Male Infertility

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• Videos and Tutorials

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

Infertility is a term doctors use if a man hasn't been able to get a woman pregnant after at least one year of trying. Causes of male infertility include:

• Physical problems with the testicles
• Blockages in the ducts that carry sperm
• Hormone problems
• A history of high fevers or mumps
• Genetic disorders
• Lifestyle or environmental factors

About a third of the time, infertility is because of a problem with the man. One third of the time, it is a problem with the woman. Sometimes no cause can be found.

If you suspect you are infertile, see your doctor. There are tests that may tell if you have fertility problems. When it is possible to find the cause, treatments may include medicines, surgery, or assisted reproductive technology. Happily, many couples treated for infertility are able to have babies.

NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Start Here

• How Common is Male Infertility, and What Are Its Causes? (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
• Male Infertility (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Semen Analysis (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Testosterone Levels Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Assisted Reproductive Technology: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Healthy Sperm: Improving Your Fertility (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• What Is Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)? (American Society for Reproductive Medicine)
• What Treatment Options Are Available for Male Infertility? (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Living With

• Foods that Can Affect Fertility (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)

Related Issues

• Fertility Issues in Boys and Men with Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Finasteride and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) Also in Spanish
• Hypogonadism in Men (Endocrine Society)

Specifics

• Dry Orgasm (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Low Sperm Count (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Sperm Morphology (Shape): Does It Affect Fertility? (American Society for Reproductive Medicine)

Genetics

• 48,XXYY syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• About Klinefelter Syndrome (National Human Genome Research Institute)
• Congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Globozoospermia: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Macrozoospermia: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Sensorineural deafness and male infertility: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Videos and Tutorials

• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Sperm release pathway (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

• High Plasticizer Levels In Males Linked to Delayed Pregnancy for Female Partners (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Infertility, Male (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Oligospermia (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Impact of Ureaplasma urealyticum infection on semen parameters and in vitro...
• Article: DNA breakpoints and free DNA fragments as potential predictors of infertility.
• Article: Direct and Gradual Electrical Testicular Shocks Stimulate Spermatogenesis and Activate Sperms...
• Male Infertility -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Semen analysis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Testicular biopsy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish