About Male Infertility
Approximately 15% of couples are unable to conceive a child after 1 year of regular, unprotected intercourse.
A male factor for infertility may be involved in as many as half of all infertile couples. Infertility affects about 6 million people in the U.S. Approximately 10-15% of male infertility is due to azoospermia (the complete absence of sperm from the semen). Azoospermia is present in about 1% of all men.Varicoceles (enlarged veins within the scrotum) are found in about 40% of men with infertility.
--booklet "A BASIC GUIDE TO MALE INFERTILITY" by American Urological Association.Inc.
Infertility is a common problem among young adults. About 15% of all couples are unable to conceive a child after 1 year of regular, unprotected intercourse.Infertility is one of the most difficult experiences that a couple may face together. The couple may have a sense of loss and a feeling of uncertainty.
It is a time, however, when the couple must make certain key decisions. It is important that they work together as a team and avoid placing blame on one another. Infertility often results from reproductive problems in both partners. Doctors now know that a male factor for infertility may be involved in
roughly one half of all infertile couples:
--- In 30-40% of these couples, the infertility involves both male and female factors.
--- In about 20% of infertile couples, the inability to conceive is due entirely to a male factor.
--- In about 30-40% of infertile couples, the infertility is due to a female factor alone.
--- In about 10% of couples, neither partner has a detectable abnormality.
Infertility may be due to problems in one or both of the partners. An evaluation of both partners of an infertile couple should be performed at the same time.Many factors contribute to male fertility, including age, stress levels, lifestyle,daily Diet, number and shape of sperm, and the general health of the genital tract.
Male infertility can be classified into three major groups:
--- non-obstructive infertility (60 per cent): inadequate sperm production by the testes (such as Hormonal abnormalities/ Genetic causes/ Varicocele/Undescended testes/ Exposure to gonadotoxins/ Iatrogenic causes/ Orchitis/Testicular torsion/Testicular trauma/Testicular tumours/ Autoimmune infertility)
--- obstructive infertility (38 per cent): normal sperm production, but there is a blockage in the genital tract (such as Congenital absence of the Vas deferens/ Vasectomy /Vasal obstruction/Epididymal or Ejaculatory duct obstruction)
--- coital infertility (2 per cent): normal sperm production and patent genital tract; however, infertility is secondary to sexual dysfunction, which impairs intromission or ejaculation. The conditions of this group include Erectile dysfunction/ Premature ejaculation/ Penile deformities/ Anejaculation/Retrograde ejaculation.
There are three major types of male infertility if take sperm count as consideration:
---Azoospermia – the complete absence of sperm from the semen. This occurs in 10-15% of men with infertility. It can be due to:
1. absence of, or severe reduction in, sperm production. This can be associated with chromosome or hormone abnormalities.2. ductal obstruction (obstruction to the flow of sperm)
--- Oligospermia – or ‘low sperm count( 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen.’- is usually due to a marked reduction in sperm production. Oligospermia may be associated with a varicocele (a varicose vein in the scrotum, usually on the left side.)
--- count but with other Problems
ejaculation (the sperm are produced but the semen doesn’t come out).
-with erections and other sexual functions.
-with sexual timing and/or technique.
Treatment of Male Infertility
Major of male infertility will be treated in a way of cause-depending treatment which may include
Hormone therapy, lifestyle changes(maintain body weight , stop smoking/drinking/marijuana and recreational drug use)
Some male fertility problems can be addressed with surgery include:
---Varicoceles: these are malformations of testicular veins which affect 15% of the general population and are associated with male infertility. These can be surgically corrected by a urologist .
---Testicular biopsy: in cases where a couple may be planning in vitro fertilization and it is not possible to acquire sperm from the ejaculate, sperm can be retrieved from the testicle by biopsy with a needle.
The treatment of acupuncture for male infertility has a long history, which can be traced back to Jin Dynasty of China, nearly 2,000 years ago. Recently decades, Acupuncture as an adjuvant therapy, has aroused the curiosity of many scholars because of its controversial efficacy and mechanism. Some RCTs studies were evidence showing that acupuncture might improve poor semen quality by increased the percentage of sperm with rapid progression (mean difference - 6.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.38–8.32, P< 0.00001) and sperm concentration (mean difference - 6.42, 95% CI: 4.91–7.92, P< 0.00001)( systematic review and meta-analysis by U.M Jerng et el 2014). Even though there is no sufficient evidences showing a significant beneficial for pregnant rate improvement. But this alternative approach could overcome the shortcomings of conventional treatment such as unsatisfactory efficacy, high cost, and many adverse reactions with the merits in treating male infertility mainly include:
(1) the advantages of acupuncture for male infertility include no side effects, few adverse effects, and lowcost; (2) the combination of acupuncture and conventional therapy can improve the efficacy of male infertility; and (3) from the perspective of TCM, acupuncture can regulate the body as a whole, thereby treating male infertility.(Jiaxing Feng et al,Frontiers in Endocrinology 2022).
Normal Acupuncture treatment for Male infertility usually include 15-45 sessions in total ,depending on the conditions of patients , with three times a week,45-60 min per session. If your conceiving attempts failed with conventional approaches, you are encourage to give it a try with acupuncture,see if this amazing approach could bring you a results you expected.