Male infertility is more common than you might think. Only now it becomes known about him only when a couple goes to the doctor with a request to help in conceiving a baby, that is, after long and unsuccessful independent attempts. According to the results of a spermogram, a man can be diagnosed with a disease such as oligozoospermia. We will tell you about what it is and whether there is a chance for a family to have children with such a diagnosis in this article.
What it is?
Oligozoospermia is often referred to as oligospermia, being considered a type of the second. There is a difference between these two names, but, as a rule, both phenomena mean the same problem. Oligospermia is a decrease in the amount of ejaculate, and oligozoospermia is a decrease in the concentration of sperm in the seminal fluid. Most often, these phenomena are directly interconnected, but there may be exceptions in which a decrease in the number of germ cells in the seminal fluid is recorded in the normal volume of sperm.
According to the WHO, which were created to assess the criteria and indicators of spermogram, in 1 milliliter of semen a healthy man should have at least 15-40 million sperm. Deviations from these values to the lower side are the reason for the diagnosis of oligozoospermia.
The degree of the disease
Depending on the specific decrease in the concentration of germ cells in the ejaculate there are four degrees of oligozoospermia:
- Grade 1 - the presence of less than 15 million cells in 1 milliliter of semen;
- Grade 2 - the concentration of sperm in 1 milliliter of semen - 10-12 million;
- Grade 3 - 5-10 million sex cells in 1 milliliter of semen;
- Grade 4 - less than 5 million sperm per milliliter.
The greater the severity of the disease, the more difficult it is for a couple to become pregnant naturally.
Causes of occurrence
There are many reasons why sperm cells may be less than normal. All of them are divided into two large groups: congenital and acquired causes. Congenital doctors include cryptorchidism, congenital absence of one testicle, varicocele, congenital insufficiency of testosterone production, which is directly involved in the synthesis of germ cells.
Acquired reasons are much more common. These include, first of all, the consequences of "stormy youth": latent genital infections, which a man may not even guess about for years, as well as venereal diseases that he has suffered. Not the last place is occupied by bacterial and viral diseases of the genitourinary tract, especially herpesvirus of the second type, as well as chronic and "neglected" ailments.
All men in their youth loved to fight. Then few of them thought that injuries that can cause blows "below the belt" can trigger pathological processes that will certainly affect the composition and quality of sperm. Mechanical injury is possible during horse riding or cycling.
Hormonal causes are also widespread among men, especially among those involved in professional strength sports and fitness. Many people take anabolic steroids for more impressive athletic performance.
Oligozoospermia is often diagnosed in men who abuse alcohol, drugs and tobacco. Adverse factors from the outside can also affect a man's health: radiation, exposure to toxins, contact with heavy metal salts and pesticides.
The nervous factor occupies a special place among the causes of oligozoospermia. Due to severe stress, the disease develops in every fifth man with this diagnosis.
The development of pathology is promoted by renal and hepatic failure, overweight and obesity, a sedentary lifestyle. Overheating of the testicles can also affect the number of spermatozoa, so those who like to take a steam bath, visit a sauna or ride in a car with electrically heated seats on are often patients of fertility specialists.
Improper nutrition, in which a man does not have enough protein in his diet, can also cause oligozoospermia. A bad habit of eating fast food can do a bad job: this food contains a lot of dyes and preservatives that have a destructive effect on male germ cells, inhibiting their formation and growth.
It is not always possible to establish the reason, and then they talk about idiopathic male infertility.
Chances of pregnancy
With a pathology such as oligozoospermia, you can get pregnant on your own without the intervention of reproductologists, but the chances of conceiving naturally depend on the degree of the disease. If a man has a first-degree disease, the chances of conception in each menstrual cycle, provided that sexual intercourse occurs at a favorable time for conception, is about 26%.
The possibility of fertilization with the second degree of oligozoospermia is estimated at about 15%. In the third degree, the chances are much lower - only 2.7%. And with the fourth stage of the disease, the chances tend to zero.
Treatment, if started promptly, helps more than 95% of men with oligozoospermia become fathers. It is quite possible to cure this disease if you have patience and approach the issue with all responsibility.
Treatment
Oligozoospermia should be treated with the obligatory consideration of the true cause that caused it. If this is an infectious disease, the man is treated with antibiotics, with a viral infection, antiviral drugs are prescribed, as well as drugs to strengthen the immune system. Varicocele is treated surgically - after the operation, the problem is completely solved.
For men whose reproductive health disorders are caused by chronic stress, it is recommended to visit a psychotherapist, vacation, sea, fruits, massage and light herbal preparations with a sedative effect. It may make sense to change jobs or move out of town to a secluded home outside the city.
In case of hormonal disorders, the treatment regimen will be prescribed by an endocrinologist. It will depend on which hormones are lacking and which are present in excess. With obesity, sometimes it is enough just to lose weight. Most of the causes of the disease can be successfully treated.
All men are recommended to alternate between work and rest, the absence of excessive physical exertion, but a sufficiently active lifestyle in which a man can maintain himself in normal physical shape. In addition to the main treatment aimed at eliminating the cause, the intake of dietary supplements is prescribed, such as Viardo, Spermactin, as well as vitamins A, E, C, folic acid, preparations containing zinc and selenium.
It is not recommended for a man to take hot baths for a long time, visit baths and saunas, wear tight tight underwear and tight trousers.
The effectiveness of treatment, as well as its duration, depend on the degree of the disease. With oligozoospermia of the first degree, it is enough to simply eliminate stress, adjust nutrition, take vitamins and drugs to improve sperm quality.
With the second degree of the disease, drugs that improve spermatogenesis are indispensable. Treatment is usually long - at least six months. In the third degree, therapy is usually even longer.
Treatment with folk remedies
If a man is not allergic to beekeeping products, then royal jelly will help him in the difficult task of fighting oligozoospermia. It is taken on an empty stomach, a teaspoon per day. Since ancient times, wormwood was considered a great "helper" of the male population. An aqueous infusion is prepared from its seeds, which a man should take during the day in small portions.
Sperm quality is noticeably improved from the systematic daily intake of rosehip decoction. It is made from berries and given to a man 2 tablespoons 3 times a day. Sage decoction has also proven itself well.
However, it should be understood that it is unreasonable to treat such a serious problem with folk remedies alone. But the advice of traditional medicine, time-tested, may well complement the treatment prescribed by the doctor.
It is not worth reminding that the desire to take such decoctions should be previously agreed with the treating doctor.
If the treatment doesn't work
Treatment may be ineffective in cases of idiopathic infertility, genetic disorders, and congenital malformations of the sex glands. But even for such men, medicine can offer options that will help them become fathers of healthy and strong babies.
These methods include IVF, ICSI, ICSI-MAX and a number of other assistive technologies, many of which for medical reasons are carried out at the expense of the compulsory health insurance fund. The essence of these methods is approximately the same, only the execution is different. Under laboratory conditions, under powerful modern microscopes with a magnification of several thousand times, laboratory assistants will select several ideal cells from the available seminal fluid - healthy and complete.
Further, depending on the specific method, artificial insemination outside the uterus can be performed, the introduction of sperm into the uterine cavity using a long syringe, almost "jewelry" introduction of the sperm into the egg under a microscope, followed by its transfer into the uterine cavity after a few days.
Reviews
Men themselves do not like to talk about their delicate problems and discuss them on forums. But their wives successfully do it for them. That is why, on the Internet, you can find a large number of stories of oligozoospermia treatment, which ended in quite successful conception, gestation and childbirth.
To achieve such a result, women say, it is important not to abandon the prescribed treatment, not to miss taking medications, regular tests and examinations. Men are not very fond of such "adventures", and therefore it is necessary for the wife to make sure that the spouse eats useful food, takes pills and vitamins, visits the doctor on time, because in the end result both partners are interested.
For the treatment of male infertility, see the next video.
