Monday, January 07, 2013

Male Infertility and ways to test it

In medical terms the term infertility is defined as “Diminished or absent ability to conceive and bear offspring. A couple is considered to be experiencing infertility if conception has not occurred after twelve months of sexual activity without the use of contraception. Infertility can have many causes and may be related to factors in the male, female, or both. Treatments can include medications and assisted reproductive technologies.”

According to present statistics and surveys conducted by various researchers, every fifth couple experience difficulties in conceiving. The cause for this may be - altered diet, lifestyles and lifestyle related diseases. It is very important to evaluate the cause of infertility. This has to be done at early stages as chances of conception reduce as age advances. Few men hesitate to accept that they have fertility problems. But cooperation from both partners is very vital to find solution for infertility.

When couples approach doctor to evaluate causes for infertility, both husband and wife are advised to undergo some tests to rule out causes. To rule out male infertility, basic diagnostic tests are performed on samples of blood, urine and semen of husband. Through this the levels of male hormone, blood sugar, sperm count, sperm motility, semen volume, presence of infection in semen and urine etc are compared with normal recommended levels. If needed an ultra sound scan of testicles or testicular biopsy may also be recommended by specialist. These tests help doctors to evaluate the cause, diagnose the condition and recommend effective therapies or treatments.

Texts of ayurveda mention about male infertility and its effective treatment. Ayurveda acharyas recommend semen analysis to deal with fertility problems. They have mentioned the causes for unhealthy semen and its characteristics. According to principles of ayurveda the three vital forces or tridoshas (vata, pitta and kapha) have to be in normal condition to aid production of healthy semen. Vitiation of these forces can lead to decrease in sperm count and motility. They may also obstruct pathways of sperms. The tissues of male reproductive system may get degenerated quickly when there is an imbalance of doshas. The imbalances of doshas are determined through color, odor, quantity and quality of semen. Body constitution analysis along with semen analysis helps to determine the causes of infertility in individuals.

Many herbal preparations are recommended in texts of ayurveda to aid production of healthy semen. A complete rejuvenation therapy to increase the fertility of men has been described in ayurveda. A detail description about male anatomy, semen and sperms can be viewed in ayurvedic texts.

This article is copy righted. The author Dr. Krishna Rao.S is an Ayurvedic Physician and web master of Ayurveda Health care for men. Read complete article at Male infertility-tests