LCHM Summer 2017 - 9
L C M E D S O C .O R G MALE INFERTILITY affects couples' ability to conceive BY WENDY J. SCHILLINGS, MD A pproximately 15 percent of couples, or one in six, have difficulty becoming pregnant. Evaluation of both partners is advised if a couple has not conceived after one year of trying, or after six months if the women is over 35 years old. More than 50 percent of the time, a male infertility factor is contributing to the couple's inability to conceive. A semen analysis is used to evaluate sperm. This test looks at multiple factors, including the number of sperm, semen volume, white blood cell count, agglutination, sperm shape (morphology) and the quality of sperm movement (motility). Appropriate abstinence of two to seven days is advised to prevent abnormalities resulting from sperm not having enough time to recover versus old sperm, which may die in the testes. Semen analysis can vary greatly from specimen to specimen. All men, on average, will have an abnormal semen analysis 20 percent of the time, so if the first sample is abnormal, a repeat semen analysis should be performed at least one month after the initial test. Other testing, such as antisperm antibody testing, testicular ultrasound, urine and semen cultures, and genetic and hormone testing may be advised to determine the cause of male infertility. Male factor infertility is typically due to low sperm quality or quantity. When a male has an abnormal semen analysis, it is often difficult to know the exact origin of the abnormality. Continued on page 10 SUMMER 2017 | Lehigh County Health & Medicine 9
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