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We get a lot of messages from men who are quietly struggling with the stress of not being successful in siring a child. Some of these men have had tests done to confirm infertility on their part, others have simply concluded that they are the problem as their past partners have gone on to conceive with other men.

Amazingly, a lot of these men are stuck with this diagnosis without knowing what to do next. This is mostly out of fear and shame that comes from the stigma associated with infertility in our African culture.

There is also limited resources and information on the topic of Male infertility. This is our motivation at Hannah’s Orison, to shed light on this topic by creating awareness on what Male infertility is and the various treatment options available.

Step 1: Understand what is Infertility

Infertility is normally defined as not conceiving after 12 months (6months if the woman is over 35 years) of regular sexual intercourse without the use of birth control.

There are 2 types of infertility:

• Primary infertility refers to couples who have not become pregnant after at least 1 year of having sex without using birth control methods.
• Secondary infertility refers to couples who have been able to get pregnant at least once, but now are unable.

You can read more on infertility and some of the causes here.

Step 2: Get your body healthy to improve chances of conception

As soon as you and your partner decide to start trying to conceive, there are things that can help you get a head start. This will include:

• Lifestyle changes to ensure optimal health, such as; reducing alcohol intake, reducing smoking and consuming better diet. You can read more on this here.
• You can also take dietary supplements that will boost your sperm quality.

Step 3 – Fertility test

So after 6months to 1 year of being unsuccessful in conceiving, you should have a Semen Analysis test done. The test will determine if a man is infertile and whether low sperm count or sperm dysfunction is the reason behind infertility. You can read more about this test, where/how it is done, what it costs etc here.

Step 4  – Treatment

Once you have the results of the testing, you can begin to discuss options for improving your fertility.  The most common cause of male infertility will be poor sperm health( Low sperm count, low sperm Motility, poor/abnormal sperm shape).

The treatment option will depend on the problem identified, probabilities of success, risks and cost. Some couples will want to do the least invasive, least expensive option first even if it has the lowest probability of success.

Some of the options could be:

1. Medication – including dietary supplements to improve sperm parameters (count, motility morphology). You can see here our supplements that improve sperm parameters.
2. IUI – Artificial insemination, also known as intrauterine insemination (IUI), is a technique that involves placing sperm inside the woman’s uterus with a catheter to achieve fertilization.

• In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a process in which mature eggs are removed from your body and then fertilized with sperm in a lab dish.

You can read on the types of fertility treatment available in Kenya and their costs here.

You can also read on the benefits of supplements on treatment of Male infertility here.

Summary

Knowing the cause of your infertility is very important as it enables you identify options available to address your problem.

Taking action as soon as possible is best as the earlier the problem is identified then the earlier the problem can be addressed.

Also it is important to note that fertility in both men and women decreases with age and therefore more reason to start on possible options early.

Not taking action is only postponing the infertility problem. It is not a solution. Save yourself a lot of time and avoid unnecessary stress by taking action immediately. A lot of men have been surprised by how simple it was to overcome their infertility once they took action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What are Varicoceles?

A varicocele is when veins become enlarged inside your scrotum (the pouch of skin that holds your testicles). It is like getting a varicose vein in your leg.  It might cause male infertility. Pooled blood in the enlarged veins affects the temperature in the scrotum to increase than normal, it affects the ability of the testes to produce sperm resulting in poor sperm health i.e decreased sperm count, decreased motility and poor morphology.

Most of the time, varicoceles cause no problems and are harmless. Less often varicoceles can cause pain, problems fathering a child/infertility, or one testicle to grow slower or shrink.

Symptoms

Most males with a varicocele have no symptoms. Varicoceles may be the cause of fertility problems in about 4 out of 10 men who have problems fathering their first child. They may also be the cause of fertility problems in about 8 out of 10 men who have problems fathering a child after their first.

Causes

Many causes of varicoceles have been offered. The valves in the veins may not work well (or may be missing). If blood flow is sluggish, blood may pool in the veins. Also, the larger veins moving from the testicles towards the heart are connected differently on the left and right side. So more pressure is needed on the left side to keep blood flowing through the veins towards the heart. If blood flows backwards or pools in the veins, that can cause them to swell.

Diagnosis

Urologists often check for varicoceles with the patient standing. You may be asked to take a deep breath, hold it, and bear down while your urologist feels the scrotum above the testicle. This technique is known as the “Valsalva maneuver.” It lets your urologist find any enlarged veins.

Your urologist may order a scrotal ultrasound test. The ultrasound can also show the size of the testicles.

Treatment

Often, varicoceles are not treated. Treatment is offered for males who have:

• fertility problems (problems fathering a child)
• pain
• the left testicle growing more slowly than the right
• Abnormal semen analysis

There are no drugs to treat or prevent varicoceles. But pain killers (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen) may help with pain.

When needed, surgery is the main form of treatment. Embolization (briefly blocking the veins) is a non-surgical treatment option.

Surgery

Varicocelectomy is a treatment option available to treat varicocele. It is a small microsurgical procedure in which all the swollen veins are tied off while preserving the normal blood vessels.  There are many urologist in Kenya who do these surgery.

Surgery Results

In many patients this can result in a dramatic increase in sperm counts and motility.

Most of the time, patients return to normal activities after 1 week with little pain.

This treatment should be thought about along with other fertility treatment choices.

Source: urologyhealth.org

more topics:

Heat and male fertility

Understanding male infertility

 

A quick online search for male infertility information can lead you down a rabbit hole of myths and misconceptions. These common fertility Myths will leave many couples who are trying to conceive confused about what’s factual and what is not.

Here are some of the most common myths.

MYTH #1: Fertility, or infertility, is a woman’s problem

FACT: Contrary to popular belief, infertility is not a woman’s issue, nor is it the man’s fault. Infertility impacts men and women equally.  An analytical study at the Kenyatta National Hospital found that the prevalence of male infertility in Kenya has increased.

MYTH #2: Age is not an issue for men when trying to conceive.

FACT: Age is an important determinant for both women and men. As age increases, fertility begins to decrease and health risks need to be considered.

Even by the time they turn 45, men will usually find it takes longer for their partners to become pregnant. There’s also a higher risk of miscarriage when the man is older. Lower semen volume, changes to sperm movement, and a lower number of properly working sperm all become more common as you age.

MYTH #3: It’s only the woman’s health that matters when it comes to getting pregnant.

FACT: There are a number of things that can harm the production of sperm, including:

• Smoking
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Heat stress from tight-fitting underwear
• Steroid misuse
• Coming into contact/exposure to harmful chemicals.

Most people don’t know that it takes around three months for new sperm to fully develop. Because the majority of male fertility problems are due to issues around sperm production, it’s important to work on improving your health for at least three months before you start trying. By cutting down on, or reducing your exposure to, harmful factors, you can help your body to produce more and better sperm.

MYTH 4#: Nothing can be done to improve sperm quality

FACT: While natural methods may show slight changes in sperm quality, hormonal therapy or surgery has shown to increase testosterone in many cases which can lead to improved semen quality measures such as sperm count, shape or movement.

Dietary supplements such as Fertilaid For Men, Countboost and Motilityboost are also great natural options to improve sperm health and quality.

The bottom line is – male infertility is treatable!

Often, the hardest part for men struggling with reproductive or sexual problems is to walk through the door, sit down and start a conversation to discuss these sensitive issues.

With proper diagnosis and treatment, couples struggling to conceive  can achieve their goal of starting a family

Source:

https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org

https://www.malefertilitydoc.com

With so many other alternative options for couples trying to conceive, why is dietary supplements a better alternative?

Is there a miracle route to becoming a parent? Certainly not! Just like there is no magic pill for weight loss, or cancer prevention, or diabetes management, there is no miracle route to pregnancy for couples struggling with infertility issues. There is, however, a logical path, which includes weighing the costs, benefits, and side effects of all of the possible options.

Fortunately for couples struggling to conceive in Kenya, there are now possible options thanks to advancement in modern medicine. Some of these options include; IVF (in vitro fertilization), ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection), and IUI (intrauterine insemination). Each of these technologies carries a significant price tag, my one cycle of IVF in 2016 cost Kshs.396,000/-. The 2^nd cycle would have cost Kshs.350,000/- (I did not attempt the 2^nd cycle). Unfortunately, despite their high costs, hundreds of thousands of shillings, these invasive procedures which are most often accompanied by significant and unpleasant side effects, come with no guarantee.

For just Kshs.4,800/- a month, FertilAid for Men provides a comprehensive multivitamin tailored to trying-to-conceive men, and includes extra amounts of key antioxidant nutrients that have been demonstrated to safely and effectively benefit overall sperm health. For just Kshs.4,200/- a month, FertilAid for Women provides a full prenatal vitamin and a blend of herbs that promote hormonal balance and cycle regularity in women. Simple mathematics if you ask me.

Of course, not all people who take FertilAid get pregnant. There are those who take FertilAid faithfully, exactly as directed, who do not achieve pregnancy. But there are many other people who take FertilAid and do successfully achieve pregnancy – some in dramatic fashion after trying unsuccessfully for extended periods of time, case in point ME.  And, somewhere in the middle are many others that experience benefit from FertilAid, measured for women by changes in their cycle and for men by increases in sperm quality.

You can view/purchase the different products we have to address different fertility issues here.

You can also reach us on 0759205704 for any inquiries or to place an order.

What is a Semen Analysis (SA) Exactly?

Unfortunately, when trying to get pregnant many couples encounter difficulties and visiting a fertility specialist becomes necessary. This is not just for the ladies…men may be asked to have a semen analysis done as inadequate sperm count, motility, and/or morphology affects more than 30% of couples facing infertility. A semen analysis measures the amount and quality of semen in the sample to determine if there is infertility issue.

The preparation for a semen analysis is actually quite simple. He may be asked to abstain from any sexual activity 2-4 days before the analysis. It is also recommend to not avoid sexual activity for the 1-2 weeks before the analysis, because sexual inactivity can hinder the results. At the appointment, he is asked to masturbate into a clean, wide mouthed bottle. This bottle is then delivered to the laboratory for testing. Men that are concerned with the process of masturbating in the doctor’s office should ask for alternate ways to provide the sample.

Approximately 30 minutes after the sample is taken (allowing the semen to liquefy), multiple tests are performed:

Semen Volume: 2-6 ml is a normal volume of ejaculate in a healthy man. An especially high or low volume can signify an issue that may need to be investigated.

Semen Viscosity: Semen should liquefy in about 30 minutes. If it doesn’t liquefy, this likely indicates an infection of the seminal vesicles and prostate.

Semen pH: The alkaline pH protects the sperm from the acidity of vaginal fluids.

Presence of fructose: Fructose provides energy for sperm motility – an absence of fructose may indicate a block in the mail reproductive tract.

Sperm Count: Sperm count is measured by an examination under the microscope. If the sample is less than 20 million per sperm per ml, this is considered low sperm count.

Sperm Motility: Sperm motility is the ability of the sperm to move. For fertility purposes, it’s important to remember that only the sperm that move forward fast are able to fertilize the egg. Motility is graded from A to D;

A – sperm swim forward fast in a straight line

B – sperm swim forward, but in a curved or crooked line, or slowly

C – sperm move their tails, but do not move forward

D – sperm do not move at all

Grade C and D are of concern when testing for fertility.

Sperm Morphology: Sperm should have a regular oval head, with a connecting mid-piece and a long straight tail. Abnormal sperm is distorted in shape (round heads, large heads, double heads, absent tails, etc). A normal sample should have at least 15% with normal form.

Sperm Clumping: Sperm clumping (or agglutination) means sperm stick together. This impairs motility.

Pus Cells: Some white blood cells in the semen is normal – however, many pus cells suggest the presence of an infection.

For couples that are trying-to-conceive, if the semen analysis is abnormal, it will likely be repeated 3-4 times over a period of a couple months. This will help to confirm if there is indeed an abnormality present. If so, you can then work to treat that specific issue.

There also are herbal supplements available on the market to help address issues with sperm count, motility, and morphology. FertilAid for Men works to promote the healthy production of sperm and has been shown to have a positive effect on all three of those parameters. For men diagnosed with low sperm count (under 20 million per ml), CountBoost can be taken in conjunction with FertilAid for Men to specifically address a low sperm count. For men diagnosed with low motility (grade c or d), MotilityBoost can be taken in conjunction with FertilAid for Men to specifically address poor motility.

Source: Fairhaven Health