Male Infertility – Is ART the Last Resort

Male infertility is a common problem faced by the modern couples. When the man is unable to produce a progeny after indulging in unprotected sex since a year with a healthy partner, he is said to be suffering from infertility. Male infertility can be caused due to many factors. But, when the couple is advised to go for Assisted Reproductive Techniques or the ART as the lifesaver, it is time to do some serious research and take a second opinion.

Male infertility is usually caused either by the sperm production defect or its motility. Depending upon the cause of infertility the treatment may also vary. But, ART must be the last option on your cards if you are suffering from male infertility.

Affected Sperm Motility and its Concerns

Men who have issues with sperm quality or quantity may have to undergo a variety of tests to ascertain if the problem is occurring at the sperm production or transfer. In either case, the good quality sperm grade suffers. A man with Asthenospermia may observe that the combined motility rate of the A and B sperm grades is less than 50%. Sperm grades from A through D represent the fastest to slowest moving sperms. The required 30% of the Grade A sperms are not observed in men with sperm motility issues.

Sometimes the sperm mobility is also affected by the production of sperm antibodies, which obstruct the movement of the healthy sperms. These antibodies may be present in the tubes connecting the testes. This may sometimes be diagnosed as the Oligospermia due to the complete absence of sperm. But, the basic issue here is the affected motility.

Lower Sperm Count or Production

The conditions which affect the sperm generation may cause sperm count of all grades to be less than adequate. In fact, in many cases of Oligospermia, the sperm count is nil.

What is ART? How does it help?

ART targets the healthy female partner and injects her with hormonal supplements which induce ovulations producing more than one egg in a month. This unnatural way of ovulation may cause unknown consequences even if the conception is successful. Also, the women who undergo the ART are prone to uterine, ovarian and breast cancers.

In short, ART is not a favorable solution for a couple facing infertility issues. The natural method of conception guarantees a healthy baby. The ART methods of conception observe a high rate of miscarriages, abortions due to chromosomal defects, and other similar concerns.