Simple surgery can correct most common cause of male infertility
Infertility can be a curse on couples in modern times. Because there are several treatment options open to them, couples are often confused on the procedure to adopt and are often unaware of the prognosis. However a new procedure promises to help correct the most common cause of infertility in men.
This minimally invasive treatment called embolization was also able to identify the sperm motility before the procedure as a vital factor in the success or failure of the treatment. Scientists at the University of Bonn in Germany presented the findings of their study at the yearly meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.
The procedure is not tedious and patients are usually able to return to normal activities in 24 hours. In the present study, Sebastian Flacke and colleagues studied 223 infertile men having a minimum of one varicocele. The researchers reported that 226 of the overall 228 varicoceles present in the men were treated by embolization.
After three months 173 patients underwent a semen analysis, which showed that sperm motility and sperm count had improved after the procedure. Within six months 26 percent of these patients had reported a pregnancy.
“We found that spermatic vein embolization combined with anti-inflammatory treatment improves sperm motility and sperm count in infertile men with varicoceles,” Sebastian Flacke, who is an assistant professor of radiology at the University of Bonn, said.
The most common cause of infertility in men is a varicocele. These varicoceles occur when the blood is unable to circulate out of testicles due to the presence of defective valves in the veins that regulate the blood flow through the heart and the testicles. The result is the presence of a mesh of blood vessels in the scrotum leading to a varicose vein or varicocele.
The National Institutes of Health say that most cases of varicocele occur between 15 to 25 years of age. They are often symptomless, but at times can cause pain and fertility problems. The latter is believed to be caused by the pooling of warm blood in the scrotal area leading to decreased sperm count and motility.
The minimally invasive procedure of embolization is carried out by first placing a small nick in the groin area and then using x-ray to insert a small catheter to the affected vein.
“This study confirms that varicocele repair can significantly improve sperm count and motility,” Dr. Flacke said.
Thursday, December 7
Friday, November 24
Cell Phone = Male Infertility?
A new medical study has shown a correlation between low sperm count and high mobile phone usage, suggesting that mobile phone usage could affect male fertility.
A team led by Ashok Agarwal at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio found that out of 361 infertility patients, those that had the lowest sperm count and sperm with the lowest motility used their mobiles more than 4 hours a day. They produced 40% less sperm than those who didn't use phones at all.
Other studies have also shown that close exposure to radiation from mobile phones also damages sperm in the lab.
Experts examining results of the latest study point out that the study doesn't actually make a causal link between mobile phone usage and infertility, because other lifestyle factors could be affecting the sperm count. It could be that men who are more sedentary, and therefore more overweight, tend to use their phone more than those who are up and about. They could also be more stressed.
A team led by Ashok Agarwal at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio found that out of 361 infertility patients, those that had the lowest sperm count and sperm with the lowest motility used their mobiles more than 4 hours a day. They produced 40% less sperm than those who didn't use phones at all.
Other studies have also shown that close exposure to radiation from mobile phones also damages sperm in the lab.
Experts examining results of the latest study point out that the study doesn't actually make a causal link between mobile phone usage and infertility, because other lifestyle factors could be affecting the sperm count. It could be that men who are more sedentary, and therefore more overweight, tend to use their phone more than those who are up and about. They could also be more stressed.
Tuesday, September 26
Organon And Schering AG To Continue Research In Male Fertility Control Separately
Organon and Schering AG have announced that their research collaboration into a male hormonal contraceptive will conclude at the end of the phase II clinical trial.
Both companies described the collaboration as constructive, but came to the conclusion that the administration route investigated in the trial, which combined an annual implant with three-monthly injections, would unlikely result in a product that would be acceptable for widespread everyday use. Both companies remain committed to research in male contraception and will build on the knowledge gained from the collaboration to seek improvements in how such a contraceptive can be better administered.
The collaboration was announced in November 2002. The phase II trial which started in January 2004, was designed to test the reliability and acceptability of two hormones in combination which were known to have a suppressive effect on sperm production.
Commenting on the collaboration, David Nicholson, executive vice president, Global Research and Development, Organon, said: "The phase II trial was important as it showed that a progestogen combined with testosterone can work as a male contraceptive. Our next step is to find a way to make it easy to use and acceptable to the population.
Phil Smits, senior vice president, Global Business Unit Gynecology and Andrology, Schering, added: "For both Organon and Schering - as well as our clinical and scientific colleagues worldwide - this has been a long and demanding research program. However, we accept the challenge of developing what we have learned so far into a convenient contraceptive method for men. Male fertility control remains an important research area for Schering."
The trial medication and modes of administration were based on results from earlier studies showing that sperm production could be suppressed to contraceptive levels by the progestogen etonogestrel given as a subcutaneous implant, which was developed by Organon. While, at the same time, the resulting testosterone deficiency could be minimized with an injection of long-acting testosterone undecanoate, developed by Schering. Data from the trials will be jointly published upon final analysis.
Both companies described the collaboration as constructive, but came to the conclusion that the administration route investigated in the trial, which combined an annual implant with three-monthly injections, would unlikely result in a product that would be acceptable for widespread everyday use. Both companies remain committed to research in male contraception and will build on the knowledge gained from the collaboration to seek improvements in how such a contraceptive can be better administered.
The collaboration was announced in November 2002. The phase II trial which started in January 2004, was designed to test the reliability and acceptability of two hormones in combination which were known to have a suppressive effect on sperm production.
Commenting on the collaboration, David Nicholson, executive vice president, Global Research and Development, Organon, said: "The phase II trial was important as it showed that a progestogen combined with testosterone can work as a male contraceptive. Our next step is to find a way to make it easy to use and acceptable to the population.
Phil Smits, senior vice president, Global Business Unit Gynecology and Andrology, Schering, added: "For both Organon and Schering - as well as our clinical and scientific colleagues worldwide - this has been a long and demanding research program. However, we accept the challenge of developing what we have learned so far into a convenient contraceptive method for men. Male fertility control remains an important research area for Schering."
The trial medication and modes of administration were based on results from earlier studies showing that sperm production could be suppressed to contraceptive levels by the progestogen etonogestrel given as a subcutaneous implant, which was developed by Organon. While, at the same time, the resulting testosterone deficiency could be minimized with an injection of long-acting testosterone undecanoate, developed by Schering. Data from the trials will be jointly published upon final analysis.
Friday, September 8
Faculty's Siscovery Advances Infertility Research
Research on the DNA in the sperm of tiny soil worms sheds new light on the causes of human male infertility. Diana S. Chu, assistant professor of biology, is lead author on the paper, "Sperm Chromatin Proteomics Identifies Evolutionarily Conserved Fertility Factors," which identifies new proteins critical to the production of healthy sperm. Chu's cutting-edge research is the cover story of the Sept. 7 issue of the journal Nature.
Male infertility contributes to about 30 percent of reproductive failure in the United States. "Male fertility treatments go around the cause," Chu said. "No one knows the molecular basis of infertility ... how the proteins work." Her research concentrates on identifying these causes. The identification of the factors that function in fertility and reproduction could define new avenues for understanding human male infertility, finding appropriate treatments, and/or identifying male contraceptive methods.
Read More...
Male infertility contributes to about 30 percent of reproductive failure in the United States. "Male fertility treatments go around the cause," Chu said. "No one knows the molecular basis of infertility ... how the proteins work." Her research concentrates on identifying these causes. The identification of the factors that function in fertility and reproduction could define new avenues for understanding human male infertility, finding appropriate treatments, and/or identifying male contraceptive methods.
Read More...
Risky Business
Threat to fertility? Poor ergonomics? Possibility of fire? Laptop usage isn't without its potential hazards
If your neck hurts, or pecs feel particularly flabby today or if your crotch feels warm, turn off your laptop and put it aside for a moment.As hundreds of students head back to school and the ever-shrinking devices — now de rigueur for post-secondary and many secondary students — pop up in classroom and dorms, few people seem worried about the health hazards that intense use could bring. With 7 million laptops in use throughout the country, according to IDC Canada, which tracks technology trends, many Canadians, especially travelling businesspeople or those who use laptops as their main computer, are potentially doing their bodies harm.Most men might psychosomatically shudder to hear that a laptop, used in its most literal and seemingly innocuous way, balanced atop thighs in an airport lounge or bohemian coffeehouse, could affect their fertility.
Read More...
Thursday, September 7
Delaying Fatherhood Carries Risks, Studies Show
Biological clocks tick not only in women, but also for men fathering a child later in life, experts are finding.
It's not unusual to see men in their 50s and 60s starting new families. Men in their 80s can sire offspring.
"David Letterman, Charlie Chaplin — they had children at an older age," said Dr. Peter Chan, a urologist at the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal. "So that's the kind of mentality people have to think that it is OK to postpone fertility, which is fine except that they have to understand they're doing a bit of genetic gambling if they have children too late."
Having a high sperm count is no guarantee genetic material is free of age-related mutations.
Older fathers are at higher risk of producing children with physical malformations such as hemophilia and Duchenes muscular dystrophy, as well as mental disorders.
This week, one study suggested children born to men in their 50s are nine times more likely to develop autism than children born to men in their 20s or 30s.
Another study concluded men in their 50s are three times more likely to have a child that develops schizophrenia compared with those born to men in their 20s.
The problems can occur since sperm in a 50-year-old man may have gone through double or triple the number of cell divisions as sperm from a 20-year-old, said Chan.
"It's like making photocopies," he said. "The more copies you make, the lower the resolution and the lower the quality."
Researchers are beginning to understand more about the male biological clock.
They say there is no definitive answer on how old is "too old," but most sperm banks in North America won't accept donations from men older than 40.
CBC News
It's not unusual to see men in their 50s and 60s starting new families. Men in their 80s can sire offspring.
"David Letterman, Charlie Chaplin — they had children at an older age," said Dr. Peter Chan, a urologist at the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal. "So that's the kind of mentality people have to think that it is OK to postpone fertility, which is fine except that they have to understand they're doing a bit of genetic gambling if they have children too late."
Having a high sperm count is no guarantee genetic material is free of age-related mutations.
Older fathers are at higher risk of producing children with physical malformations such as hemophilia and Duchenes muscular dystrophy, as well as mental disorders.
This week, one study suggested children born to men in their 50s are nine times more likely to develop autism than children born to men in their 20s or 30s.
Another study concluded men in their 50s are three times more likely to have a child that develops schizophrenia compared with those born to men in their 20s.
The problems can occur since sperm in a 50-year-old man may have gone through double or triple the number of cell divisions as sperm from a 20-year-old, said Chan.
"It's like making photocopies," he said. "The more copies you make, the lower the resolution and the lower the quality."
Researchers are beginning to understand more about the male biological clock.
They say there is no definitive answer on how old is "too old," but most sperm banks in North America won't accept donations from men older than 40.
CBC News
Wednesday, September 6
Worm Sperm Gives Clue To Male Infertility
U.S. scientists say they have used the nematode worm to identify a raft of new proteins vital for healthy sperm production.
Barbara Meyer and colleagues at the University of California-Berkeley said the quality of sperm chromatin -- DNA packaged with associated proteins -- is known to be an important indicator of male fertility. Meyer's team wanted to identify proteins important for sperm chromatin structure.
They purified those proteins uniquely and richly associated with sperm chromatin in the worm Caenorhabditis elegans and tested their function using RNA interference of all 132 proteins identified.
The team found some were vital for DNA packaging, chromosome segregation and fertility.
In some cases, it's already known that disabling the equivalent proteins in mice causes male sterility. That list of proteins may help identify causes of and diagnostic tests for unexplained male infertility in humans or provide targets for male contraceptives.
Tuesday, September 5
Heated Seats In Cars Blamed For Low Male Fertility
Heated seats in cars may be more to blame for declining male fertility than tight trousers, a urologist warned Tuesday, two days before a German conference on men's illnesses. Herbert Sperling, who is to chair the meeting in Dusseldorf, said electrically heated seat covers, which are popular in wintry places, could reduce the growth of sperm.
Slow and mis-shapen sperm were also more common in drivers who spent long periods on hot seats.
"I think heated seats are a bigger risk than tight trousers," said Sperling, referring to common guidance that loose clothing may promote male fertility. The seats heated the temperature of the testicles to 38 degrees celsius, 3 degrees more than normal, he said.
Raw Story
Slow and mis-shapen sperm were also more common in drivers who spent long periods on hot seats.
"I think heated seats are a bigger risk than tight trousers," said Sperling, referring to common guidance that loose clothing may promote male fertility. The seats heated the temperature of the testicles to 38 degrees celsius, 3 degrees more than normal, he said.
Raw Story
Monday, September 4
Extra Weight Tied To Male Infertility In New Study
Gentlemen, here's one more reason to stay slim: Packing on extra pounds may increase the risk of male infertility, a new study says.
The preliminary research, conducted at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, finds that the heavier one group of men became, the greater their chances of fertility woes.
That's sobering news in a country confronting an obesity epidemic.
"We know more and more men have become overweight but no one has looked at this fertility issue before," said Donna Day Baird, a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences researcher involved with the study.
Baird's team didn't actually set out to explore the topic. But while mining data on the health of a large group of North Carolina and Iowa farmers, they spotted signs of fertility problems.
When they sorted the men by weight, the frequency of infertility rose along with heft. A 20-pound increase in men's weight correlated to a 10 percent increase in infertility, meaning the men and their wives failed to get pregnant after 12 months of trying.
Researchers screened out couples where the wives were 40 or older, since fertility in women declines sharply in those years.
The results are published in the September issue of the journal Epidemiol- ogy.
Before public health alarms get sounded, Baird said, she wants to confirm the findings in additional groups of men, a project she has started with data collected in Norway. If the findings hold, researchers should also inquire whether losing weight diminishes the risk of infertility among men.
"The little bit of research that exists on women suggests that is the case. It would be my hypothesis that would be true for men too," Baird said.
Multiple questions concerning male infertility linger already. Recent federal estimates say about 9 percent of married couples trying to conceive encounter infertility problems.
Research attributes at least 25 percent of the difficulty to men. But treatment of male infertility works only once every five times, as opposed to 80 percent of the time for women.
This new infertility study doesn't answer why overweight men may lean toward fertility problems. But earlier research has shown that overweight men can have reduced sperm counts, for instance, and lower testosterone levels.
It could also be that overweight men have less sex. Research at Duke University two years ago showed that men and women seeking treatment for obesity experience more sexual impairments than people outside treatment.
In that study involving a group of 506 weight-loss patients, 41 percent said they either didn't enjoy sexual activity, had no sexual desire, experienced difficulty with sexual performance or avoided sex. Only 5 percent of people with normal weigh reported the same.
The good news is that more research shows that even moderate weight loss can reduce those difficulties.
Catherine Clabby
The preliminary research, conducted at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, finds that the heavier one group of men became, the greater their chances of fertility woes.
That's sobering news in a country confronting an obesity epidemic.
"We know more and more men have become overweight but no one has looked at this fertility issue before," said Donna Day Baird, a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences researcher involved with the study.
Baird's team didn't actually set out to explore the topic. But while mining data on the health of a large group of North Carolina and Iowa farmers, they spotted signs of fertility problems.
When they sorted the men by weight, the frequency of infertility rose along with heft. A 20-pound increase in men's weight correlated to a 10 percent increase in infertility, meaning the men and their wives failed to get pregnant after 12 months of trying.
Researchers screened out couples where the wives were 40 or older, since fertility in women declines sharply in those years.
The results are published in the September issue of the journal Epidemiol- ogy.
Before public health alarms get sounded, Baird said, she wants to confirm the findings in additional groups of men, a project she has started with data collected in Norway. If the findings hold, researchers should also inquire whether losing weight diminishes the risk of infertility among men.
"The little bit of research that exists on women suggests that is the case. It would be my hypothesis that would be true for men too," Baird said.
Multiple questions concerning male infertility linger already. Recent federal estimates say about 9 percent of married couples trying to conceive encounter infertility problems.
Research attributes at least 25 percent of the difficulty to men. But treatment of male infertility works only once every five times, as opposed to 80 percent of the time for women.
This new infertility study doesn't answer why overweight men may lean toward fertility problems. But earlier research has shown that overweight men can have reduced sperm counts, for instance, and lower testosterone levels.
It could also be that overweight men have less sex. Research at Duke University two years ago showed that men and women seeking treatment for obesity experience more sexual impairments than people outside treatment.
In that study involving a group of 506 weight-loss patients, 41 percent said they either didn't enjoy sexual activity, had no sexual desire, experienced difficulty with sexual performance or avoided sex. Only 5 percent of people with normal weigh reported the same.
The good news is that more research shows that even moderate weight loss can reduce those difficulties.
Catherine Clabby
Saturday, September 2
Male Infertility May Have Obesity Link
New research shows a possible link between male infertility and obesity. The link -- based on male BMI (body mass index, which relates height to weight) -- hasn’t been proven and needs further study, the researchers stress. “To our knowledge this was the first study to examine male BMI and couple fertility. Thus, it is important that the findings will be confirmed or refuted in future studies,” researcher Markku Sallmen, PhD, tells WebMD in an email. Sallmen worked on the study while at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and is now based at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in Helsinki, Finland. The study appears in Epidemiology’s September edition. Complex Issue
It’s often hard to pin down the source of infertility. Men and women may each have risk factors for infertility. For instance, women may have a harder time conceiving as they near the end of their childbearing years. Also, “it is well documented that women who are overweight or obese are at higher risk of reproductive problems, including reduced fertility,” the researchers write. But little has been known about what effect, if any, men’s BMI has on infertility, Sallmen’s team notes. Sallmen and colleagues studied 2,111 couples in Iowa and North Carolina. The men in those couples were mainly farmers; their wives were less than 40 years old. The researchers asked the men’s wives about infertility, defined as not conceiving a pregnancy after at least 12 months of unprotected sex in the previous four years, even if the wives later got pregnant. The husbands and wives reported their height and weight. The researchers used that data to calculate BMI. The couples didn’t get checkups or infertility tests for the study. But the researchers noted factors including the wives’ BMI and the age, smoking status, alcohol use, and exposure to solvents and pesticides for husbands and wives. Study’s Findings Compared with men with normal BMI of 20-22, those who had a three-point increase in BMI were 10 percent more likely to be a partner in an infertile couple during the four-year study period. “The results were the same when we limited the analysis to couples with female BMI of less than 26,” Sallmen tells WebMD. “I think that this finding offers further support for the idea that men's BMI is an independent risk factor for infertility,” Sallmen adds. However, the study has limits. For example, Sallmen’s team doesn’t know how often the couples had sex. It’s possible, but not certain, that heavier men had sex less often. Also, the data don't show if BMI changed over time for the husbands or wives. And about 30% of the husbands didn’t provide full information for BMI calculations. 'Plausible' but Not Proven “It is biologically plausible for high male BMI to increase the risk of infertility,” the researchers write. However, they write that their findings “must be viewed as supportive but not confirmatory of an association given the limitations of the study data." In other words, don’t count on the findings being correct unless other studies back up the results. If confirmed, the findings suggest that some cases of male infertility may be “an additional price associated with obesity epidemic,” write Sallmen and colleagues.
Thursday, August 31
Inhibin B Is A Better Marker Of Spermatogenesis Than Other Hormones In The Evaluation Of Male Factor Infertiliy
UroToday.com - Synopsis: This prospective study was designed to to assess the role of inhibin B in the evaluation of male factor infertility. There were Seventy-five patients with infertility problems (mean age 31.2 ± 7.5 years) and 12 controls (32.1 ± 8.8 years) with proven fertility. Semen analysis was performed according to World Health Organization guidelines. Testicular volume was assessed with the Prader's orchidometer. Serum levels of inhibin B (pg/mL), LH (mIU/mL), FSH (mIU/mL), prolactin (micro IU/mL), and testosterone (nmol/L) were assessed. The mean ± SEM inhibin B and testosterone levels were significantly lower in the patients than in the controls (inhibin B: 116.4 ± 11.7 vs. 181.2 ± 20.9, P=.008; testosterone. Sperm count and testicular volume in the patients were significantly and positively correlated with inhibin B. Inhibin B in the patients was negatively correlated with gonadotropinsand was positively correlated with testosterone.
Editorial Comment:
This somewhat limited study confirms the previously held notion that serum inhibin B levels are significanlty correlated with spermatogensis. However, the authors fail to demonstrate the clinical utility of the Inhibin level as compared to FSH. When FSH levels were normal, inhibin levels added no additional diagnostic value. They note that inhibin levels do correlate with spermatogenesis in varicocele patients whereas FSH did not and hypothesize that inhibin levels may have some predictive value for outcome after varicocelectomy. Clearly inhibin is an important dimeric hormone reflecting spermatogenesis. It measurement has not been demonstrated to effect the treatment of the infertile patient at this time.
By Harris M. Nagler, MD
Fertility and Sterility Vol 86, No 2 August 2006
Editorial Comment:
This somewhat limited study confirms the previously held notion that serum inhibin B levels are significanlty correlated with spermatogensis. However, the authors fail to demonstrate the clinical utility of the Inhibin level as compared to FSH. When FSH levels were normal, inhibin levels added no additional diagnostic value. They note that inhibin levels do correlate with spermatogenesis in varicocele patients whereas FSH did not and hypothesize that inhibin levels may have some predictive value for outcome after varicocelectomy. Clearly inhibin is an important dimeric hormone reflecting spermatogenesis. It measurement has not been demonstrated to effect the treatment of the infertile patient at this time.
By Harris M. Nagler, MD
Fertility and Sterility Vol 86, No 2 August 2006
Thursday, August 24
Male Fertility Home Test Kit by Fertell
Developed by the University of Birmingham in collaboration with London based medical devices company Genosis, this OTC mobile sperm counter will be available in the UK in a matter of days. From the University of Birmingham press release:
The test works by forcing sperm to swim through a barrier, which mimics the female cervix. The device then measures the number of sperm, which swim beyond this point. By including a barrier, the device is able to accurately measure the concentration of active sperm, which is a key indicator of male fertility. If a high enough level of sperm is present in the sample a red line indicates a positive test.During the study the team looked at samples from 150 subjects. The test provided an accurate result in 95% of cases, whether the original sample showed a negative or positive test result.
During the development of the test the research team analysed more than 3000 individual sperm samples.
Professor Chris Barratt from the University of Birmingham Medical School who led the research said: "The Fertell test should provide couples who are trying to conceive with an early warning. At the moment many couples are advised to wait for around a year before seeking medical attention, but age can have a very significant negative impact on fertility, so having reliable information at an early stage can be a huge advantage."
The press release...
Product page at Genosis...
Thanks to MedGadget
Incorrect Lifestyle May Be the Cause of Male Infertility
Male fertility is facing a steady downfall. Unlike women, who are born with a finite number of eggs, men are continually producing sperm. According to the Male Fertility Study, compiled by Norwich Union Healthcare, nearly one in 10 men may be suffering from infertility. Some of the factors that may have an effect on male fertility are traffic pollution, laptops, mobile phones, tight pants and hot tubs, nappies, smoking, overeating, seafood, fast food and driving.
Blaming pollution as one of the causes of male infertility, scientists believe that nitrogen oxide and lead in exhaust fumes may be the culprits.
Scrotal hyperthermia has been identified as another risk factor for male infertility according to a study published in the February issue of the journal Human Reproduction. Scientists from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook New York found that laptops can reach internal operating temperatures of over 70º C, and as they are frequently placed close to the scrotum, may be the cause of infertility.
Scientist also discourage the use of tight pants and hot tubs as they can lead to overheating sperm-producing cells in testicles, which lowers sperm
Source: MedIndia
Blaming pollution as one of the causes of male infertility, scientists believe that nitrogen oxide and lead in exhaust fumes may be the culprits.
Scrotal hyperthermia has been identified as another risk factor for male infertility according to a study published in the February issue of the journal Human Reproduction. Scientists from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook New York found that laptops can reach internal operating temperatures of over 70º C, and as they are frequently placed close to the scrotum, may be the cause of infertility.
Scientist also discourage the use of tight pants and hot tubs as they can lead to overheating sperm-producing cells in testicles, which lowers sperm
Source: MedIndia
Wednesday, August 23
Factors affecting fertility
Dear Dr. Sangani, I have been married for five years. We do not have any children. I am getting worried that there may be something wrong with me. At what point should I go to a specialist for further evaluation for infertility or is it normal not to have a children for five years after marriage?
From somebody who is afraid of infertility.
Dear Ms. Infertility,
It was not mentioned in your letter but I am assuming that you have tried all normal methods to get pregnant and that you have not had any stillbirths, etc.
I have invited Dr. Subodh Chauhan, who is a board certified obstetrics-gynecologist practicing in Houston, Tex., to answer your question.
Q: What is infertility?
A: Infertility is failure to achieve pregnancy within 12 months of trying. Those who have never been pregnant have primary infertility. Those couples who once were pregnant and now fail to get pregnant are said to have secondary infertility. One in six couples will seek help for infertility. Fortunately recent advances are able to help a large number of women.
Q: What causes infertility?
A: Infertility has many causes. Lack of ovulation, tubal block, male infertility, tubal adhesions, endometriosis, uterine distortion due to fibroids are some of the common causes.
Lack of ovulation: A common cause is polycystic ovarian disease which occurs in six percent of women. It is characterized by irregular cycles, excessive hair growth, overweight and associated with insulin dysfunction (insulin resistance]. Some women have a small quantity of eggs which get used up earlier. This leads to failure of ovulation. These conditions can be due to genetics or destruction of ovarian tissue due to surgery or chemotherapy. Women who fail to have menstrual cycles are unlikely to have ovulation. They need expert evaluation. Women treated by depo provera may ovulate after nine to 12 months.
Tubal block: Tubal blockage is caused by infection. Sexually transmitted diseases are the known culprits but in the majority there is no evidence of sexually transmitted disease and the subclinical infection due to other bacteria is the likely offender. At times, the tube gets blocked and filled with fluid which is called hydrosalpinx. If there is history of tubal pregnancy (ectopic pregnancy) and surgery is done, a part of the tube is lost and causes tubal block. Tubal ligation causes tubal block.
Male infertility: In 40 percent of couples, male factor is the cause for infertility. Smoking, excessive alcohol, street drugs, exposure to pesticides and radiation can affect the sperm count. At times, lost genetic material or abnormal number of chromosomes can cause low or absent sperm count. Sperm production is optimum at temperatures lower than core body temperature. Using hot tubs in excess can influence sperm count. If there was an undescended testis which was not repaired in infancy the prognosis of sperm production is poor. Hernia surgery, injury to testis during sports and twisting of testis affect blood flow and can affect sperm function.
Tubal adhesions: These are commonly due to previous surgery or due to endometriosis. Endometriosis is presence of cells outside the uterus which are normally in the uterus During menses, the uterine lining is shed and patients who have endometriosis have bleeding in the abdomen that is associated with pelvic pain and at times with pain during intercourse.
Fibroids: These are tumors of the uterine muscle which are benign in nature and cause distortion of the uterine cavity.
(from the Sun Herald)
From somebody who is afraid of infertility.
Dear Ms. Infertility,
It was not mentioned in your letter but I am assuming that you have tried all normal methods to get pregnant and that you have not had any stillbirths, etc.
I have invited Dr. Subodh Chauhan, who is a board certified obstetrics-gynecologist practicing in Houston, Tex., to answer your question.
Q: What is infertility?
A: Infertility is failure to achieve pregnancy within 12 months of trying. Those who have never been pregnant have primary infertility. Those couples who once were pregnant and now fail to get pregnant are said to have secondary infertility. One in six couples will seek help for infertility. Fortunately recent advances are able to help a large number of women.
Q: What causes infertility?
A: Infertility has many causes. Lack of ovulation, tubal block, male infertility, tubal adhesions, endometriosis, uterine distortion due to fibroids are some of the common causes.
Lack of ovulation: A common cause is polycystic ovarian disease which occurs in six percent of women. It is characterized by irregular cycles, excessive hair growth, overweight and associated with insulin dysfunction (insulin resistance]. Some women have a small quantity of eggs which get used up earlier. This leads to failure of ovulation. These conditions can be due to genetics or destruction of ovarian tissue due to surgery or chemotherapy. Women who fail to have menstrual cycles are unlikely to have ovulation. They need expert evaluation. Women treated by depo provera may ovulate after nine to 12 months.
Tubal block: Tubal blockage is caused by infection. Sexually transmitted diseases are the known culprits but in the majority there is no evidence of sexually transmitted disease and the subclinical infection due to other bacteria is the likely offender. At times, the tube gets blocked and filled with fluid which is called hydrosalpinx. If there is history of tubal pregnancy (ectopic pregnancy) and surgery is done, a part of the tube is lost and causes tubal block. Tubal ligation causes tubal block.
Male infertility: In 40 percent of couples, male factor is the cause for infertility. Smoking, excessive alcohol, street drugs, exposure to pesticides and radiation can affect the sperm count. At times, lost genetic material or abnormal number of chromosomes can cause low or absent sperm count. Sperm production is optimum at temperatures lower than core body temperature. Using hot tubs in excess can influence sperm count. If there was an undescended testis which was not repaired in infancy the prognosis of sperm production is poor. Hernia surgery, injury to testis during sports and twisting of testis affect blood flow and can affect sperm function.
Tubal adhesions: These are commonly due to previous surgery or due to endometriosis. Endometriosis is presence of cells outside the uterus which are normally in the uterus During menses, the uterine lining is shed and patients who have endometriosis have bleeding in the abdomen that is associated with pelvic pain and at times with pain during intercourse.
Fibroids: These are tumors of the uterine muscle which are benign in nature and cause distortion of the uterine cavity.
(from the Sun Herald)
Tuesday, August 22
Male Contraceptive
A lack of demand has held up the arrival of the male contraceptive. Until now,says Genevieve Roberts
Recent reports that a male pill will revolutionise contraception choices imminently may have sounded familiar. For the last decade, a reversible male contraceptive has been five years from coming on to the market. The first trials began in 1990. So why are we still waiting?
One of the reasons the male pill has taken so long to arrive is because of suspicions that there is no market for it. But pharmaceutical company Schering and Organon seems convinced that men could be persuaded to use a chemical contraceptive, and the five-year prediction may at last have a ring of truth.
John Guillebaud, professor emeritus of family planning and reproductive health at University College London, says: "It is rather like the tide coming in, an incremental process, and it comes in a little further each time. But I do believe that the male pill will happen." He believes implants would be the most effective delivery method. "Men cannot be relied upon to take tablets," he says. "The contraceptive injections and implants have a far higher success rate for women. For men, this will be even more important because they do not have the investment in avoiding a baby."
Professor Guillebaud expects that by 2011 there will be implants with supplementary injections, and by 2016, an implant that can be buried under the skin for three years. "This will be ideal," he says, "Because men are wimps when it comes to pain." The male contraceptive consists of two hormones, progestin and testosterone. Progestin stops the pituitary glad making the hormones that stimulate sperm production, while testosterone, in the form of androgen, stops fatigue, hair loss and replaces the libido. The amount of androgen must be carefully balanced, to avoid mood swings or increased violence.
Earlier this summer, Dr Peter Liu at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute published an analysis of 1,500 individuals who have taken part in male contraceptive trials over the last 15 years. He found that men regained full fertility (20 million sperm per ml) after three to four months of not taking the hormones. "These findings pave the way for new drugs that allow men to share the burden of family planning more fairly," he says.
The main fear about the male pill is that, like the female Pill, its long-term effects cannot be known until people try it. David Neal, professor of surgical oncology at Cambridge University, says minor hormonal changes can alter the risk of prostate cancer - although they could have a positive effect. He expects that male contraceptives will be most popular with couples in long-term relationships because, like the female Pill, it will offer no protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
Richard Anderson, professor of clinical reproductive science at Edinburgh University, who has led a series of trials, believes both the male pill and implant should be made available. "The implant is likely to be the first method available, but in surveys men in Britain have said they would rather take the pill." His latest studies have been "very positive", using two implants which dissolve over several months.
Development has been hindered by a lack of investment, but he says it is "very encouraging" that pharmaceutical companies are now backing major studies. "The industry has been reluctant to believe that there really is a market for this."
There has also been a lack of development of new forms of testosterone, so until recently men have needed a injection every few weeks. And when will we see a drug for the public? "A few years - it still needs a big Phase III study, but people can now see how it is going to pan out," says Anderson.
Schering and Organon conducted the biggest EU study into implants with injections between 2004 and 2005. It will announce in the autumn whether it will back a Phase III study, the final stage before an implant comes on to the market.
Astrid Kranz, a spokeswoman for Schering, says the investment in male fertility control is dictated by society's demands. "The role of men has changed. Bringing up children is now shared more equally between men and women. If men had said from the beginning they really want this, it would have given it more of a dynamic."
'I suffered mood swings and night sweats'
Clint Witchalls, 40, from Brixton, took part in a male contraceptive trial in May 2004. He had a plastic rod implant in his left arm, which lasted a year. He was monitored for six months after it was removed, and has been told his sperm production has returned to normal.
"A lot of men are interested in taking responsibility for contraception, and this is a good option for men in long-term, monogamous relationships," he says. But he did suffer from side-effects. "I had huge mood swings that started a few weeks after having the implant, which became more severe and tipped into depression. That may have had nothing to do with the drug, though. I also had night sweats."
Despite his experience, he thinks the male implant is a good idea. "Some women have adverse reactions to the female Pill, but that is not a reason to pull it off the market. I have not been told by the drugs company whether I was on the placebo or the contraceptive, but I think it was the latter."
Clint Witchalls is currently writing The Pill and I, to be published by Rowohlt next year.
Recent reports that a male pill will revolutionise contraception choices imminently may have sounded familiar. For the last decade, a reversible male contraceptive has been five years from coming on to the market. The first trials began in 1990. So why are we still waiting?
One of the reasons the male pill has taken so long to arrive is because of suspicions that there is no market for it. But pharmaceutical company Schering and Organon seems convinced that men could be persuaded to use a chemical contraceptive, and the five-year prediction may at last have a ring of truth.
John Guillebaud, professor emeritus of family planning and reproductive health at University College London, says: "It is rather like the tide coming in, an incremental process, and it comes in a little further each time. But I do believe that the male pill will happen." He believes implants would be the most effective delivery method. "Men cannot be relied upon to take tablets," he says. "The contraceptive injections and implants have a far higher success rate for women. For men, this will be even more important because they do not have the investment in avoiding a baby."
Professor Guillebaud expects that by 2011 there will be implants with supplementary injections, and by 2016, an implant that can be buried under the skin for three years. "This will be ideal," he says, "Because men are wimps when it comes to pain." The male contraceptive consists of two hormones, progestin and testosterone. Progestin stops the pituitary glad making the hormones that stimulate sperm production, while testosterone, in the form of androgen, stops fatigue, hair loss and replaces the libido. The amount of androgen must be carefully balanced, to avoid mood swings or increased violence.
Earlier this summer, Dr Peter Liu at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute published an analysis of 1,500 individuals who have taken part in male contraceptive trials over the last 15 years. He found that men regained full fertility (20 million sperm per ml) after three to four months of not taking the hormones. "These findings pave the way for new drugs that allow men to share the burden of family planning more fairly," he says.
The main fear about the male pill is that, like the female Pill, its long-term effects cannot be known until people try it. David Neal, professor of surgical oncology at Cambridge University, says minor hormonal changes can alter the risk of prostate cancer - although they could have a positive effect. He expects that male contraceptives will be most popular with couples in long-term relationships because, like the female Pill, it will offer no protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
Richard Anderson, professor of clinical reproductive science at Edinburgh University, who has led a series of trials, believes both the male pill and implant should be made available. "The implant is likely to be the first method available, but in surveys men in Britain have said they would rather take the pill." His latest studies have been "very positive", using two implants which dissolve over several months.
Development has been hindered by a lack of investment, but he says it is "very encouraging" that pharmaceutical companies are now backing major studies. "The industry has been reluctant to believe that there really is a market for this."
There has also been a lack of development of new forms of testosterone, so until recently men have needed a injection every few weeks. And when will we see a drug for the public? "A few years - it still needs a big Phase III study, but people can now see how it is going to pan out," says Anderson.
Schering and Organon conducted the biggest EU study into implants with injections between 2004 and 2005. It will announce in the autumn whether it will back a Phase III study, the final stage before an implant comes on to the market.
Astrid Kranz, a spokeswoman for Schering, says the investment in male fertility control is dictated by society's demands. "The role of men has changed. Bringing up children is now shared more equally between men and women. If men had said from the beginning they really want this, it would have given it more of a dynamic."
'I suffered mood swings and night sweats'
Clint Witchalls, 40, from Brixton, took part in a male contraceptive trial in May 2004. He had a plastic rod implant in his left arm, which lasted a year. He was monitored for six months after it was removed, and has been told his sperm production has returned to normal.
"A lot of men are interested in taking responsibility for contraception, and this is a good option for men in long-term, monogamous relationships," he says. But he did suffer from side-effects. "I had huge mood swings that started a few weeks after having the implant, which became more severe and tipped into depression. That may have had nothing to do with the drug, though. I also had night sweats."
Despite his experience, he thinks the male implant is a good idea. "Some women have adverse reactions to the female Pill, but that is not a reason to pull it off the market. I have not been told by the drugs company whether I was on the placebo or the contraceptive, but I think it was the latter."
Clint Witchalls
Recent reports that a male pill will revolutionise contraception choices imminently may have sounded familiar. For the last decade, a reversible male contraceptive has been five years from coming on to the market. The first trials began in 1990. So why are we still waiting?
One of the reasons the male pill has taken so long to arrive is because of suspicions that there is no market for it. But pharmaceutical company Schering and Organon seems convinced that men could be persuaded to use a chemical contraceptive, and the five-year prediction may at last have a ring of truth.
John Guillebaud, professor emeritus of family planning and reproductive health at University College London, says: "It is rather like the tide coming in, an incremental process, and it comes in a little further each time. But I do believe that the male pill will happen." He believes implants would be the most effective delivery method. "Men cannot be relied upon to take tablets," he says. "The contraceptive injections and implants have a far higher success rate for women. For men, this will be even more important because they do not have the investment in avoiding a baby."
Professor Guillebaud expects that by 2011 there will be implants with supplementary injections, and by 2016, an implant that can be buried under the skin for three years. "This will be ideal," he says, "Because men are wimps when it comes to pain." The male contraceptive consists of two hormones, progestin and testosterone. Progestin stops the pituitary glad making the hormones that stimulate sperm production, while testosterone, in the form of androgen, stops fatigue, hair loss and replaces the libido. The amount of androgen must be carefully balanced, to avoid mood swings or increased violence.
Earlier this summer, Dr Peter Liu at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute published an analysis of 1,500 individuals who have taken part in male contraceptive trials over the last 15 years. He found that men regained full fertility (20 million sperm per ml) after three to four months of not taking the hormones. "These findings pave the way for new drugs that allow men to share the burden of family planning more fairly," he says.
The main fear about the male pill is that, like the female Pill, its long-term effects cannot be known until people try it. David Neal, professor of surgical oncology at Cambridge University, says minor hormonal changes can alter the risk of prostate cancer - although they could have a positive effect. He expects that male contraceptives will be most popular with couples in long-term relationships because, like the female Pill, it will offer no protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
Richard Anderson, professor of clinical reproductive science at Edinburgh University, who has led a series of trials, believes both the male pill and implant should be made available. "The implant is likely to be the first method available, but in surveys men in Britain have said they would rather take the pill." His latest studies have been "very positive", using two implants which dissolve over several months.
Development has been hindered by a lack of investment, but he says it is "very encouraging" that pharmaceutical companies are now backing major studies. "The industry has been reluctant to believe that there really is a market for this."
There has also been a lack of development of new forms of testosterone, so until recently men have needed a injection every few weeks. And when will we see a drug for the public? "A few years - it still needs a big Phase III study, but people can now see how it is going to pan out," says Anderson.
Schering and Organon conducted the biggest EU study into implants with injections between 2004 and 2005. It will announce in the autumn whether it will back a Phase III study, the final stage before an implant comes on to the market.
Astrid Kranz, a spokeswoman for Schering, says the investment in male fertility control is dictated by society's demands. "The role of men has changed. Bringing up children is now shared more equally between men and women. If men had said from the beginning they really want this, it would have given it more of a dynamic."
'I suffered mood swings and night sweats'
Clint Witchalls, 40, from Brixton, took part in a male contraceptive trial in May 2004. He had a plastic rod implant in his left arm, which lasted a year. He was monitored for six months after it was removed, and has been told his sperm production has returned to normal.
"A lot of men are interested in taking responsibility for contraception, and this is a good option for men in long-term, monogamous relationships," he says. But he did suffer from side-effects. "I had huge mood swings that started a few weeks after having the implant, which became more severe and tipped into depression. That may have had nothing to do with the drug, though. I also had night sweats."
Despite his experience, he thinks the male implant is a good idea. "Some women have adverse reactions to the female Pill, but that is not a reason to pull it off the market. I have not been told by the drugs company whether I was on the placebo or the contraceptive, but I think it was the latter."
Clint Witchalls is currently writing The Pill and I, to be published by Rowohlt next year.
Recent reports that a male pill will revolutionise contraception choices imminently may have sounded familiar. For the last decade, a reversible male contraceptive has been five years from coming on to the market. The first trials began in 1990. So why are we still waiting?
One of the reasons the male pill has taken so long to arrive is because of suspicions that there is no market for it. But pharmaceutical company Schering and Organon seems convinced that men could be persuaded to use a chemical contraceptive, and the five-year prediction may at last have a ring of truth.
John Guillebaud, professor emeritus of family planning and reproductive health at University College London, says: "It is rather like the tide coming in, an incremental process, and it comes in a little further each time. But I do believe that the male pill will happen." He believes implants would be the most effective delivery method. "Men cannot be relied upon to take tablets," he says. "The contraceptive injections and implants have a far higher success rate for women. For men, this will be even more important because they do not have the investment in avoiding a baby."
Professor Guillebaud expects that by 2011 there will be implants with supplementary injections, and by 2016, an implant that can be buried under the skin for three years. "This will be ideal," he says, "Because men are wimps when it comes to pain." The male contraceptive consists of two hormones, progestin and testosterone. Progestin stops the pituitary glad making the hormones that stimulate sperm production, while testosterone, in the form of androgen, stops fatigue, hair loss and replaces the libido. The amount of androgen must be carefully balanced, to avoid mood swings or increased violence.
Earlier this summer, Dr Peter Liu at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute published an analysis of 1,500 individuals who have taken part in male contraceptive trials over the last 15 years. He found that men regained full fertility (20 million sperm per ml) after three to four months of not taking the hormones. "These findings pave the way for new drugs that allow men to share the burden of family planning more fairly," he says.
The main fear about the male pill is that, like the female Pill, its long-term effects cannot be known until people try it. David Neal, professor of surgical oncology at Cambridge University, says minor hormonal changes can alter the risk of prostate cancer - although they could have a positive effect. He expects that male contraceptives will be most popular with couples in long-term relationships because, like the female Pill, it will offer no protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
Richard Anderson, professor of clinical reproductive science at Edinburgh University, who has led a series of trials, believes both the male pill and implant should be made available. "The implant is likely to be the first method available, but in surveys men in Britain have said they would rather take the pill." His latest studies have been "very positive", using two implants which dissolve over several months.
Development has been hindered by a lack of investment, but he says it is "very encouraging" that pharmaceutical companies are now backing major studies. "The industry has been reluctant to believe that there really is a market for this."
There has also been a lack of development of new forms of testosterone, so until recently men have needed a injection every few weeks. And when will we see a drug for the public? "A few years - it still needs a big Phase III study, but people can now see how it is going to pan out," says Anderson.
Schering and Organon conducted the biggest EU study into implants with injections between 2004 and 2005. It will announce in the autumn whether it will back a Phase III study, the final stage before an implant comes on to the market.
Astrid Kranz, a spokeswoman for Schering, says the investment in male fertility control is dictated by society's demands. "The role of men has changed. Bringing up children is now shared more equally between men and women. If men had said from the beginning they really want this, it would have given it more of a dynamic."
'I suffered mood swings and night sweats'
Clint Witchalls, 40, from Brixton, took part in a male contraceptive trial in May 2004. He had a plastic rod implant in his left arm, which lasted a year. He was monitored for six months after it was removed, and has been told his sperm production has returned to normal.
"A lot of men are interested in taking responsibility for contraception, and this is a good option for men in long-term, monogamous relationships," he says. But he did suffer from side-effects. "I had huge mood swings that started a few weeks after having the implant, which became more severe and tipped into depression. That may have had nothing to do with the drug, though. I also had night sweats."
Despite his experience, he thinks the male implant is a good idea. "Some women have adverse reactions to the female Pill, but that is not a reason to pull it off the market. I have not been told by the drugs company whether I was on the placebo or the contraceptive, but I think it was the latter."
Clint Witchalls
Monday, August 21
Male Infertility : A common men’s Issue
Male Infertility: When you and your partner are trying to conceive, you least expect or hope to encounter any kind of difficulties. Yet, as much as 10% of the world’s population experience fertility problems. We believed the common myth that infertility exists only with the women, but the belied fact is that the men also do conceive infertility. But what exactly is infertility? Male infertility is simply defined as the inability to produce healthy sperm. Although a man might be embarrassed to admit that he has a fertility problem, but it is equally important that he undergoes fertility testing. The male alone is the cause in 20-35% of cases of infertility. An evaluation of the male should be one of the very first tests carried out in the investigation of the infertile couple.
Signs and symptoms
Male infertility occurs when the man's partner does not conceive after one year of attempting to become pregnant. Other signs and symptoms depend on the underlying cause of the man's infertility.
Analysis
Some men may have a history of erectile dysfunction or abnormal ejaculation. Alternatively, others may have had previous surgeries or injuries that may have led to problems in semen production. One if the most initial diagnostic study is the semen analysis. The semen analysis is one of the few tests that have withstood the test of time and which continue to be considered an integral and important part of the evaluation of the couple. The analysis is generally performed on a specimen that has been produced by means of masturbation into a sterile container. Ideally the male should abstain from ejaculation for 2-7 days prior to the analysis.
The specimen should be evaluated within one hour after collection. The analysis consists of an evaluation of a number of factors, like: Volume, Concentration, Motility and progression.
Another important test that is performed regularly for males is the post-coital test (PCT), in which the couple is asked to have intercourse during the middle of the woman’s menstrual cycle and 2-12 hours later have the female come into the office for an exam.
Causes and factors
There are many male factors that can prohibit a couple to become pregnant. This includes the following factors:
a) Conditions:
• diabetic neuropathy
• extreme obesity
• Conditions that prejudice the production of sperm
• testicular torsion
b) Diseases:
• Liver and Kidney disease
• Genital infections
• Infections of the reproductive organs
b) Additional factors:
• Certain medicated drugs
• Anabolic steroids
• Diet low in folic acid
• Excessive exercise
• Radiation therapy
• Wearing tight-fitting pants and underwear
Treatments
The treatment of male factor infertility is dependent on the identified problem. Erectile dysfunction, for example, is often treated by counseling rather than by "medical" therapies.
Treatment for a male with infertility may include:
• Avoiding longer time in hot baths and hot tubs
• Eating a healthy diet and exercising in moderation
• Learning about the best times to conceive
• Making lifestyle changes, such as smoking cessation and limiting intake of alcohol
• Taking hormone therapy
• Trying ED drugs like: Cialis, Viagra.
• Treating erectile dysfunction with counseling, medication, or surgery
• Wearing loose-fitting underwear
If these treatments don't work, other means of fertilization may be considered, such as:
• Artificial insemination.
• Vitro fertilization.
• Donor sperm, couples who had less than a few million sperm in a sample had to consider inseminations using donor sperm. Many couples have used inseminations with donor sperm and produced happy, healthy babies. The process is very straightforward. Nonetheless, insemination using donor sperm remains a very viable alternative for many couples.
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, this technique involves injecting a single sperm into the egg at the time of in vitro fertilization (a process whereby an egg is removed from the mother, fertilized by sperm in a laboratory, and then returned to the mother).
Side effects of the treatments
Surgery can cause bleeding, infection, and allergic reactions to anesthesia. In vitro fertilization increases the chance of having a multiple pregnancy, such as twins. Antibiotics and other medications may cause stomach upset, diarrhea, or an allergic reaction.
By Michael Clive
Signs and symptoms
Male infertility occurs when the man's partner does not conceive after one year of attempting to become pregnant. Other signs and symptoms depend on the underlying cause of the man's infertility.
Analysis
Some men may have a history of erectile dysfunction or abnormal ejaculation. Alternatively, others may have had previous surgeries or injuries that may have led to problems in semen production. One if the most initial diagnostic study is the semen analysis. The semen analysis is one of the few tests that have withstood the test of time and which continue to be considered an integral and important part of the evaluation of the couple. The analysis is generally performed on a specimen that has been produced by means of masturbation into a sterile container. Ideally the male should abstain from ejaculation for 2-7 days prior to the analysis.
The specimen should be evaluated within one hour after collection. The analysis consists of an evaluation of a number of factors, like: Volume, Concentration, Motility and progression.
Another important test that is performed regularly for males is the post-coital test (PCT), in which the couple is asked to have intercourse during the middle of the woman’s menstrual cycle and 2-12 hours later have the female come into the office for an exam.
Causes and factors
There are many male factors that can prohibit a couple to become pregnant. This includes the following factors:
a) Conditions:
• diabetic neuropathy
• extreme obesity
• Conditions that prejudice the production of sperm
• testicular torsion
b) Diseases:
• Liver and Kidney disease
• Genital infections
• Infections of the reproductive organs
b) Additional factors:
• Certain medicated drugs
• Anabolic steroids
• Diet low in folic acid
• Excessive exercise
• Radiation therapy
• Wearing tight-fitting pants and underwear
Treatments
The treatment of male factor infertility is dependent on the identified problem. Erectile dysfunction, for example, is often treated by counseling rather than by "medical" therapies.
Treatment for a male with infertility may include:
• Avoiding longer time in hot baths and hot tubs
• Eating a healthy diet and exercising in moderation
• Learning about the best times to conceive
• Making lifestyle changes, such as smoking cessation and limiting intake of alcohol
• Taking hormone therapy
• Trying ED drugs like: Cialis, Viagra.
• Treating erectile dysfunction with counseling, medication, or surgery
• Wearing loose-fitting underwear
If these treatments don't work, other means of fertilization may be considered, such as:
• Artificial insemination.
• Vitro fertilization.
• Donor sperm, couples who had less than a few million sperm in a sample had to consider inseminations using donor sperm. Many couples have used inseminations with donor sperm and produced happy, healthy babies. The process is very straightforward. Nonetheless, insemination using donor sperm remains a very viable alternative for many couples.
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, this technique involves injecting a single sperm into the egg at the time of in vitro fertilization (a process whereby an egg is removed from the mother, fertilized by sperm in a laboratory, and then returned to the mother).
Side effects of the treatments
Surgery can cause bleeding, infection, and allergic reactions to anesthesia. In vitro fertilization increases the chance of having a multiple pregnancy, such as twins. Antibiotics and other medications may cause stomach upset, diarrhea, or an allergic reaction.
By Michael Clive
Male Infertility? Goji UP
The scientists created a test-tube model to simulate the effects of overheating (hyperthermia) on the seminiferous tubules—the tubes through which sperm pass on their way to seek out the ovum. One of the first treatments for male infertility is advice for the man to wear boxers instead of briefs to allow the testicles to remain farther from the body, which in turn keeps them cooler. Too much heat hampers sperm production, but sometimes all that is required is to cool things off a bit, and fertility returns.
In their model of hyperthermia, these scientists found that overheating increased oxidative stress in the tubules. They theorized that this increased free-radical production was the culprit in decreasing sperm production. Goji acted as an antioxidant, which helped to reverse the effects of overheating on sperm production.
The Chinese call Goji the Matrimony Vine. It has been shown to increase the sperm count and the vitality of the sperm. It also has been used as an infertility herb and documented instances of conception with Goji as part of the diet for women with premature ovarian failure.
Research shows that Goji offers another option for treating female infertility in patients with Premature Ovarian Failure (POF).
Studies have shown an incrreased sperm count and sperm vitality after comsuming goji berries. This possibly could help male infertility by strengthing the sperm and the count.
There are reports from Goji users of increased libido after drinking Goji Juice.
While the active ingredients and the mechanism of action underlying Lycium's fertility-facilitating effects remain unknown, studies indicate the potential mechanism of action for this protective effect, and provide a scientific basis for the traditional use of this plant.
NewsTarget, Key concepts: fertility, infertility and male infertility.
In their model of hyperthermia, these scientists found that overheating increased oxidative stress in the tubules. They theorized that this increased free-radical production was the culprit in decreasing sperm production. Goji acted as an antioxidant, which helped to reverse the effects of overheating on sperm production.
The Chinese call Goji the Matrimony Vine. It has been shown to increase the sperm count and the vitality of the sperm. It also has been used as an infertility herb and documented instances of conception with Goji as part of the diet for women with premature ovarian failure.
Research shows that Goji offers another option for treating female infertility in patients with Premature Ovarian Failure (POF).
Studies have shown an incrreased sperm count and sperm vitality after comsuming goji berries. This possibly could help male infertility by strengthing the sperm and the count.
There are reports from Goji users of increased libido after drinking Goji Juice.
While the active ingredients and the mechanism of action underlying Lycium's fertility-facilitating effects remain unknown, studies indicate the potential mechanism of action for this protective effect, and provide a scientific basis for the traditional use of this plant.
NewsTarget, Key concepts: fertility, infertility and male infertility.
The Fertility Time Bomb is Ticking
Sperm out of step in complex dance
Men are now as likely as women to be the infertile partner. Jerome Burne reports on the causes
IT'S THE time of the year when men's thoughts turn, if only fleetingly, to fitness. You might also have been prompted recently to consider your prowess in quite a different sporting arena - just how fit are your sperm?
Leading reproductive experts warn us that we are facing a "fertility time-bomb", both in Australia and other developed countries such as the UK and many European nations. The causes are unclear, but may have something to do with environmental chemicals, particularly some plastics which mimic the effects of the female hormone oestrogen.
What is not unclear are the effects. Fertility clinic records reveal that not only are men producing fewer sperm, but that the ones we do release are more bent and deformed and swim less vigorously.
In fact European males are now, for the first time, more likely to be the infertile half of couples attending fertility clinics, according to a report last year from the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology.
In Australia, it's thought men are just as likely to be the cause as their partner, but male infertility is rising faster and may soon become the main cause.
Then earlier this year came the launch in Britain of a kit that allows you to check the fitness of your sperm in your home. The test works by forcing the sperm to swim through mucus which mimics that found in the cervix; if 10 million per millilitre get through, you are normal, according to the World Health Organisation guidelines.
If you can't manage the numbers, the ultimate fix is a technique known as ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection), which can freight a single sperm, however much of a couch potato, directly into an egg. In fact modern reproductive technology appears to be rendering men's role increasingly peripheral. All ICSI is interested in is the DNA compacted into the sperm's head, while researchers are now working on making sperm totally redundant by generating them from embryonic stem cells in the lab.
But by narrowly focusing on the athletic potential of individual sperm and their genetic load we could be ignoring other causes of infertility. Obviously numbers and performance are vital, but more than 30 per cent of men having trouble conceiving have perfectly adequate sperm; something else is going on.
What the current sperm fitness obsession misses is the other 99 per cent of an ejaculation. This is seminal fluid, a rich mix of chemicals that includes proteins, minerals and vitamins. It is discarded by the fertility clinics as being largely the sperm's energy pack; some researchers believe, however, that it is a key player in normal fertilisation.
"We have become very sophisticated about the mechanics of artificially fertilising an egg," says Stewart Irvine, consultant gynaecologist at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh. "But we still know very little about the far more complicated dance that has to be done right if couples are going to conceive naturally." If we knew more about how that works, he says, a significant proportion of those who have to endure the gruelling process of IVF might be able to get pregnant far more enjoyably.
Recently there have been some intriguing glimpses of the kind of things to which Irvine is referring. For starters, sperm would normally be regarded by the woman's immune system as invading alien protein, and so would be rapidly destroyed. How do sperm get a safe-conduct pass?
Research by Sarah Robertson, a National Health and Medical Research Council senior research fellow and a reproductive biologist at the University of Adelaide, has shown how one of the many peptides in semen called TGF-beta is vital for ensuring that sperm doesn't get tagged for destruction by the woman's killer cells. In a paper last year in Cell and Tissue Research (2005;322:43-52), the associate professor suggested that some cases of male infertility could be the result of faulty interactions between the woman's body and TGF-beta and related peptides.
"There is growing evidence for what's been called 'male priming'," she says. "Prior exposure to seminal fluid seems to make conception more likely and increase the chance of a successful pregnancy."
Another of these proteins found in semen is known as PLCzeta and it has an equally vital function. At the end of the journey, once the sperm has penetrated the egg, it triggers a calcium cascade that allows the egg to start growing. "Faulty functioning of PLCzeta could be a root cause of male infertility," suggests Tony Lai, a professor and cardiologist at Cardiff University who discovered calcium signalling.
But these are just two of 83 proteins from the semen cocktail that have been found to play a crucial role in conception. Some are needed to follow the chemical trail that leads to the ovum, while others help to fight bacteria. But there is something else remarkable about these proteins; the genes controlling them are mutating faster than any others in the body, except for the corresponding ones in females.
It's this discovery that could lead to a much broader understanding of male fertility. "These reproductive proteins seem to be involved in an arms race," says Willie Swanson, geneticist and professor of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington, whose major review of this new field was published in January in the journal Reproduction (2006;131(1):11-22).
"When it comes to fertilisation, the interests of the male and female genes are not at all the same," she says. While the sperm's genes are all focused on fertilisation, the female's, with only a limited number of conceptions possible, have developed to be more cautious and have developed ways of delaying fertilisation.
"Many fertility problems could be about a mismatch between sperm-egg recognition molecules," Swanson says. "As in transplants, or skin grafts, some people's immune systems tolerate each other more easily; I suspect something similar is going on with the reproductive proteins in couples with fertility problems."
The success of IVF means that funding for research into the complexities of the natural version is hard to come by. But the long-term health of IVF babies is still unclear and all infertile couples would undoubtedly welcome a less drastic and gruelling solution.
The Times
Additional reporting: Adam Cresswell
Men are now as likely as women to be the infertile partner. Jerome Burne reports on the causes
IT'S THE time of the year when men's thoughts turn, if only fleetingly, to fitness. You might also have been prompted recently to consider your prowess in quite a different sporting arena - just how fit are your sperm?
Leading reproductive experts warn us that we are facing a "fertility time-bomb", both in Australia and other developed countries such as the UK and many European nations. The causes are unclear, but may have something to do with environmental chemicals, particularly some plastics which mimic the effects of the female hormone oestrogen.
What is not unclear are the effects. Fertility clinic records reveal that not only are men producing fewer sperm, but that the ones we do release are more bent and deformed and swim less vigorously.
In fact European males are now, for the first time, more likely to be the infertile half of couples attending fertility clinics, according to a report last year from the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology.
In Australia, it's thought men are just as likely to be the cause as their partner, but male infertility is rising faster and may soon become the main cause.
Then earlier this year came the launch in Britain of a kit that allows you to check the fitness of your sperm in your home. The test works by forcing the sperm to swim through mucus which mimics that found in the cervix; if 10 million per millilitre get through, you are normal, according to the World Health Organisation guidelines.
If you can't manage the numbers, the ultimate fix is a technique known as ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection), which can freight a single sperm, however much of a couch potato, directly into an egg. In fact modern reproductive technology appears to be rendering men's role increasingly peripheral. All ICSI is interested in is the DNA compacted into the sperm's head, while researchers are now working on making sperm totally redundant by generating them from embryonic stem cells in the lab.
But by narrowly focusing on the athletic potential of individual sperm and their genetic load we could be ignoring other causes of infertility. Obviously numbers and performance are vital, but more than 30 per cent of men having trouble conceiving have perfectly adequate sperm; something else is going on.
What the current sperm fitness obsession misses is the other 99 per cent of an ejaculation. This is seminal fluid, a rich mix of chemicals that includes proteins, minerals and vitamins. It is discarded by the fertility clinics as being largely the sperm's energy pack; some researchers believe, however, that it is a key player in normal fertilisation.
"We have become very sophisticated about the mechanics of artificially fertilising an egg," says Stewart Irvine, consultant gynaecologist at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh. "But we still know very little about the far more complicated dance that has to be done right if couples are going to conceive naturally." If we knew more about how that works, he says, a significant proportion of those who have to endure the gruelling process of IVF might be able to get pregnant far more enjoyably.
Recently there have been some intriguing glimpses of the kind of things to which Irvine is referring. For starters, sperm would normally be regarded by the woman's immune system as invading alien protein, and so would be rapidly destroyed. How do sperm get a safe-conduct pass?
Research by Sarah Robertson, a National Health and Medical Research Council senior research fellow and a reproductive biologist at the University of Adelaide, has shown how one of the many peptides in semen called TGF-beta is vital for ensuring that sperm doesn't get tagged for destruction by the woman's killer cells. In a paper last year in Cell and Tissue Research (2005;322:43-52), the associate professor suggested that some cases of male infertility could be the result of faulty interactions between the woman's body and TGF-beta and related peptides.
"There is growing evidence for what's been called 'male priming'," she says. "Prior exposure to seminal fluid seems to make conception more likely and increase the chance of a successful pregnancy."
Another of these proteins found in semen is known as PLCzeta and it has an equally vital function. At the end of the journey, once the sperm has penetrated the egg, it triggers a calcium cascade that allows the egg to start growing. "Faulty functioning of PLCzeta could be a root cause of male infertility," suggests Tony Lai, a professor and cardiologist at Cardiff University who discovered calcium signalling.
But these are just two of 83 proteins from the semen cocktail that have been found to play a crucial role in conception. Some are needed to follow the chemical trail that leads to the ovum, while others help to fight bacteria. But there is something else remarkable about these proteins; the genes controlling them are mutating faster than any others in the body, except for the corresponding ones in females.
It's this discovery that could lead to a much broader understanding of male fertility. "These reproductive proteins seem to be involved in an arms race," says Willie Swanson, geneticist and professor of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington, whose major review of this new field was published in January in the journal Reproduction (2006;131(1):11-22).
"When it comes to fertilisation, the interests of the male and female genes are not at all the same," she says. While the sperm's genes are all focused on fertilisation, the female's, with only a limited number of conceptions possible, have developed to be more cautious and have developed ways of delaying fertilisation.
"Many fertility problems could be about a mismatch between sperm-egg recognition molecules," Swanson says. "As in transplants, or skin grafts, some people's immune systems tolerate each other more easily; I suspect something similar is going on with the reproductive proteins in couples with fertility problems."
The success of IVF means that funding for research into the complexities of the natural version is hard to come by. But the long-term health of IVF babies is still unclear and all infertile couples would undoubtedly welcome a less drastic and gruelling solution.
The Times
Additional reporting: Adam Cresswell
Friday, August 18
Male Infertility?
The scientists created a test-tube model to simulate the effects of overheating (hyperthermia) on the seminiferous tubules—the tubes through which sperm pass on their way to seek out the ovum. One of the first treatments for male infertility is advice for the man to wear boxers instead of briefs to allow the testicles to remain farther from the body, which in turn keeps them cooler. Too much heat hampers sperm production, but sometimes all that is required is to cool things off a bit, and fertility returns.
In their model of hyperthermia, these scientists found that overheating increased oxidative stress in the tubules. They theorized that this increased free-radical production was the culprit in decreasing sperm production. Goji acted as an antioxidant, which helped to reverse the effects of overheating on sperm production.
The Chinese call Goji the Matrimony Vine. It has been shown to increase the sperm count and the vitality of the sperm. It also has been used as an infertility herb and documented instances of conception with Goji as part of the diet for women with premature ovarian failure.
Research shows that Goji offers another option for treating female infertility in patients with Premature Ovarian Failure (POF).
Studies have shown an incrreased sperm count and sperm vitality after comsuming goji berries. This possibly could help male infertility by strengthing the sperm and the count.
There are reports from Goji users of increased libido after drinking Goji Juice.
While the active ingredients and the mechanism of action underlying Lycium's fertility-facilitating effects remain unknown, studies indicate the potential mechanism of action for this protective effect, and provide a scientific basis for the traditional use of this plant.
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by NewsTarget
In their model of hyperthermia, these scientists found that overheating increased oxidative stress in the tubules. They theorized that this increased free-radical production was the culprit in decreasing sperm production. Goji acted as an antioxidant, which helped to reverse the effects of overheating on sperm production.
The Chinese call Goji the Matrimony Vine. It has been shown to increase the sperm count and the vitality of the sperm. It also has been used as an infertility herb and documented instances of conception with Goji as part of the diet for women with premature ovarian failure.
Research shows that Goji offers another option for treating female infertility in patients with Premature Ovarian Failure (POF).
Studies have shown an incrreased sperm count and sperm vitality after comsuming goji berries. This possibly could help male infertility by strengthing the sperm and the count.
There are reports from Goji users of increased libido after drinking Goji Juice.
While the active ingredients and the mechanism of action underlying Lycium's fertility-facilitating effects remain unknown, studies indicate the potential mechanism of action for this protective effect, and provide a scientific basis for the traditional use of this plant.
Technorati Tags:
fertility, infertility, male infertility, male fertility
by NewsTarget
Thursday, August 17
3 Steps To Making Babies
PLANNING to take the giant leap into parenthood? Follow our expert tips and boost your chances of conceiving. By Charlotte Haigh (mirror.co.uk) STEP 1 Before you start trying
"Getting both your bodies into condition will improve the health of your eggs and sperm," says Zita West, a trained midwife who runs her own fertility clinic. "You should spend at least three months improving your fertility status."
GIVE UP SMOKING "It has an impact on your eggs and fallopian tubes," says Zita. "And men who smoke have a lower sperm count and a higher proportion of malformed sperm." Quitline www.quit.org.uk 0800 002 200.
CUT ALCOHOL A study published in the British Medical Journal found drinking five weekly units of alcohol (equivalent to five small glasses of wine or five single measures of spirits) could reduce a woman's chances of conception. Alcohol can lower sperm count too.
EXERCISE Aim for exercise that raises your hear t rate at least three times a week, but don't work out for more than 15 hours a week.
START EATING WELL "The antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, found in fruit and veg, are very important," says Helen Savill, director of Oeuf Therapy Rooms.
You should also include whole grains, lean meat and fish, and cut out processed foods. "Your diet should be low in saturated fat, but high in essential fatty acids," says Zita. "Good sources include olive oil, nuts, seeds and fish." The government advises women to limit oily fish to twice a week.
GET TO KNOW YOUR BODY "It can take a few months to become familiar with your menstrual cycle," says Helen. Most women are at their most fertile between days 10 and 17 of the cycle, when an egg is released.
There are also tests on the market that can give you a good idea, including the Persona monitor (£64.99, Boots), which uses a urine test, and the Babystart Focus Ovulation Microscope (£24.99, expresschemist.co.uk), which tests your saliva.
STEP 2 The month you start trying
At age 25, you have a 30 to 35 per cent chance of conceiving in any one month, 15 to 20 per cent at 35, and just 3 to 5 per cent at 45.
"There are key things you should be doing now to boost your chances of an egg being fertilised this month," says fertility therapist Helen Savill.
HAVE SEX! "Hopefully, you'll know by now when you're ovulating, so try to make sure you have sex at these times," says Helen. At least twice a week is thought to be optimal, throughout the month, as many women conceive even outside their most fertile times. "Don't demand sex from your man at exactly the right time," Zita West cautions. "This could actually make it difficult for him to perform."
DON'T DRINK AT THE CRUCIAL TIME "As well as cutting back on alcohol in general, make a point of not drinking at all around ovulation as it can affect the egg," says Zita.
TAKE IT EASY "Avoid stress when you're trying for a baby, as it can delay ovulation," says Helen.
Stress encourages the adrenal glands to release the hormone cortisol, which may interfere with general hormone balance. A study at Emery University in Atlanta, Georgia, showed prolonged, severe stress could halt ovulation entirely. If you're struggling with anxiety, contact the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (babcp.org.uk). For less severe, everyday stress, try exercise or just make sure you take time to relax every day.
EAT ZINC-RICH FOODS These include meat, dairy, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds and wholemeal bread. "This mineral is crucial for cell division in the very early days of a pregnancy," says Helen. "If you've been on the Pill it may have depleted your zinc levels. And men lose 15 per cent of their zinc store every time they ejaculate. So you both need to include zinc-rich foods in your diet."
STEP 3 The next month
"The fertilised egg is implanted in the womb seven to 10 days after fertilisation," says fertility therapist Helen Savill. The first few weeks of a pregnancy are quite precarious - it's thought one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage, and many of these may happen in the first month, often before women know they're expecting. Here's how to improve chances of implantation, and maintaining pregnancy:
GO LOW GI "Eating foods that release sugar rapidly triggers a surge in blood glucose, which is quickly followed by a drop," says Helen.
"These highs and lows can affect progesterone levels, and as this hormone is essential for implantation and for maintaining the pregnancy in the early days, too lit tle could mean an unsuccessful pregnancy." Avoid refined carbohydrates like white bread and pasta, anything high in sugar, including fizzy drinks, and also caffeine, which can trigger a blood glucose rise. Eat little and of ten, combining protein such as fish, nuts and meat, with unrefined carbs such as brown rice and wholemeal bread.
EAT GOOD QUALITY PROTEIN "It's crucial for the womb lining to build up, ready for an egg to implant in it," says Helen. "Aim for good quality meat at least three times a week - non-organic meat can contain hormones that might disrupt your s." Also include fish, pulses, nuts and seeds.
WATCH WHAT YOU DRINK "You shouldn't have coffee, as it has be en linked with miscarriage," says Zita. "Alcohol is toxic to the foetus. If you have a glass of wine, so does the baby."
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male infertility, men infertility, male fertility news, men fertility
Information from: Mirror.co.uk
Tuesday, August 15
Erectile dysfunction may warn of heart disease
Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects approximately one in five American men, appears to be associated with cardiovascular and other chronic diseases and may predict severity and a poor prognosis among those with heart disease, according to three studies in the January 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.New medications for ED, introduced in 1998, prompted a 50 percent increase in physician visits related to the condition from 1996 to 2000, according to background information in one of the articles. Most previous estimates of the impact of ED have either excluded some men based on age, ethnicity or profession or were compiled before these medications became available. This led the National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Panel on Impotence to call for national epidemiological data to provide information about prevalence and risk factors for ED, the authors write.
Christopher S. Saigal, M.D., M.P.H., The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, and colleagues at the Urologic Diseases in America Project analyzed data from the 2001-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examinational Survey (NHANES). A total of 2,126 men age 20 years and older responded to the survey, answered questions about sexual function and underwent a physical examination. Men who said they were sometimes or never able to maintain an erection adequate for sexual intercourse were defined as having ED.
According to that definition, overall prevalence of ED was 18.4 percent, the authors report. ED occurred more often as men aged, affecting 6.5 percent of men aged 20 to 29 years and 77.5 of those aged 75 years and older. When considering other factors that might contribute to ED, including age and other medical conditions, Hispanic men had almost twice the risk of ED as white men. Obesity, hypertension, smoking and diabetes also were associated with risk of ED. "Mitigation of these risk factors may ameliorate the burden of ED," the authors write.
Editor's Note: This study was supported in part by the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Md. Drs. Wessells and Saigal have received grant funding from the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases. Dr. Wessells is a speaker for Pfizer.
Poor Prognosis Linked to ED
In another study, researchers report that men with ED may have more severe cases of coronary heart disease and more risk factors for adverse outcomes than those without ED.
James K. Min, M.D., and colleagues at the University of Chicago Hospitals evaluated 221 men with an average age of 58.6 years who were referred for nuclear stress testing, a noninvasive diagnostic test for evolution of heart disease. The researchers screened the men for ED and then compared their results on the tests.
Of the 221 men, 121 (54.8 percent) reported ED. Patients with ED were older than men without ED and more likely to have heart disease, diabetes and hypertension and have undergone previous procedures to restore blood flow to the heart. They also were more likely to have results on the stress test that indicated they were at high cardiovascular risk, and more of them had already developed severe heart disease.
In patients referred for stress testing, "the presence of ED is common and is a strong predictor of clinically significant coronary heart disease and established markers of an adverse cardiovascular prognosis" as indicated by the tests, the authors write. "Erectile dysfunction is a stronger predictor than traditional coronary heart disease risk factors in this population," they conclude. "Sexual function questioning may be useful to stratify risk in patients suspected to have coronary heart disease. Further studies are needed to establish whether patients with ED but no cardiac symptoms should be screened for overt coronary heart disease."
Editor's Note: This study was supported in part by an unrestricted independent medical grant from Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, New York.
ED Common in Primary Care Patients
A third study of Canadian men visiting primary care physicians indicates that about half of them report having ED, and that it is linked with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, future heart disease risk and increased fasting blood sugar levels.
"Primary care physicians are uniquely positioned to inquire about a patient's sexual function during a routine office visit," the authors write. "They can also screen for modifiable risk factors and treatable comorbidities. However, there is little information available regarding the prevalence of ED among patients seen in this clinical setting."
Steven A. Grover, M.D., M.P.A., F.R.C.P.C., Montreal General Hospital and McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, and colleagues surveyed 3,921 men aged 40 to 88 years who visited one of 75 primary care physicians between July 20, 2001, and Nov. 13, 2002. Participants gave medical histories and received physical examinations, including measurements of fasting blood sugar and lipid levels.
Almost half (49.4 percent) of the men reported ED during the previous four weeks or were taking medication for ED, the authors report. Men with cardiovascular disease and diabetes were most likely to have ED. Among men without cardiovascular disease or diabetes, the calculated future risk of developing these conditions was linked to likelihood of having ED. "These data demonstrate that primary care physicians may find that taking a sexual history provides important clinical information beyond the detection of ED," the authors conclude.
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Sources
Arch Intern Med. 2006; 166:201-206
Arch Intern Med. 2006; 166:207-212
Arch Intern Med. 2006; 166:213-219
Libido Increasing Food
Several food items can help you to increase your libido and there by invigorate your sex life. Detail knowledge about these foods and their appropriate intake is very vital to increase libido. Some of the common libido increasing foods include celery, raw oysters, bananas, almonds, avocado, eggs, liver, figs, garlic, and chocolate.Celery is considered an excellent source food for sexual stimulation. It has androsterone - an odorless hormone released through male perspiration and it turns women on. Another important libido increasing food is raw oyster, which is highly recommended for a healthy sex life. Oyster contains dopamine a hormone that increases testosterone production and it can boost sexuality.
Bananas, which contain the bromelain enzyme, help to boost male libido. Bananas are also a good source of B vitamins like riboflavin and potassium, which increase the body’s total energy levels. Almonds are a major source of essential fatty acids. Almonds provide the raw material for the healthy production of male hormones. The smell of almonds is found to arouse passion in female.
Avocado can help to increase both male and female libido. Avocados contain high levels of folic acid and assist in metabolizing proteins, thus providing you more energy. Avocado also features vitamin B6 (a nutrient which improves male hormone production) and potassium (which helps to regulate a woman’s thyroid gland). Eggs, high in vitamins B5 and B6, help to balance hormone levels and fight stress. Eggs are considered as a symbol of fertility and rebirth. All bird and fish eggs contain B5 and B6. Liver helps to improve a slowed down libido. It is a good source of glutamine, a cellular fuel for your immune system.
Figs, high in amino acids, help to increase your libido. They can also boost sexual stamina. Also, the shape of a fresh fig and the sweet juicy taste are two tangible aspects considered are highly pleasurable to the human senses. Garlic is considered as an effective herd for increasing libido. Garlic contains allicin – an ingredient that can improve blood flow to the sexual organs. Chocolate can also increase libido. Chocolate contains theobromine (an alkaloid which is same as caffeine) and phenylethylamine - a chemical considered to generate feelings similar to the feeling.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristy_Annely
By Kristy Annely
Are Potato Chips Harming Your Man's Fertility?
Did you know that a common substance used in potato chips can harm male fertility? It's true -- cottonseed oil, an extract from cotton plant has been proven to hamper male fertility.It contains traces of a substance called gossypol that has clearly demonstrated antifertility properties. This substance is found in cottonseed oil and cottonseed flours. It has been shown to decrease sperm count and to decrease sperm motility (the ability to move).
In fact, the Chinese government pioneered studies on cottonseed oil and fertility. It has used this additives in food to help control population.
Cottonseed oil has to be refined to be edible (in fact, it is a waste product of the cotton industry), and it's often hydrogenated. Hydrogenation mutates oils, making them unhealthy for your partner (as well as you and your future child). Cottonseed oil has been implicated in possible birth defects - a good reason to steer clear of it.
Since it is a by-product of the cotton industry, it may contain harmful pesticides and herbicides that have been used in cotton production. These may also impact fertility and the health of a baby conceived from sperm that have been exposed to these trace toxins.
Note that Olestra, the "imitation" fat is made from cottonseed oil. Many products using vegetable oils may also have cottonseed oil listed. Be especially careful when you look at potato chips and processed foods.
You'll be surprised at just how many foods cottonseed oil is used in. Have your partner begin
to read labels before he starts snacking. Increased fertility and better health will be the result of avoiding cottonseed oil products.
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Kristen Hart is the owner of http://www.getting-pregnant.com. Visit Getting-Pregnant.com and sign up for a free newsletter series on boosting your fertility naturally - and pick up your free report on how body weight can influence your fertility in suprising ways!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristen_Hart
By Kristen Hart
Fertility Issues on the Male Side
When a couple has trouble conceiving a baby, statistics show that the problem is only slightly more likely to be on the woman's side than on the man's. There are a number of factors that can impair male fertility, but one of the most common is blockage of the tubes that carry the sperm. Like in women, this blockage can be scar tissue caused by chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease that often has no symptoms until the damage to fertility has been done.
Another common problem is called "varicocele." In one study it was found in 14% of the men seeking help for infertility. A varicocele is a twisted, enlarged varicose vein in the connective cord of the testicles. These are found in as many as one-fifth of all men, and do not always impair fertility. In fact, it is unknown just what impact they have, but they are more common in men seeking help for fertility than in the general male population. Treatment for a varicocele is surgery, which yields about a third of the couples getting pregnant within the first year after the surgery.
The common childhood disease, mumps, can cause lowered fertility in men if it is contracted after puberty. Other infections, such as glandular infections, can damage sperm or otherwise impair normal fertility. As with women, obesity is thought to affect male fertility adversely. Drug side effects and chronic medical conditions are two other causes of male infertility.
My name is Stacey and I am 39. I always heard about women having trouble conceiving a baby at this age, but it never really struck me directly until recently. I managed to find a natural way to conceive at my age, so I decided to expose the secret.
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fertility, get pregnant, become prengnat, get pregnant easy, male fertility, male infertility
To find out more, please visit http://www.conceiveeasy.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stacey_Woods
Monday, July 17
New hope for infertile men
A potential cure for male infertility has been discovered by scientists. In a major breakthrough, researchers have for the first time succeeded in using artificially-grown sperm to fertilise eggs.(Left Photo:Seven baby mice were born under the ground-breaking process)The technique could lead to a cure for some types of infertility - by allowing men to 'grow' their own sperm.
However, critics say the technique, which is the brainchild of a Newcastle University scientist, could lead to men being made redundant from the process of creating life.
They also caution that any treatment is still years away from use in hospitals and clinics. The technique centres around stem cells - blank cells which have the power to turn into other cell types, creating a 'repair kit' for the body.
Biologist Karim Nayernia (CORR) succeeded in removing the cells from mouse embryos and coaxing them into developing into sperm. The sperm was then used to fertilise eggs which were transplanted into female mice and seven baby mice were born.
While other scientists have succeeded in growing sperm in the lab, this is the first time artificially-grown sperm has been used to create new life.
Growth problems
Although most of the mice lived to adulthood, the animals were far from healthy, suffering from conditions ranging from breathing difficulties to growth problems.
Despite this, Prof Nayernia, who has just joined Newcastle University's stem cell research team, believes his work offers fresh hope for the 1.5million British men blighted by infertility. It could shed new light on the production of sperm in the body - or spermatogenesis - and even be used to boost the production of sperm in infertile men, including those left sterile by treatment for cancer.
The professor, who carried out the research while at Georg-August University in Gottingen, Germany, said: "This research is particularly important in helping us understand more about spermatogenesis, the biological process in which sperm in produced. We must know this if we are to get to the root of infertility.
"This knowledge could be translated into treatments for men whose sperm is dysfunctional, although this several years down the line."
The treatments - which are at least five years away - could include removing immature sperm cells from a man's testicles, growing them into fully-functional sperm in the lab, and then putting them back in the man's body.
Alternatively, identification of a common flaw in the sperm-making process could lead to the creation of a miracle pill to boost fertility. Other possibilities include creating sperm free from inherited genetic conditions and using cloning techniques to create sperm which is a perfect genetic match for an infertile man.
In time, similar techniques may be developed to treat infertile women.
The Newcastle researchers now want to try out the technique on cells gleaned from human embryos. However, ethical and safety concerns mean it is unlikely they will be allowed to use any sperm they manage to make to fertilise eggs and create embryos.
'Breakthrough'
British scientists described the latest research, which is published in the journal Developmental Biology, as a 'hugely significant breakthrough'.
The warned, however, that much more work is needed before the technique could be applied to humans.
Dr Allan (CORR) Pacey, a Sheffield University specialist in male fertility, said: "To be able to make functional sperm in the laboratory will be very useful to study the basic biology of sperm production.
"There are currently many things we don't know about how sperm are formed, let alone why it sometimes goes wrong and leads to infertility in some men. "It is more difficult to say whether artificial sperm produced in this way would ultimately be used as a new treatment for male infertility. There are many technical, ethical and safety issues to be confronted before this could even be considered."
Sheffield University colleague Professor Harry Moore said: "These processes in the test-tube are far from perfect as the mice were abnormal.
"We therefore have to be very cautious about using such techniques to treat men or women who are infertile until all safety aspects are resolved. This may take many years."
Critics say it is wrong to experiment on human embryos and question whether any flaws in the sperm will be passed down to future generations. Josephine Quintavalle (CORR), of Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said: "At this stage, things are going very wrong. The further you deviate from the norm, the more likely you are to create more problems than you bargained for."
Mike Judge, of the Christian Institute, said: "Any move that could potentially take fathers out of parenting is always something that could be worrying."
By FIONA MACRAE, Daily Mail
Men Infertility
Be Open-Minded When Seeking for Help
Who said infertility is conventionally a woman thing? Isnt it that male infertility produces great impact to conception? Now who is at the risk of infertility? Who is to be blamed?
Infertility is not a sole problem that is faced by women.
As most cultures practice, infertility is typically blamed on the part of the women. They are obviously wrong. There is nobody to be blamed for the matter. The inability to bear a child can be caused by several factors that are affecting both the couple. There is also the renowned male factor which means that the problem lies on the part of the male.
The concept of male infertility is no longer a new term these days. Medical findings have long started to point on the male reproductive system as a primary cause of infertility. But then because of mens too much pride, they find it hard to bring about acceptance for men infertility. There are no recognized symptoms or signs of men infertility. They can only be detected by the routinely health checkups. As couples, you need to be aware of your fertility status. Women are not always the ones at fault when it comes to the incapacity to bear a child. Men infertility should be accepted with an open mind.
In the available studies and reports that medical teams have further gathered, they see that men infertility comprises at lest 1/3 of its overall total. In contrast with the female reproductive system, the male reproductive system is less complicated. Men infertility is usually associated with the problem in sperm count and other known sperm disorders. The fertility process commonly takes place during the intercourse when there are millions of sperm cells that get deposited into the vagina during the male ejaculation. Only a few of the semen can successfully get through the protective walls of the egg cell to enable pregnancy. Therefore, the more sperm cells that are able to go through the eggs protective walling, the more chances of allowing a successful fertilization. For a progressive fertilization, the sperm quality, sperm size and shape, sperm motility, and sperm count are great factors to consider.
Logically, any problem with any of these factors is likely to bring about a difficulty in male fertility. The explanation to this is that a great number of sperm count and an optimum quality of sperm cells are sure to give a hundred percent male fertility.
Men infertility is likewise confronted with an array of environmental and health issues which can affect the difficulty in conceiving. The age is a renowned factor. Obviously, as man ages, his capacity to reproduce lessens. Specialists say that from the age of 35, the sperm cell quality starts to diminish. Ones lifestyle choices also pose an impact to men infertility. Men infertility is likely to be affected by the intense exposure to heat and by using overly tight underwear, the extreme exposure to pesticides, electromagnetic emissions, radioactivity and other hazardous substances. It is also to be noted that men infertility is greatly brought about by STDs, too much use of drugs, smoking, and the abuse of alcohol.
by David Fresco
Who said infertility is conventionally a woman thing? Isnt it that male infertility produces great impact to conception? Now who is at the risk of infertility? Who is to be blamed?
Infertility is not a sole problem that is faced by women.
As most cultures practice, infertility is typically blamed on the part of the women. They are obviously wrong. There is nobody to be blamed for the matter. The inability to bear a child can be caused by several factors that are affecting both the couple. There is also the renowned male factor which means that the problem lies on the part of the male.
The concept of male infertility is no longer a new term these days. Medical findings have long started to point on the male reproductive system as a primary cause of infertility. But then because of mens too much pride, they find it hard to bring about acceptance for men infertility. There are no recognized symptoms or signs of men infertility. They can only be detected by the routinely health checkups. As couples, you need to be aware of your fertility status. Women are not always the ones at fault when it comes to the incapacity to bear a child. Men infertility should be accepted with an open mind.
In the available studies and reports that medical teams have further gathered, they see that men infertility comprises at lest 1/3 of its overall total. In contrast with the female reproductive system, the male reproductive system is less complicated. Men infertility is usually associated with the problem in sperm count and other known sperm disorders. The fertility process commonly takes place during the intercourse when there are millions of sperm cells that get deposited into the vagina during the male ejaculation. Only a few of the semen can successfully get through the protective walls of the egg cell to enable pregnancy. Therefore, the more sperm cells that are able to go through the eggs protective walling, the more chances of allowing a successful fertilization. For a progressive fertilization, the sperm quality, sperm size and shape, sperm motility, and sperm count are great factors to consider.
Logically, any problem with any of these factors is likely to bring about a difficulty in male fertility. The explanation to this is that a great number of sperm count and an optimum quality of sperm cells are sure to give a hundred percent male fertility.
Men infertility is likewise confronted with an array of environmental and health issues which can affect the difficulty in conceiving. The age is a renowned factor. Obviously, as man ages, his capacity to reproduce lessens. Specialists say that from the age of 35, the sperm cell quality starts to diminish. Ones lifestyle choices also pose an impact to men infertility. Men infertility is likely to be affected by the intense exposure to heat and by using overly tight underwear, the extreme exposure to pesticides, electromagnetic emissions, radioactivity and other hazardous substances. It is also to be noted that men infertility is greatly brought about by STDs, too much use of drugs, smoking, and the abuse of alcohol.
by David Fresco
Wednesday, July 5
Genetic Links to Male Infertility
Infertility can be traced to the male in 30 to 50 percent of all cases. That's not a statistic that many are aware of, but so says Dr. Mark Leondires, medical director for Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut. Historically, other than being told to stay away from hot tubs and switch to boxer shorts, male infertility issues weren't given a lot of attention. Fortunately, this is changing as science begins to investigate the genetic link in male infertility.Beyond Sperm Counts
When a couple seems to be experiencing infertility issues, there are some basic physiological conditions that should be evaluated before any more intensive testing is done. "One of the things I tell my patients is that there are three basic components to fertility," says Dr. Leondires. "These are regular ovulation, open fallopian tubes and a good sperm count. Since sperm is easily accessible, that should be done first."
Unfortunately, it doesn't always work that way. "Even in the medical community, there's what I call medical sexism," says Dr. Leondires. "I just saw a patient the other day who discovered the problem was with her husband only after she'd been through four cycles of Clomid."
In the male, in addition to a simple semen examination, diagnosing male factor infertility should include a thorough exam to rule out obvious physical defects of the reproductive system, as well as hormonal deficiencies. Once these factors are eliminated, the semen analysis can help the physician diagnose a host of possible problems that may be a factor in infertility.
"In examining a semen analysis, sperm count becomes just one component," says Dr. Mark Perloe, medical director of Georgia Reproductive Specialists. "A semen analysis is like a UPS tracking number; it can tell us if the sperm is likely to get to the egg. Unfortunately, if the outside of the box is damaged, there may be some damage inside. Sometimes, physicians will overlook the underlying information, such as the presence of immature cells and clues that there may be some infection or abnormality that's damaging the sperm."
The Genetic Component
While any test for male factor infertility begins with a sperm count, a high sperm count isn't necessarily an indicator of fertility. For example, many men have adequate sperm and semen production, yet still receive a diagnosis of infertility because their sperm is not effective at penetrating the egg to achieve fertilization. Sometimes, seemingly healthy sperm may have a genetic abnormality.
"Whenever you see a case of severe male factor infertility, part of workup should be a chromosomal analysis," says Dr. Leondires. "There have been a lot of recent findings on microdeletions of the Y chromosomes that are crucial genes for sperm production."
Aside from these microdeletions, which occur at a cellular level and are tricky to diagnose, other genetic factors include existing genetic conditions such as cystic fibrosis and polycystic kidney disease. Another important genetic component is age, which is an especially important consideration as people tend to have families at later and later ages.
"There is new data coming out of IVF literature suggesting that men over the age of 60 have more breakdown in their sperm genetics and that there may be a higher incidence of various disorders with older men," says Dr. Leondires. "Men probably have a biological clock just as women do, but the magnitude of its affect is smaller. We're just learning about this because it's only been recently that there have been enough men over the age of 60 trying to reproduce for us to even gather these statistics."
Many of these factors can be overcome by advances in reproductive medicine, such as IVF (in vitro fertilization) and ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection), but it's also important to consider the risk of passing on genetic abnormalities to the next generation without more careful sperm and semen analyses.
No More Jokes
Overall, genetic research into male infertility is in its infancy, but the subject has taken on a new urgency as something that was once a joke in the reproductive field appears to be reality: the possible extinction of the male of our species. "We don't think it's our imagination anymore," says Dr. Leondires. "There definitely appears to be lower global sperm counts. We don't know why this is. It may be environmental, or it may be because since there's only one Y chromosome, the DNA and amino acids are starting to break down."
One reason for the speculation that our environment may be the cause is because, to the great surprise of researchers, some of the lowest sperm counts were identified in America's heartland. The perception of this part of the country may be of a healthy, corn-and-beef-fed population, but, in fact, the chemicals used in agriculture over the years have made it particularly toxic.
Regardless of the reason, the breakthroughs in genetic causes for male infertility can help promote treatment at the genetic level, even though those treatments may be many years down the road. "I think we're very far away from being able to manipulate the human genome to offer much hope at this point for treating infertility at the genetic level," says Dr. Leondires. "Human reproduction seems simple enough, but in reality it's extremely complicated, and there is still a lot we don't understand about how it all works."
By Kelly Burgess
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