Male infertility is when a man has a poor chance of getting his partner pregnant. It usually depends on the quality and concentration of the sperm cell.
No sperm count is commonly called a nill sperm or Azoospermia. The semen analysis test is used for diagnosis. Azoospermia is a condition where there is zero sperm found in the semen sample. Affecting about 1 in 100 of the general population and up to 1 in 10 men with fertility problems. Azoospermia is an uncommon but severe form of male infertility. The best course of treatment depends on the cause of the azoospermia and the fertility potential of the female partner.
Azoospermia is a condition in which lack of sperm in the semen doesn’t have any specific symptoms. When couples trying to conceive will experience infertility if the male partner has a zero sperm count. A couple is said to be dealing with infertility if they don’t get pregnant after one year of unprotected intercourse. Infertility is frequently the only sign that something is wrong. Some causes of azoospermia can have noticeable signs and symptoms.
Signs or symptoms that may indicate you’re at risk for azoospermia include:
It is possible in many cases to have none of these symptoms, however, and still have azoospermia.
Non-obstructive Azoospermia can either be Testicular Azoospermia or Pre-Testicular Azoospermia. The former occurs when the testicles of a man do not work in the way that it is intended to. This occurs due to abnormalities in the genetic makeup or some type of disease. There are other reasons for it as well.
As for the latter, the problem lies in the sperms themselves. More accurately, some issues in the hormones of the male cause it not to produce the right amount of sperm.
As the name suggests, Obstructive Azoospermia occurs due to some kind of blockage in the tract. In this, sperm production is available but due to the blockages, it cannot get out. The term for this type of condition is called post-testicular Azoospermia. In most cases of this condition in men, the diagnosis shows this version as the cause. Therefore, it is the most common type.
The treatment for no sperm count depends on the cause of infertility.
1. Hormonal treatment:
Hormonal drugs do help a lot of patients who are suffering from Azoospermia. However, the prescription depends on how much sperm is available in the male partner. The motto of such drugs is to improve the possibility of finding sperms when the doctor is performing the extraction. Or, help the sperm count to improve in the semen. The common drugs that are good for no sperm count are Human chorionic gonadotropin, Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), Anastrozole, Clomiphene, and Letrozole.
2. TESE (Testicular sperm extraction)- ICSI-IVF
TESE is one of the main procedures for obstructive Azoospermia, and its variation MicroTESE works for non-obstructive Azoospermia too. In this manner, doctors take out sperms from the testes of the male patient through the scrotum. Thereafter, they would investigate the tissue that they took, and cryopreserve the sperms present there.
One of the best points about the TESE procedure, in the form of the ICSI-IVF process, is that it treats both types of Azoospermia. However, in the case of non-obstructive Azoospermia, this only works if there are some mature sperms present in the semen. Thus, it is effective for a limited number of cases for the latter.
3. Infection treatment:
Infection in the male reproductive system can later cause Azoospermia, and it is necessary to treat it as soon as possible. Many people do not show any symptoms like urinary problems to such infections. However, it is still important to consult a doctor and start the treatments.
Treatment of azoospermia depends on the cause. Counselling and genetic testing are an integral part of treating azoospermia.Therapeutic options include:
1. Surgery: In case of obstructive azoospermia, reconstruction and unblocking of the tubes can be done surgically.
2. Hormonal treatment: In case of non obstructive azoospermia, hormones like follicle-stimulating hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin and medication like clomiphene, anastrozole and letrozole can be of help if low hormone production is the main cause.
3.Varicocelectomy: Varicocele can be done where sperm production is low in your partner.
4. TESE (testicular sperm extraction) or micro tese: Sperms can be directly retrieved from the testes with a testicular biopsy. These retrieved sperms from your partner in the biopsy sample are cryopreserved for future use for the couple for assisted reproductive techniques like ICSI (intra- cytoplasmic sperm injection).
Home remedies may not be of much help to treat azoospermia in your partner. Taking care of your general health, eating a well balanced diet, taking proper rest, keeping himself well hydrated and less stressful can prove to be of some benefit where there is low or poor sperm production.
Another option for your azoospermic partner is to use a sperm donor — in case testicular sperm extraction is not successful or not possible. This is the first line of options for few couples if other treatment options seem expensive to them.
Few men choose for this option as they do not want to take any risk of passing male infertility to their progeny. And in case of using a sperm donor, an IUI or IVF is done depending on the female partner’s fertility status.