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In approx. 40 percent of infertility cases, sperm abnormalities are either a factor or the factor.

Male Infertility is assessed on the following:
– Sperm Count (less than 10 million per milliliter)
– Volume (1-5 ml per ejaculate)
– Sperm motility (over 60% should be motile and show forward movement)
– Sperm morphology (50-60% should be of normal shape)

The average ejaculate has about 200 million sperm. Only a few sperm actually reach the egg. This shows how the odds are played against a man with poor sperm quality. Although, there are ways to imporve sperm count, motility, and morphology.

Contents[show]

1 Causes of Male Infertility
- 1.1 Diagnosis of Male Infertility

Causes of Male Infertility

Sperm has to be made in the testes, travel through the spermatic ducts, and find the egg.

Radiation, environmental toxins, undescended testis, varicocele, traumatic injury, infectious injury, testicular atrophy, drug effects, prolonged fever, certain endocrine disorders, congenital abnormalities, past surgery in the lower abdomen, tight underwear, poor diet, antihypertensives, antiinflamatories, antihistamines, stress, lack of sleep, alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, and cocaine, all have a large effect on sperm health and male fertility.

A man may also produce antibodies to his own sperm, this means that the immune system attacks the tails of the sperm that they are producing. Sometimes the woman produces antibodies toward her partners sperm, they generally attack the head of the sperm.

Diagnosis of Male Infertility

Medical history will be taken; childhood disease, undescended testes, mumps, sexual disease.
Structural abnormalities will be examined; varicocele (swelling of the scrotum), size and shape of testes.
Secondary sex characteristics will be evaluated.
Hypothyroidism, hypopituitarism, adrenal disorders, hypogonadism, diabetes, and other endocrine disorders will be checked for.
2-3 specimens of sperm will be needed for a proper evaluation. Volume and other characteristics vary from time to time. The semen should look somewhat viscous and opaque. The volume should be between 1-5 ml (remember that one shot of alcohol is 30 ml). There should be over 20 million sperm per ml of semen.

Sperm is evaluated into the following categories;
– adequate
– aspermia (absence of ejaculate)
– azoospermia (absence of sperm in semen)
– oligospermia (lowered sperm density)
– poor motility and forward movement
– high percent of abnormal sperm morphology
– antisperm antibodies
For more information on ”sperm disorders’ visit our Sperm Disorders section.

Surgery may be needed. Although, many sperm abnormalities and male fertility problems can be effectively treated with diet and lifestyle changes, avoiding what can be harmful, supplementation with vitamins, minerals, and herbs.

Must Read: Acupuncture Helps Lower Scrotum Temperature, Increase Sperm Count

Dr Spence Pentland

Dr. Pentland is founder of The IVF Acupuncture Group of Greater Vancouver, available 7 days a week for on site embryo transfer and acupuncture treatments at the Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine (PCRM) and Genesis Fertility Centre. “The integrated relationship I have established with these clinics is something that I value very much as it expands my knowledge, gives me the opportunity to reach more people, and helps me better understand how to support women on their journey toward family.” says Dr. Pentland. Dr. Pentland, along with Dr. Jeffrey Roberts of The Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine (PCRM), and Dr. Christine Sutton of the University of British Columbia, authored research published in Fertility & Sterility on the stress reducing effects of acupuncture when administered in the weeks leading up to an IVF embryo transfer. In 2015 Spence published BEING FERTILE - 10 Steps to Help You Overcome the Struggles of Infertility, Get Pregnant, and Create a Happy, Healthy Family. A book written to provide hope, tools and resources for women and couples experiencing difficulty starting or expanding their families. Dr. Pentland is founder of The IVF Acupuncture Group of Greater Vancouver, available 7 days a week for on site embryo transfer and acupuncture treatments at the Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine (PCRM) and Genesis Fertility Centre. “The integrated relationship I have established with these clinics is something that I value very much as it expands my knowledge, gives me the opportunity to reach more people, and helps me better understand how to support women on their journey toward family.” says Dr. Pentland. Dr. Pentland, along with Dr. Jeffrey Roberts of The Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine (PCRM), and Dr. Christine Sutton of the University of British Columbia, authored research published in Fertility & Sterility on the stress reducing effects of acupuncture when administered in the weeks leading up to an IVF embryo transfer. In 2015 Spence published BEING FERTILE - 10 Steps to Help You Overcome the Struggles of Infertility, Get Pregnant, and Create a Happy, Healthy Family. A book written to provide hope, tools and resources for women and couples experiencing difficulty starting or expanding their families. Further demonstrating his commitment to reproductive health, he is a devoted member of IAAC (Infertility Awareness Association), CFAS (Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society), and ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine). As the former president of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association of British Columbia and the provincial BC TCM quality assurance committee, Dr. Pentland is well respected by peers and patients alike. He remains actively involved in educating healthcare colleagues and the public on the powerful benefits of Chinese medicine & acupuncture, working steadily on the integration of ancient Daoist wisdom into modern western life as a way to build awareness about reproductive health. This compassionate expertise is reflected in patient testimonials. When not helping others start their families, Spence can be found spending time with his own--his adoring wife Chantal and their two beautiful sons. “I am very proud to be part of the team of professionals at Yinstill. We are all dedicated to raising the bar in the field of complimentary and alternative reproductive medicine. Nothing is more important than family,” he says. 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