hormonal imbalance

A man’s potential to conceive is connected to the precise balance of hormones in his body. If he isn’t able to produce enough testosterone or gonadotropins, including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), a man may find himself infertile.

Hormonal problems can, for the most part, be traced back to either the primary glands that produce and send off the hormones or the glands that receive the hormones, including the:

• hypothalamus
• thyroid
• pituitary
• prostate
• testes

If one of these glands doesn’t function properly, there may be problems with the production of sperm or the milky, nourishing fluids that make up semen.

So just what goes wrong with sperm? Hormonal imbalances, as well as anatomical problems, immunological problems or even environmental factors, can lead to the following sperm-related abnormalities:

• Azoospermia: No sperm in his semen. In some cases, sperm is produced in his testes, but there is an obstruction or malfunction that prevents the sperm from being ejaculated.
• Oligozoospermia: A low number of sperm is in the semen (low sperm count).
• Asthenozoospermia: Sperm have poor or low motility that impedes their ability to swim well enough to reach the egg.

• Teratozoospermia: Sperm are misshapen in a way that limits their ability to fertilize the egg (abnormal morphology).