To conceive a child, it is imperative that both partners are healthy and virile. But if you have been trying to conceive for over 12 months without any success, it is time you to see your doctor, and ascertain that both you and your partner are fertile. With the focus always on women, often male infertility is a neglected issue for the symptoms and signs of infertility in men are not very apparent and well etched out. Infertility can be treated provided you notice the symptoms earlier on and raise it with your doctor.
But even if a baby is not on your mind, here are some of the alarming signs of infertility in men you should be aware of.
1. Pain and swelling in your testicles
Always check the health of your testicles whether there is a certain tension, swelling or even a lump, because this could be an indicator of varicocele. This condition relates to the enlargement of the testicle veins, quite like varicose vein, leading to a lowered sperm count and subsequently hampering the delivery of sperms. If your pain is too acute, consult your doctor. There are surgeries in order to fix the clumped veins. By ignoring this, you are cutting down on your chances of becoming a daddy.
2. Poor sense of smell
Now this may not always be a foolproof indicator of infertility, but surely one of the signs of infertility in men. Usually this condition relates to a disorder that is passed down genetically called Kallman’s syndrome, an extremely rare disorder in which your puberty never took off, or you are still in your puberty phase despite your years. As a result of this condition, you are totally immune to smells, and you cannot discern one smell from the other. This usually leads to the malfunction of the testicles and erectile dysfunction, and of course lowered sex drive. If you have had this condition for the longest time you can remember, and not because you recently caught a cold, visit your doctor.
3. Difficulty in ejaculation
This is a rather common sign of infertility in men, and it is referred to as ejaculation disorder. In this condition, either you ejaculate in fits and starts, or very low amount of sperms come out when you do, and is a grave cause of concern if being a parent is your priority. Sometimes retrograde ejaculation could be a cause for this great difficulty in ejaculation because this condition draws the semen backwards to the bladder rather than out of it. Some medicines are responsible for giving you this condition, while it can also be a neural problem. Either way, you shouldn’t have difficulty ejaculating.
4. Low sperm count
Low sperm count is among the sure-shot signs of infertility in men because if the sperms are not sufficient it will not help the egg to fertilise into an embryo. You can’t ascertain this at home, but if you have been having unprotected intercourse for about a year and still trying to have a baby, then you are suggested to take a test to ensure your sperm count isn’t poor. Typically any lesser than 15 million sperm per millilitre of semen is a low sperm count. It ideally should hover between 20 and 150 million sperm per millilitre of semen. There are several factors that can be attributed to a lowered sperm count such as chemical exposure, an imbalance of hormones and infection in the testicles. Sooner you see your doctor, the better.
Image: NOVA IVI
5. Your testicles are smaller than usual
This is again a very rare condition, also called the Klinefelter’s syndrome, sometimes even genetic, when you are born with smaller testicles. Small testicles cause insufficient production of sperms needed for the fertilisation of the egg. Predominantly, during puberty they are too tiny for the production of testosterone. This condition should be treated in your teen years. Or you will have to seek the help of a genetic expert in infertility.
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6. Low sex drive
Of course you could be too tired on days to have sex, and we are not calling that low sex drive. But in general if you do not have the urge to have sex. Or you never initiate sex with your partner, you have a cause of concern here. This is among the definite signs of infertility in men. If your testicles are not producing enough testosterone to stimulate you enough to have an intercourse, you need to fix an appointment with your doctor. You cannot father a child if you are slowly going off sex. Get this checked before it is too late.
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7. You are growing breasts
Gynecomastia results in a swelling in the breast tissues in men due to an imbalance in the sex hormones, androgen and testosterone. This leads to an enlargement in the breasts. If you have noticed your breasts growing, and that too disproportionately, you could be suffering from this condition. This can prevent you from having a baby. It is a major cause of male infertility, but it can be corrected provided you seek help at the right time.
If you have noticed any of these signs of infertility in men, visit your doctor. Baby or no baby, its always better to get such symptoms corrected and stay healthy.
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