Azoospermia affects about 1% of the male population and may be observed in up to 20% of male infertility situations. So, it is time that we don’t panic and hesitate discussing this but rather do what it takes to overcome it and move ahead towards fertility.
What Exactly Is Azoospermia?
To put it simply, it is a condition when there is either no sperm at all or extremely less sperm in the semen. This causes difficulty in normal conception and one has to turn towards surgical intervention to resolve the problem. Of course, no sperm doesn’t mean end of the world, thanks to the medical world that is constantly evolving. There are ways in which you can fight azoospermia and enjoy parenthood.
What Causes Azoospermia?
Let’s take a quick look at some of the causes:
- Infections in childhood, genetic factors, physical abnormalities or hormonal disorder.
- According to a research, chain smoking and regular consumption of alcohol reduces the sperm count by 13% - 17% when compared to the normal count.
- Stress and modern day lifestyle.
- Testicular damage and failure.
- Swelling of blood vessels around the testes.
Also Read: Wikipedia for more information.
But the good news is that a simple semen analysis test can diagnose the first level problem so that you can go ahead for treatment.
What Are The Azoospermia Treatment Options Available In India?
- IUI – This is a simple and inexpensive process in which the semen is washed in the lab before it is inserted in the woman’s uterus. This improves the quality of the semen and therefore the chances of fertilization are quite high. However, it doesn’t help much if there are other complications in your case.
- IVF-ICSI – For low and poor quality sperms, IVF done using ICSI methodology improves success rates. In this good quality sperms are selected using a sophisticated procedure leaving the miscreant ones out.
- Surgical Sperm Retrieval – This is the latest technology though not very popular in India yet. If there are no sperms though hormone test shows that everything is normal, then sperms can be removed directly from the testes using a tiny needle. This technique is called TESA.07
- Donor Sperms – Needless to say, if none of the above works, then opting for donor sperm is a great way to enjoy parenthood. There are sperm banks that help donors. However, in India male ego and patriarchal mindset is a big challenge that prohibits this treatment process. The truth is that babies conceived using donor sperms are biologically yours because the egg is your wife’s, the baby grows inside her body. So, the child is every cent yours. It is just a regressive mindset that needs to go. If you are stuck in a situation like this, then don’t think twice, do away with your false ideas and ego and enjoy parenthood.
MICROTESE – The Definite Answer To Azoospermia Or Zero Sperms
This is the latest technique in infertility treatment that allows targeted removal of sperms from the testicles. While traditional methods like testicular biopsy, FNAC etc have poor success rate in finding sperms once azoospermia is confirmed in semen analysis, couples find hope in MicroTESE.
This is a minor surgical procedure done under general anaesthesia and takes over 3-4 hours to complete. Search for precious sperms is done under a 25 times strong microscope. Sperms found are then used for ICSI-IVF.
This process increases IVF success rates in cases of male infertility.
Advantages Of MicroTESE
Sperm retrieval rates are high with minimum testicular trauma. This has proven success record in cases of no sperm and complicated male infertility factors.
When Will It Work?
I understand that men in general are scared of surgical interventions, but for the success of this process one must approach it with an open mind without questioning your manhood or feeling depressed about the surgical process. It is necessary to understand that on the road towards fertility, husbands and wives must work in unison. It is useless to subject the wife alone to tests when the problem might actually lie with the husband. A child belongs to both and therefore the path that leads to it must be undertaken by both. This is the mindset that will revolutionize the whole process and bring in the much-needed results.
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