Why is the problem of male infertility increasing in India, what is the reason and solution for this problem of men

There are many misconceptions in society regarding infertility or infertility. Fertility occupies an important place in Indian social norms, with emphasis on producing children, and ultimately society always blames women for their inability to conceive. Whereas, according to WHO, the presence of infertility in the general population is 15 to 20 percent, with the causes of male infertility contributing 20 to 40 percent. According to researchers, the rate of male infertility is around 23%. Most importantly, the problem of male infertility is increasing in India in the last few years.

What is Infertility -

Infertility is a fertility problem that causes pregnancy failure after 12 months or more of unprotected sex - International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technology, World Health Organization (WHO).

Male Infertility -

There are many reasons for male infertility. For example, low sperm count, low production of sperm, obstruction in the abnormal function of sperm, blockage in the delivery route of sperm, etc. Many such problems can occur due to injury or infection of the genital tract. Other external factors can also cause infertility: smoking, excessive drinking, poor dietary intake, low exercise, obesity, stress, and exposure to certain chemicals or pesticides. Illnesses, injuries, chronic health problems, and changing lifestyles can help with male infertility problems.

Symptoms of male infertility -

When symptoms are detected, the Indian social mindset tends to delay seeking help at the right time – in some cases, men are hesitant to undergo their own infertility tests for fear of misunderstanding or embarrassment in society. This is the reason why men and women equally need to be aware of their reproductive health. Men should not hesitate to seek treatment for sexual function problems.

• Difficulty Ejaculating or Low Amount of Ejaculatory Fluid
• Decreased sexual desire, or difficulty maintaining an erection (erectile dysfunction), all these symptoms can cause male infertility.
• In addition, it is important to pay attention to abnormalities such as pain, swelling, or lumps in the testicular area.

How to Diagnose Male Infertility - How to Diagnose Male Infertility?

The good news is, the sooner you go to a specialist, the sooner you can diagnose and fix the problem. Your complete medical history including physical examination, blood tests, general hormone tests, and semen analysis is done to diagnose. Semen analysis (is the sperm functioning well, and are they motile) looks at the level of sperm formation and sperm motility. However, regardless of the outcome, whether a semen test shows a low sperm count or no sperm count, there are several treatment options available.

This is followed by transrectal ultrasound, testicular biopsy (collection of sperm for use in the assisted reproductive system to eliminate the cause of infertility), hormonal profiles, and post-ejaculation urine analysis (to find out if sperm has retreated into the bladder). whether or not), treatment options are also included.

One of the newest techniques to help diagnose male infertility is the DNA fragmentation test of sperm. This test is done to assess for any problems in the genetic material of the sperm, as it can detect if there is any DNA damage in the sperm. In addition, a sperm aneuploidy test (SAT) may be done to study the cause of male infertility. It shows chromosomal abnormalities in the sperm sample.

Male Infertility Treatment -

First and foremost, doctors recommend staying away from factors that cause infertility, such as quitting smoking and alcohol, making lifestyle changes that control diabetes, obesity, etc. Thereafter, antibiotic treatment is recommended for various infections in the reproductive tract. Intercourse problems are treated in the form of medication or counseling, which can help improve fertility in conditions such as erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation. Problems like azoospermia (nil sperm), oligospermia (limited sperm production) due to blockage of testicles can be treated. This is a technique where the doctor can obtain sperm from the testicles.

The availability of various treatments in Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) has become a boon to thousands of couples worldwide struggling with infertility. The most popular assisted reproductive techniques for the treatment of male infertility are intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Those treatment procedures include normal ejaculation, surgical extraction, or obtaining sperm from donor individuals.

In IVF, the egg is removed from the ovary and fertilized by sperm in laboratory conditions, and the fertilized egg (embryo) is reimplanted back into the uterus. In IUI, sperm is placed in a woman's uterus with the help of a special tube. This method is only used if the male partner has a very low sperm count, low sperm motility, or retrograde ejaculation. (ICSI) is a procedure in which both the sperm and the egg are obtained from the respective partner, and then a single sperm is injected into the egg. The fertilized egg is then implanted in the woman's uterus.

Now advanced technologies like Micro-TESE, IMSI, and Sperm VD Cryopreservation Device are also available to help couples dealing with problems like male infertility.