What Does A Male Infertility Doctor Do?

It use to be that any infertility problems were considered a female problem. Today we know that in couples experiencing infertility, half of the conception difficulty may lie in male infertility. While this information may be surprising to many men, a male infertility specialist can explain how this is possible and for couples that have been having problems conceiving it should convince them that both partners need to be evaluated for possible complications.

What an Initial visit to a Male Infertility Doctor Will Look Like

The initial visit to a male infertility doctor can feel invasive and embarrassing. Remember all of the questions asked and the medical examination are all designed to help get to the problem of why as a couple you are not conceiving.

The first step with a male infertility doctor will be questioning period. Questions will range from when puberty began and ended, any past pregnancies, history of illnesses including mumps, urinary tract infections or sexually transmitted diseases and then a physical exam will take place.

A male infertility doctor is looking to see if a patient has any obvious problems with the structure of the scrotal sack where sperm is manufactured. Some men have an enlarged vein that can impede sperm production and this needs to be evaluated as well as looking for cysts or other masses that could indicate a problem.

The man will also need to supply a semen sample to be evaluated and some doctors also request a urine sample too. These samples will be analyzed and a sperm count and sperm mobility assessment will be made. If the count is low or the sperm are inactive the male infertility doctor will discuss options with the patients. Sometimes these options may include surgery or the suggestion to go directly to high tech options may be suggested.

Hi tech options include Invitro Fertilization where the sperm and eggs are put together in a petrie dish and once an embryo has developed it will be placed back in the woman's uterus. Another procedure can be done in which a sperm is actually injected into an egg and the embryo then develops from there and is once again placed in the woman's uterus.
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Seeing a male infertility doctor is important to rule out any conditions that could be impeding the conception process. It is a good first step to find out if there is a male factor involved in the couples infertility and then to take the next steps to correct the problems.