The issues about sperm count are more complicated than you might realize. To begin with, there are a number of measurements involved in the semen analysis. First, we look at the concentration -- how many sperm there are per milliliter of semen (the fluid). Next, I need to know how many mL of semen are present. So a count of 40 million sperm per mL with only 1cc of fluid may not be as good as a count with 16 million and 4mL. I like to see more than 20 million sperm per mL and 2-5cc of semen. Another measurement to consider is what percentage of the sperm are moving forward progressively; 50 percent motility is considered normal. The next factor is sperm morphology -- that is, what percent of sperm look normal. When you assess the fertilizing potential of a given specimen, you must consider all these factors. Thus, a slight abnormality in sperm count may be compensated for by better motility or an increase in volume. So you can see this is a bit more complicated than just one number. We find that delaying ejaculation may increase the total concentration of sperm and perhaps the volume of semen. However, the percentage of normal sperm and the percentage of motile sperm decreases with infrequent ejaculation. Overall, it appears that ejaculation three to four times per week will ensure the optimum number of "nice-looking" motile sperm. If your sample shows a sufficient number of motile sperm, you may be rewarded by a treatment protocol that includes ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination.

You probably have a common condition called retrograde ejaculation, which is frequently seen in people with diabetes. The semen enters the penis via the ejaculatory ducts, which pass through the prostate. At the time of ejaculation, a muscle at the opening to the bladder squeezes shut. With each muscle contraction, the semen is propelled down the urethra and out the opening of the penis. However, if there is nerve damage due to diabetes, the muscle at the opening to the bladder will not close off properly, and the semen enters the bladder instead of shooting out the end of the penis. Your urologist can diagnose this condition easily by checking your urine for semen after ejaculation. If this is the problem, you may try medication to strengthen the function of the muscle that closes the bladder. Or you may have sperm collected from the bladder to use for insemination or for in vitro fertilization.

Alcohol may result in abnormal liver function and a rise in estrogen levels, which may interfere with sperm development and hormone levels. Alcohol is also a toxin that can kill off the sperm-generating cells in the testicle. As sperm take at least three months to develop, I would check his semen again after a three- to four-month period of abstinence. In some situations, sperm motility may be improved with alternative medicines called Addyzoa and Rejuspermin. If no motile sperm are seen, a testicular biopsy may be necessary. If this reveals any live sperm, you may consider in vitro fertilization with sperm injection (ICSI) to introduce the sperm into the egg.

While body temperature - about 98.6 degrees F. - may be detrimental to sperm, the scrotum is designed to keep the testicles from overheating. In fact, the supportive muscles of the testicle are temperature sensitive. In a cold environment, the testicles pull closer to the body. When the body temperature rises, the muscle relaxes, allowing the scrotum to descend and keep the testicles at a more favorable temperature. A few years ago a device called the testicular hypothermia device (THD) was available. Essentially it was a water-cooled jockstrap; evaporating water kept the jockstrap a bit cooler than the surrounding environs. This was believed to benefit men with varicoceles (dilated testicular veins). Unfortunately, the role of high temperature regulation as a means to restore fertility for men with varicocele has never been convincingly proven. In fact, more recent studies suggest that varicocele surgery may be of limited value for all but large varicoceles. Rarely are any therapeutic efforts aimed at improving sperm count or function effective. After six years of infertility, I would suggest that if other fertility factors have reliably been ruled out by a trained fertility physician, you may wish to consider either ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization for male factor infertility.

Low testosterone may result from two different types of abnormality. The first, a failing testicle, is identified by the blood FSH level (too high a level means the testicle is failing) or small, very firm testicles, which may indicate previous infection or damage. The second condition occurs when the testicle is not receiving appropriate hormonal stimulation from the pituitary gland, which releases the hormones LH and FSH. LH stimulates the testicle to produce testosterone, while FSH stimulates sperm production. In this case, examination of the testicle may demonstrate normal to small testicular size with a softer-than-normal consistency. Testosterone supplementation would not usually be the first treatment considered for infertility associated with low testosterone. In my experience, the use of testosterone injections may actually depress sperm production further. After a thorough medical history and examination and a blood test to confirm normal liver function, I would consider the use of clomiphene, 1/2 tablet every other day. After three months a beneficial effect may be seen on semen analysis. In your husband's case, it would appear that all but one of the specimens for semen analysis ( 5.1 million sperm/mL) were normal. I would suggest consideration of clomiphene therapy followed by a repeat semen analysis after three months. If infertility persists, ovulation induction combined with intrauterine insemination would be the treatment of choice.

A varicocele is a dilation (enlargement) of the veins of the scrotum. This pooling of blood in the testicle causes an increase in temperature, which may interfere with the testicle's production of sperm. Up to 60 percent of men with varicocele will note an improvement in their sperm production after surgical repair. Repair consists of tying or clipping the veins. This is performed through a small incision in the groin. Improvement can be seen in as little as three months, and further improvement may be seen for up to two years. If you see no improvement at all by six months, you should consider alternative therapies.

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) should not be painful. If the semen specimen is properly prepared before insemination and the procedure is performed by a skilled physician, your discomfort should be limited to mild cramping. In your case, IUI will work only if you choose to use donor sperm. Pregnancy is unlikely using your husband's sperm for insemination. With sperm counts that low, the only successful approach is to perform in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). With that procedure, results depend in large part on your age and not his sperm count, as long as a few hundred motile sperm are available. If his urologist has ruled out obstruction as the cause of the abnormal semen analysis, you may wish to consider genetic testing. In about 10 percent of cases, a genetic abnormality or an abnormality in a small section of his DNA (called a microdeletion) may be responsible for the problem. If this is the case, you will need to be aware that the particular defect could be inherited by a male offspring, who may subsequently have fertility problems.

What you were told is NOT true. There are many conditions that might result in an absence of sperm in the ejaculate. We divide these conditions into three main classifications. The first possibility is failure to stimulate sperm production by the testicles. Sperm production depends on appropriate release of the hormones FSH and LH from the pituitary gland - no LH/FSH, no sperm production. In your husband's case, the FSH and LH are slightly elevated, so let's cross this problem off our list. The next possible culprit is "outflow obstruction." The sperm are produced in the testicles and mature in a nearby structure called the epididymis. Then the sperm pass through the vas deferens and ejaculatory ducts, through the prostate and penis and out of the body. If any of these passages are absent or blocked, sperm cannot reach the ejaculate. Clues can be obtained by noting the volume of ejaculate. If ejaculate volume and hormone levels are all normal, the problem might be a blockage close to the testicle, which might be caused by infection. If volume is low, there may be a neurological abnormality that allows the sperm to be diverted into the bladder, rather than taking the correct path down the urethra to escape the male genital tract. Or there may be a blockage in the prostate gland that can keep the sperm volume low. If this is suspected, the urologist will check the bladder for sperm after ejaculation or perform a prostate ultrasound. While obstruction may be repaired with microsurgery, the most cost-effective option is to surgically retrieve and cryopreserve (freeze) sperm for later use in IVF and ICSI, procedures in which eggs are retrieved and a single sperm is injected into each egg. The final possible culprit is the testicle. Is it doing its job? The physical exam may provide clues. Is one of the testicles small & firm? Is there a dilation of veins (varicocele) surrounding the testicle? These findings may suggest testicular failure. Other tests may indicate that the testicle does a great job when it comes to making the male hormone testosterone, but fails to make sperm. The elevated FSH is a clue to this condition. This diagnosis is made by taking a small biopsy from the testicle, a simple outpatient procedure. If no sperm-producing cells are seen, a condition called Sertoli-cell-only syndrome is diagnosed. But the results can be misleading. It is best to do this in a fertility laboratory, because often live sperm cells can be missed after processing. If an embryologist is present at the time of biopsy, any live sperm can be cryopreserved for later use in an IVF cycle. If the initial specimen is inadequate, additional biopsies or a biopsy from the other side may provide adequate sperm for cryopreservation.

Thin endometrium at the time of ovulation can be a concern and may be a factor in poor placental development and miscarriage. Normally, in response to estrogen, the uterine lining or endometrium grows about 1-2mm every other day. By the time of ovulation, I like to see the endometrium at least 8mm thick. The endometrium also has a very specific ultrasound appearance marked by three bright lines. This is often called a grade-C or triple layer pattern, and it is a good sign. Failure to develop a normal uterine lining may reflect any of several factors such as infection, scarring from D&Cs, low estrogen levels, poor uterine blood supply or maybe endometrial antibodies. Clomiphene (Siphene, Ovofar) is an antiestrogen and as such can block the stimulatory effect that estrogen has on the endometrium and cause thin endometrium. If clomiphene is the problem, other ovulation induction medications may be chosen. Uterine leiomyomas or a condition called adenomyosis may also predispose to thin endometrium. While adenomysosis may be successfully addressed with a GnRH-agonist such as Lupride or Zoladex, success has been limited. The use of antibiotics or antioxidants such as vitamin C has been proposed, but these too are rarely successful and little supportive data exist. "Thin endometrium" is a finding -- not a condition or disease or syndrome. As such there are few, if any, research papers addressing this problem specifically. I suggest that your physician try to determine the cause in your case; then you can seek information about that particular condition. Unfortunately, for most women with this finding, no discernible cause is identified and treatment is rarely successful.

Viagra has no known effects on sperm production, morphology (shape), motility (movement) or count. If a man has organic impotence -- meaning the problem is due to a medical rather than psychological condition -- then Viagra may improve the chances for achieving conception simply by restoring potency. Remember, though, that while Viagra can improve rigidity, it does not necessarily bring about ejaculation. Many men with impotence may have diabetes or other conditions that affect the penis. In this situation, the muscular sphincter that constricts to help ejaculate the sperm may not close properly. In such a case, retrograde ejaculation occurs: The sperm are shot into the bladder rather than out through the penis to begin their journey to find an egg. If your partner is concerned about his fertility, I would suggest that he consider a semen analysis, regardless of whether Viagra helps his performance. If he has psychological impotence, counseling may be very helpful to ensure that pregnancy is advisable.

Genetics sometimes plays a role in both female and male infertility. If you suffer from endometriosis, your daughter is at increased risk for the same condition. Endometriosis, which affects about 10 percent of all women, can cause tubal infertility. Another condition that could be hereditary is polycystic ovarian syndrome - a source of ovulation problems. There also seems to be a genetic component to certain aspects of male factor infertility. A small percentage of men have microscopic abnormalities in the DNA of the Y chromosome that leads to their infertility problems. With the advent of in vitro fertilization and ICSI (taking a single sperm and injecting it into the egg) many of these men pass this genetic defect to their offspring. But DNA isn't necessarily destiny. And even if your daughter does suffer from infertility, it's unlikely that her struggle will be comparable to yours. When we compare our present understanding of infertility and its treatment with that of 20 years ago, we realize that we have made remarkable progress. Our ability to identify the cause of infertility and develop cost-effective treatments continues to improve. I suspect that when your daughter comes of age, the diagnostic and treatment options that will be available to her will certainly be different and will likely make the process of infertility treatment much less of an ordeal.

The color of sperm is usually a whitish yellow and semitranslucent. The color does not seem to play a role in fertility.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 8-10% of couples experience some form of infertility problem. On a worldwide scale, this means that 50-80 million people suffer from infertility. However, the incidence of infertility may vary from region to region. In France, 18% of couples of childbearing age said that they had difficulties in conceiving.

You need to remember that it's not possible to determine the reason for your infertility until you undergo tests to find out if your husband's sperm count is normal; if your fallopian tubes and uterus are normal; and if you are producing eggs. Only after undergoing these tests will your doctor be able to tell you why you are not conceiving. While testing does cause considerable anxiety, it's far better to intelligently identify the problem so that we can look for the best solution.

No. The incidence of infertility in men and women is almost identical. Infertility is exclusively a female problem in 30-40% of the cases and exclusively a male problem in 10-30% of the cases. Problems common to both partners are diagnosed in 15-30% of infertile couples. After thorough medical investigations, the causes of the fertility problem remain unexplained in only a minority of infertile couples (5-10%).

Your fertile period is the time during which having sex could lead to a pregnancy. This is the 4-6 days prior to ovulation ( release of a mature egg from the ovary). Women normally ovulate 14 days prior to the date of the next menstrual period. If you are mathematically challenged, you can use this online ovulation calendar.

The most common causes of female infertility are ovulatory disorders and anatomical abnormalities such as damaged fallopian tubes. Less frequent causes include, for example, endometriosis and hyperprolactinemia. Causes of male infertility can be divided into three main categories: Sperm production disorders affecting the quality and/or the quantity of sperm; anatomical obstructions; Other factors such immunological disorders. Approximately a third of all cases of male infertility can be attributed to immune or endocrine problems, as well as to a failure of the testes to respond to the hormonal stimulation triggering sperm production. However, in a great number of cases of male infertility due to inadequate spermatogenesis (sperm production) or sperm defects, the origin of the problem still remains unexplained.

A routine gynecological examination does not provide information about possible problems which can cause infertility, such as blocked fallopian tubes or ovulatory disorders. You need a systematic infertility workup.

A variety of procedures can be used to diagnose the cause of infertility in a couple; these range from simple blood tests to more complicated analytical methods. In any case, diagnosis is a crucial first step to determine the appropriate therapeutic path that should be followed. In addition to the cause itself, other factors, such as the age of the woman, or problems shared by both partners, might also influence the choice of treatment.

Painful periods do not affect fertility. In fact, for most patients, regular painful periods usually signal ovulatory cycles. However, progressively worsening pain during periods (especially when this is accompanied by pain during sex) may mean you have endometriosis.

Several options are offered to couples depending on the type of infertility that has been diagnosed. The vast majority of female patients are successfully treated with the administration of drugs such as clomiphene citrate, bromocriptine or gonadotrophins. Surgery can also be a means to repair damage to the reproductive organs, such as those caused by endometriosis and infectious diseases. Treatment options for male infertility also include the administration of drugs, surgery and assisted reproductive technologies, such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Drug therapy and surgery have proved very successful for specific types of male infertility. However, in a great number of cases, the reason why men have fertility problems remains unexplained and the treatment methods applied are empirical. Some patients nevertheless require more complex medical intervention. Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) refer to several different methods designed to overcome barriers to natural fertilization such as anatomical problems (e.g. blocked fallopian tubes). One of these techniques, in-vitro fertilization (IVF), has now been practiced for more than 15 years. Overall, the estimated number of infertile patients currently treated by ART is around 20%.

As long as the periods are regular, this means ovulation is occurring. Some normal women have menstrual cycle lengths of as long as 40 days. Of course, since they have fewer cycles every year, the number of times they are "fertile" in a year is decreased. Also, they need to monitor their fertile period more closely, since this is delayed (as compared to women with a 30 day cycle).

When talking of success rates for any type of infertility treatment, one should bear in mind that the average chance to conceive for a normally fertile couple having regular unprotected intercourse is around 25% during each menstrual cycle. It is estimated that 10% of normally fertile couples fail to conceive within their first year of attempt and 5% after two years. Comparable to normal fertility rates, effective treatments can be expected to have, on average, up to a 25% success rate per cycle of treatment, and may therefore need to be repeated several times before a pregnancy is achieved. Simple ovulation induction to compensate for hormonal imbalances has a very high success rate; more than 80% of women suffering from such disorders are likely to conceive after several cycles of treatment with drugs such as clomiphene citrate or gonadotrophins.

There is no relation between blood groups and fertility.

In any type of infertility treatment, important factors need to be taken into account when referring to success rates. The age of the woman and the duration of the couple's infertility are likely to influence the success of treatment. In women, fecundity decreases as age increases, particularly after 40 years of age. When the woman is being treated, her chances of conceiving can be lessened if her partner also has infertility problems (e.g. poor quality sperm).

Loss of seminal fluid after intercourse is perfectly normal, and most women notice some discharge immediately after sex. Many infertile couples imagine that this is the cause of their problem. If your husband ejaculates inside you, then you can be sure that no matter how much semen leaks out afterwards, enough sperm will reach the cervical mucus. This leakage of semen ( which is called effluvium seminis) is not a cause of infertility. In fact, this leakage is a good sign - it means your husband is depositing his semen normally in your vagina ! Of course, you cannot see what goes in - you can only see what leaks out - but the fact that some is leaking out means enough is going in!

Overall, success rates for IVF have steadily improved over the last ten years. Birth rates for IVF vary according to the expertise of the centers practicing this technique. However, centers in Europe have reported pregnancy rates after one cycle of IVF equal or superior to 25%. In 1993, the French IVF registry (FIVNAT) reported a pregnancy rate of 25.4% per embryo transfer on a total of 23,025 oocytes retrieved. Based on such results, after three to four cycles of IVF, a woman under 40 whose partner does not have any fertility problems could reasonably expect to give birth. Again, in general, success rates may vary from one center to another, since they are influenced not only by the level of expertise of the medical team but also by the characteristics of the patients treated. A clinic treating a large number of women over 40 is likely to report lower success rates than a clinic having a majority of patients under 35.

Unlike many other parts of your lives, infertility may be beyond your control. Don't blame yourself if you are not getting pregnant - it's a medical problem which often needs appropriate medical treatment. The attitudes you are encountering are often born out of ignorance - and are a kind of "victim-blaming" - ignore them!

Along with their intended benefits, drugs used to treat infertility may on occasion cause side effects. In ovulation induction, close monitoring of follicular growth is crucial to ensuring successful treatment. Monitoring techniques (such as ultrasound scan and blood tests) and adequate use of treatment protocols help the physician to avoid ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and minimize the risk of multiple pregnancy. Current treatment protocols have been designed to reduce the risk of multiple births and OHSS.