male infertility

Despite your best efforts, you and your partner may not get pregnant as quickly as you hope. After a while, you’ll ask yourselves what‘s taking so long – what’s preventing me and my partner from conceiving a child? Is one of us infertile? A couple is considered infertile if they’ve actively been trying to get pregnant for 12 months with no success, unless the woman is 35 years or older, in which case they only need to have been trying for six months.

But is it her? Is it him? Some still think of infertility as a “woman’s problem”, but in fact, infertility is linked to male factors as often as it’s linked to female factors – about 35% of the time.¹ The rest of the time, there is a combination of problems in both partners, or the cause of infertility remains unknown. So it’s just as important for men to check in with their healthcare provider and get tested, as early testing can spare you both a lot of grief, time and money.

Male infertility is linked to problems with sperm – its development, shape, movement or quantity. As in women, hormonal imbalances in men can lead to infertility by affecting the production of sperm. Physical differences, such as a blockage, hydrocele or retrograde ejaculation, can also be problematic in men, although these can at least be detected early since most are associated with certain symptoms.

Some illnesses can impact a man’s fertility, including infections that are left untreated, diabetes, urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases. Because new sperm are continually produced in a process that takes about 72 days, in some cases the effect of illness or disease can be temporary, and sperm function can be restored over time. And although the proverbial biological clock is ticking louder in women, men should not discount age as a contributing factor to male infertility. As men get older, they can have poorer testicular function, reduced hormone levels or suboptimal sperm production.

If you aren’t sure whether you’re at risk for infertility, try interacting with our infertility risk wheel for men, which also gives tips on what you can do. And if you’re experiencing a male symptom, it may be a good time to schedule a visit with your healthcare provider.