Symptoms of Male Sterility
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), problems with male fertility--such as sterility (the inability to reproduce)--cause approximately one-third of infertility situations. Being aware of symptoms of male sterility will help you know when you need to seek medical help for your infertility problems.
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Symptoms
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The most common symptom of male sterility is the inability to get a woman pregnant. Other possible signs include a low sex drive or reduced hair growth, both typically resulting from abnormal hormone levels.
Types
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Male sterility symptoms can occur as the result of two different types of sterility: permanent sterility (characterized by the inability to produce sperm) and temporary sterility (temporary failure to produce an adequate amount of sperm).
Causes
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Symptoms of male sterility may be caused by a range of factors, including impotence (the inability to achieve an erection), environmental problems (such as radiation or chemical exposure), sperm irregularities and sexually transmitted diseases.
Testing
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If you have symptoms of male sterility, talk to your doctor about testing, which typically includes a semen analysis and possibly additional testing. Conducted by a lab, a semen analysis checks your semen for physical characteristics and the shape, structure, movement and number of sperm present in your sample.
Treatment
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If you're diagnosed with sterility, treatment varies, depending upon the cause of your sterility. If you're permanently sterile, adoption or the use of donor sperm are your only options to have children; however, according to the Mayo Clinic, possible treatment options for temporary sterility (infertility) include surgery, medication, hormone treatment and fertilization assistance such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Prevention/Solution
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Even though many cases of male sterility cannot be prevented, living a healthy lifestyle can reduce your chances of experiencing symptoms of male sterility. Important preventative steps to take include drinking alcohol in moderation, not using illegal drugs or smoking and avoiding excessive heat exposure which can reduce your sperm production.
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