This Father’s Day, know the male infertility risk factors
While many men call up their dads to wish them a happy Father’s Day, they may be thinking ahead to a future Father’s Day of their own. Men often assume that when they want to have a baby with their partners, it will happen easily. But that’s not the case for many men. Understanding male infertility risk factors can help men know when to get help from a Nevada fertility specialist, so they can become dads when the time is right.
Understanding male infertility risk factors
Many men don’t realize it, but infertility isn’t just “a woman thing.” In about 40% of cases, a sperm problem is either the primary factor or a contributing factor.
What makes a man infertile? Typically, male infertility involves a problem with the quantity of sperm, the ability of sperm to penetrate an egg, or the ability of sperm to swim to the egg. Several male infertility risk factors can increase the chances of a man being diagnosed with infertility, including many that are out of your partner’s control.
- Surgery or trauma to the genitals or pelvic area
- Prior vasectomy
- Prostate disease
- Adult cases of the mumps
- Past exposure to toxins or harsh medications, such as chemotherapy
- Birth defects
- Exposure to DES, a synthetic hormone, in their own mothers’ wombs
- History of undescended testicles
- Advancing age
- Chronic illness, including sickle cell disease and CF
- Family history of male infertility
However, men may be able to mitigate certain other male infertility risk factors by making healthy lifestyle changes.
- Stop heavy drinking
- Quit smoking
- Don’t expose the testicles to heat sources, such as saunas or hot tubs and baths
- Lose weight through diet and exercise
Know your own risk
If you or your partner is worried about male infertility risk factors, you don’t have to wait to get answers. A semen analysis is a simple, easy test that can provide a lot of information about sperm quantity and health.
Don’t let another Father’s Day go by without the answers you need. Contact us to schedule a consultation with a Nevada fertility specialist.
