Symptoms
- Inability to conceive after a year of unprotected intercourse
- Scrotal swelling or discomfort
- Reduced facial or body hair with hormonal causes
- Often no symptoms other than infertility
Causes and risk factors
- Varicocele
- Hormonal imbalance
- Infection or previous mumps orchitis
- Undescended testis in childhood
- Blockage of the sperm-carrying ducts
- Genetic causes
Diagnosis
- Two semen analyses at least two weeks apart
- Hormone profile — FSH, LH, testosterone, prolactin
- Scrotal Doppler ultrasound
- Genetic testing in severe cases
Treatment
- Lifestyle correction and antioxidants
- Microsurgical varicocelectomy
- Hormonal treatment when indicated
- Surgical sperm retrieval
- Referral for IUI or IVF/ICSI where appropriate
Prevention
- Avoid tobacco and excess alcohol
- Avoid prolonged heat to the scrotum
- Treat infections early
- Correct undescended testis in infancy
Recovery
Sperm production takes about three months to cycle, so improvement after treatment is assessed at three and six months.
Information on this website is for patient education only and does not replace an in-person consultation. Treatment results vary between individuals and no outcome is guaranteed.