Male Infertility

When a couple is trying to become parents, there are a number of reasons why a pregnancy may be delayed. There may be problems with the woman's menstrual cycle pattern that make it more difficult to conceive, or the male's sperm count or motility may be low. Male infertility is a fairly common problem, but it is not difficult to fix in most cases. Here are some treatments that may help.

This problem is mainly due to a hormonal imbalance; because of the imbalance, the sperm count may be low, or the movement of the sperm may be slow. In order to fix this, your doctor will prescribe medication that works to treat the pituitary gland, which is located just behind the brain. When this gland is stimulated, it instructs the testicles to produce more sperm. In women, the pituitary glands stimulates the ovaries to produce more eggs. Medication to treat this problem can be taken in injection form, called gonadotrophins, or can be taken orally, as clomiphene. These are the two most popular treatments for men and women, but the medications and dosages are tailored depending on the sex of the patient.

It is important to keep in mind that it may take a while for these treatments to begin to work;whether you choose the pill or injections, you should begin to feel results in about six months. Remember, you are not considered 'infertile' unless you have been having unprotected sex for a full year without conceiving a child. So, if you have only been trying for a month or two before taking the medication, then it is likely that you will see results before the year's end.

Male infertility can also be cured by adopting certain lifestyle changes. If you are a smoker, then this could be lowering your sperm count dramatically, and could be affecting your motility as well. Studies have shown that among the other problems that nicotine causes, reproductive issues are common. If you have to have that cup of coffee each morning, or drink sodas often, you may want to cut back on these beverages as well. The caffeine in these drinks serves as a diuretic, which means it dries your body out and can cause dehydration. This not only affects your energy level, but could bring your sperm count very low.

If you're taking any type of herbal supplements, such as ginseng or St. John's wort, then talk to your doctor about whether or not you should continue taking these if you are considering male infertility drugs. These supplements have been known to inhibit reproduction, and may make the conception process more difficult. For more information, visit www.webmd.com.