If you’re a man or a couple looking to have children, or if you’ve been trying to conceive for a while, you may be wondering if everything’s okay. There is always lots of discussion about female fertility but what are the signs that a man is fertile? Read on for answers on male fertility.
Male fertility: myth vs reality
What are the signs that a man is fertile? Can you increase sperm count? What are signs of low sperm count? At what age are men most fertile? If you need answers, you’re not alone because when it comes to male fertility, myths are everywhere. For example, it’s common to believe that male fertility is infinite, that men don’t have biological clocks, and that the overwhelming majority of infertility cases are due to problems with the female partner’s fertility. Wrong.
Now for some facts. Did you know that:
- One third of infertility cases are ‘male factor’ (another third being ‘female factor’, and the remaining third being a combination of both partners or unexplained infertility).
- Men have biological clocks too – male fertility generally starts to wane in the early 40s.
- Climbing paternal age is linked to poorer testicular function and sperm quality.
- Advancing paternal age is associated with genetic diseases and chromosomal abnormalities (and it’s also important to note that chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo/foetus are the biggest cause of miscarriage).
- Research has demonstrated that children born to older men are more likely to suffer psychiatric issues and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
- Much of the time male fertility problems will have no obvious physical symptoms.
It is important for people to know the truth about male fertility. Knowledge is power, and it’s impossible to plan effectively without it. So what are the signs that a man is fertile or infertile? Read on for answers.
What are the signs that a man is fertile? Symptoms of male fertility problems
It is difficult to answer the question ‘what are the signs that a man is fertile?’ affirmatively. A more reliable question is: Are there signs that a man is infertile? And the answer to that is still: It depends.
The main sign of male infertility is simply being unable to conceive. Dr Amin Gorgy, Fertility Consultant at The Fertility and Gynaecology Academy says: “We generally define infertility as when a couple has not conceived despite regular unprotected sex for 12 months or longer. When it comes to male infertility, there are often no other clear symptoms or signs.
“Having said that, in some instances an underlying issue creating infertility will have symptoms: for example an imbalance of hormones, a hereditary disorder, enlarged veins around the testes, or a problem that obstructs the transit of sperm.”
In these instances, a man may notice things including:
- Swelling, a growth or discomfort in the testicular area
- No sense of smell
- Sexual dysfunction (for instance erectile dysfunction, a lack of sexual desire, problems ejaculating or noticing only a small amount of ejaculate fluid)
- Repeated respiratory infections
- Lessening body or facial hair growth
- Abnormal growth of breast tissue
Most of the time though, the answer lies in sperm analysis. Ultimately, male fertility issues are determined through fertility testing.
What causes male fertility issues?
Male infertility can stem from problems including abnormally shaped sperm, low sperm count or motility, or obstructions that block the passage of sperm so that there is a lack of sperm in the seminal fluid. Injuries, illnesses or persistent health issues, and even lifestyle choices (such as high alcohol/drug intake) can play a part in male fertility problems.
Time is fertility. Why you can only really determine male fertility through testing
The answer to the question ‘what are the signs that a man is fertile?’ is generally that he has conceived a healthy baby. But if that were already the case, there’d be no need to ask the question. Male fertility problems are overwhelmingly invisible. The only way to know is to get tested. And since men have biological clocks too, the sooner you get tested, the better. Keep in mind that time matters even when it comes to fertility treatments, with advancing paternal age being associated with poorer IVF outcomes, even when the female partner is under 30. So if there is a problem, you’ll want to know about it sooner rather than later. Simply put, when in doubt, get checked out.
Male fertility testing: What can it tell me and what can I do if there are problems?
We cannot determine male fertility by looking at a man or even by analysing his general health and lifestyle factors. To know if you are fertile, you will need to get tested.
The depth of analysis and what the testing can tell you depends upon the package you opt for. Basic semen analysis will tell you: your sperm count (the higher this number, the better); how well your sperm move (motility); morphology (if your sperm are shaped normally); anti-sperm antibodies (which your immune system can produce after injury to the area or other inflammatory processes).
More advanced male fertility testing:
- Sperm DNA Fragmentation: can help to determine if there is damaged DNA in a man’s sperm due to infection or other reasons.
- Oxidative stress test: oxidative stress can cause DNA damage and may be made worse by environmental and lifestyle factors.
- Sperm aneuploidy: can determine whether a higher than normal percentage of the sperm carries chromosomal abnormalities (the leading cause of miscarriage).
What’s more, the good news is that if male fertility problems are discovered, there are a host of effective treatments to combat them, from surgical sperm collection (if there is a lack of sperm in the ejaculate) to genetic testing of embryos, to Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) for men with poor sperm parameters. There really is a wealth of help available.
Thinking of trying for a baby? Want to check if everything is okay? Here at The Fertility and Gynaecology Academy, our male fertility testing packages are second to none. We work with the most state-of-the-art technology and our fertility experts are among the best in the field.
To get one step closer to your goal, call The Fertility and Gynaecology Academy now on 020 7224 1880 or email info@fertility-academy.co.uk.
