visit us as we have a team of highly experienced fertility specialists, and our IVF success rate is also high.

Further, the IVF cost in Ahmedabad at our centre is affordable. We offer a range of personalized fertility tests and assessments, including unexplained infertility treatment according to your requirements. We guide and support you in your journey to parenthood.

Can we improve fertility?

Dr. Nisarg Patel, an IVF doctor in Ahmedabad and the Director of Nisha IVF Centre, is asked this question by many of his male patients who have fertility issues.

Below he has provided a few pointers that help men improve their fertility:

Overall health

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Good health and male fertility are strongly linked. The quantity and quality of your sperm can be affected by your nutrition, weight, medications, tobacco and alcohol intake, and other factors. 

Visit your doctor to discuss ways in which you can improve your lifestyle. 

Avoid potentially harmful heat-related activities.

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Prolonged exposure to excessive heat in the groin area can harm fertility. So, avoid carrying mobile phones in your pockets, having hot tub baths, and putting hot electronics on your groin area for a long period.

Exercise routine

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It would help if you did the regular exercises in a controlled manner. It is tricky as too much or too little exercise can impact your fertility. Moderation is the key to this situation. You can take the help of a reputed trainer to help set a routine that is beneficial to your overall and reproductive health.

Get your sperm tested.

Image Source: https://www.invitra.com/en/normozoospermia/sperm-sample-reference-values/

Getting your sperm tested is a sure shot way to have a clear picture of whether you have anything to worry about. Semen analysis is a simple test that gives you a complete result about your sperm’s quantity, quality, and motility. You can be aware of your fertility issues and take timely steps to improve them.

You can opt for sperm freezing to safeguard your fertility for future use if need be.

You can contact Nisha IVF Centre in Ahmedabad if you have any concerns regarding male infertility treatment. Our highly experienced IVF doctor in Ahmedabad will diagnose and provide the most appropriate treatment options to help overcome male infertility.