Fatherhood is still in reach for men with no sperm count (azoospermia)
While most men have heard of low sperm count, in rare cases, men have no sperm count. At Tulsa Fertility Center, Dr. Shauna McKinney treats azoospermia, a condition where a man’s semen contains no sperm. Even though this diagnosis affects only about 1% of men, it accounts for about 15% of those struggling with male infertility. Understandably, the absence of sperm sounds distressing, but Shauna McKinney MD provides expert male fertility care in Tulsa to make fatherhood possible.
How is sperm produced?
The male reproductive system is intricate, and sperm production involves a complex coordination of steps.
- As the control center for male hormones, the brain works with the testes to control sperm production.
- Sperm make their way to the epididymis, where they are stored and mature.
- The epididymis connects to the vas deferens, a looping tube of transport that joins with the prostate, seminal vesicles and the urethra, where sperm exits the body. This long pathway is prone to blockages, which may result in no sperm count.
What causes azoospermia?
Dr. McKinney categorizes this condition of male infertility into obstructive or non-obstructive azoospermia.
In males with obstructive issues, a man produces sperm, but there is no sperm count in his semen. These roadblocks to conception occur for various reasons.
- Vasectomy
- Previous infections
- Surgical scar tissue
- Congenital conditions, such as an absence of part or all of the vas deferens, or a cyst in the prostate blocking the ejaculatory duct
The cause of non-obstructive problems is a lack of sperm production inside the testicle. The reasons for this type of male infertility vary.
- Hormonal imbalances
- Genetic issues, often caused by an extra X chromosome
- Problems with the testes’ structure, including varicocele
- Exposure to chemotherapy, radiation, injury or surgery
- Use of testosterone or anabolic steroids
There’s hope for men with no sperm count
Our comprehensive male fertility care in Tulsa begins with a thorough medical history. Typically, Dr. McKinney will request a simple semen test and any additional diagnostic testing, which may include genetic testing. Our team confirms an accurate diagnosis of azoospermia after two semen tests.
Once diagnosed, treatment varies individually. Customized care may consist of hormone treatment or minimally invasive surgery performed by a urologist to remove blockages.
Other procedures involve surgically retrieving sperm. Microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA) collects sperm within the epididymis to help men with blockages. Testicular epididymal sperm extraction (TESE) is particularly effective for patients without obstructions. In this procedure, tissue is removed directly from the testicle, where sperm may be harbored.
Then, retrieved sperm can fertilize an egg using IVF, or can be frozen for later use. As a matter of course, we suggest ICSI, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection, in cases of severe male infertility. This technique injects a single healthy sperm into an egg, meaning few sperm are needed to conceive.
Tula Fertility Center delivers hope and expert male fertility care in Tulsa. Contact us to learn more about testing and treatment for azoospermia.