One of modern lifestyles is a rise in infertility, and many couples are facing issues when it comes to naturally conceiving. In India, over the last five years, infertility has gone up by 20 to 30 per cent! Many causes are contributing to this, such as lifestyle factors, drinking and smoking, no exercise, sitting jobs, overexposure to radiation, and planning for children at a late age. All these factors include how a couple can conceive if the male partner is infertile. What are the options available?
Pregnancy from an infertile male partner
Three levels of male infertility
Subfertile- This is the least severe condition and can be dealt with efficiently. If the male partner has subfertility, it means that pregnancy can be easily achieved, but it may not sustain due to various reasons.
Infertile- If the male partner is infertile, pregnancy may be achieved, but the entire journey of pregnancy will have issues.
Sterility- This is the most severe condition, where the egg never fuses with the sperm. So when we speak of infertility, it is crucial to understand where your partner falls in these three categories. The solution to getting pregnant from an infertile male partner depends on which type your partner falls in.
How to get pregnant from an infertile male partner?
If the male partner is subfertile: IUI
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) is one of the methods of achieving pregnancy where the male partner’s sperm are at least 10 million. The semen of the male partner is collected and washed by some special procedures in a lab. After that, a few of the best quality sperms are selected. The selected sperm is inserted into the uterus through vagina passing through the cervical area.
If the male partner is infertile: IVF or ICSI
This is the most preferred method for achieving pregnancy with a sterile male partner. In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) are similar procedures except for a slight difference. In an IVF, the egg and the sperm are placed in a petri dish in a lab and are left on their own to unite. ICSI is used in combination with IVF when the sperm count is very low. iCSi gives the sperm an extra boost to merge with the egg. Except for this difference, in both cases, fertilisation happens outside the womb in a laboratory. After healthy embryos are formed, a desired number of them are selected and placed inside the womb.
If your partner is sterile: Donor Sperm
Donor sperm is the preferred choice of pregnancy when the male partner has gone through a complete testicular failure or has abnormal or no sperm. There are semen banks from where donor sperm are collected, and such banks have lately gained popularity. The donor sperm is then injected into the egg for fertilisation to occur.
Male Infertility treatments
Based on the cause and degree of infertility, this condition can be treated as follows:
Medication: Hormone treatment is preferred to rectify any hormonal disorders which are causing your infertility. Hormone imbalances have a direct impact on sperm development. Any issues with the main hormone-generating glands, such as the hypothalamus, and pituitary gland, may be rectified with hormonal treatments. Antibiotics, along with gonadotropin therapy, may do the trick.
Surgical options: The option of surgery is used, especially if there are blockages in the pathways for sperm to pass out during ejaculation. Surgery can fix issues that keep the sperm from being made, matured, or ejaculated. Any twisted, swollen veins in the scrotum (varicocele) are also removed surgically, which can sometimes improve the quality of sperm.
We at ZIVA Infertility Clinics have years of experience handling male infertility cases. We have helped many women with infertile male partners realise their dream of pregnancy. We offer counselling services, provide donor sperm, and also do surgical and non-surgical male infertility treatments. For more information, visit our website at https://zivafertility.com/ or contact us at +91-9100002737, +91-9392834024, or info@zivafertility.com.
