Top Causes of Male Infertility: Men as (In)Fertile as Women

Infertility is considered to be the inability to conceive a baby after one year of unprotected sex, and the numbers suggest that infertility is not just female condition.

Statistics says that as much as 35 to 40 percent of infertility cases are in connection with male infertility, just as much as female infertility, in addition to 20 to 30 percents that represent the combination of both male and female infertility causes. Most of the times there are options available to increase your chances of healthy conception.

If a couple is trying to conceive for more than a year, it is advisable to consult fertility specialist and consider options of fertility checkups.

There are several causes that influence male infertility, and the most common are the following:

Decreased sperm count Decreased sperm motility (that means that spermies are slow swimmers) Abnormality in size and shape of sperm Other possible problems with sperm

Problems mentioned above can be caused by following factors:

Genetics Testosterone deficiency Specific medicine and antibiotics Drug abuse (for example cocaine, amphetamines..) Abuse of anabolic steroids Alcohol abuse Smoking Possible prostate gland infections STDs that are not treated on time Varicose veins in testicles Exposure to excessive stress Exposure to chemotherapy Exposure to radiation Exposure to environmental toxins or poisons, such as pesticides, insecticides, lead, radiation, or heavy metals Exposure to DES during your mother s pregnancy (DES is a synthetic estrogen that was developed to supplement a woman's natural estrogen production; in US an estimated 5-10 million persons were exposed to DES during 1938-1971, pregnant women among them) Unbalanced nutrition, resulting in zinc deficiency Eating too much food high in phytoestrogens (eating too much soy products) Malformed genital organs