LifeQuest Centre for Reproductive Medicine

Many women feel responsible for a couple’s inability to become pregnant. But in reality, 30% of the time it’s solely the man’s issue, and close-to 50% of the time, the male factor is at least contributing to the couple’s fertility issues.

For this reason, it is crucial that the man be involved in the process from the very beginning. The first step in diagnosing male factor infertility is semen analysis (sperm check). This simple test can quickly shed some light on whether or not the man is a contributor to the couple’s infertility. Low and very low sperm counts are relatively common, and should definitely be investigated. Even subtle changes in the way sperm functions can have an impact on infertility. The cause of sperm abnormalities can include:

• Lifestyle issues (smoking, alcohol, recreational drugs, stress)
• Environmental exposures
• Some medications
• Certain illnesses (for example, mumps)
• Surgery (for example, previous vasectomy or complications from a hernia repair)
• Genetic predisposition

Semen analysis is key to determining what further steps are necessary to developing a treatment plan for the couple. It also significantly speeds up the diagnosis. With today’s advances in infertility treatment, even men with extremely low sperm counts have treatment options available. For this reason, couples should be assessed by an infertility centre that deals with both male and female fertility issues. For more information about infertility, please call us at 416-506-0804 or contact us by email, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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