What are the causes and risks of the condition?
There are many male factors that can make a couple unable to become pregnant. These may include conditions such as the following:
- diabetic neuropathy, in which nerve damage causes problems with erection or ejaculation
- extreme obesity hormone imbalances, such as hypothyroidism
- hypogonadism, a condition in which the testes fail to develop normally
- inherited conditions that impair the ability to produce sperm, such as Down syndrome
- testicular torsion, a condition in which the blood supply to the testicle is cut off
- undescended testicles, a condition in which the testes fail to drop into the scrotum
- varicocele, a group of enlarged veins inside the scrotum
Diseases also can be a factor in infertility, for example:
- autoimmune disorders, which can cause the body to produce antibodies that attack sperm
- liver disease
- sickle cell anemia
- kidney disease
- genital infections such as gonorrhea and genital herpes
- infections of the reproductive organs, such as prostatitis and epididymitis
- infectious diseases, including mumps
Additional factors in infertility include the following:
- certain medications, such as cimetidine and phenytoin
- certain supplements, such as anabolic steroids
- chemotherapy used for cancer
- diet low in folic acid or low in lycopene, which is found in plants such as tomatoes
- excessive exercise, which lowers testosterone levels and decreases sperm production
- exposure to diethylstilbestrol, also known as DES, as an infant in utero
- exposure to toxins such as lead, mercury, or pesticides
- frequent hot baths or use of hot tubs
- injury to the testicles
- low sperm count, poor sperm quality, and poor movement of sperm
- radiation therapy
- recreational drugs, such as alcohol, methadone, and marijuana
- sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation
- side effects of treatments for testicular cancer or prostate cancer
- surgery of the reproductive system, such as transurethral resection of the prostate
- vasectomy, a surgical procedure to tie off the sperm-carrying tubes
- wearing tight-fitting pants and underwear
- work that requires prolonged sitting, which increases the temperature in the scrotum
