What is Infertility
This is when a couple is unable to conceive after having frequent and unprotected sex for a year. Half the time, the cause for an infertile couple’s difficulty in conceiving will be the male factor.
With infertility in men in Kenya being on the rise, today we look at some of the treatment options available locally thanks to the Fertility clinics and Fertility Doctors located in the country.
Common Causes of Male infertility include:-
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Obstructive Azoospermia
in this case, sperm are being produced normally in the testes, but there is a blockage or obstruction in the male reproductive tract that prevents the normal transport of sperm through the post-testicular ductal system. Azoospermia can be caused due to several conditions including sexually transmitted disease, retrograde ejaculation, scrotal trauma/injury, scar tissue, cystic fibrosis, hernia surgery and vasectomy.
Treatment options for obstructive azoospermia include:
- surgical correction of the obstruction, or
- IVF/ICSI with sperm retrieval from the epididymis or testes through testicular sperm extraction (TESA)
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Poor Sperm Health
This is the leading cause of male infertility. A semen analysis is the test done to evaluate the quality of sperm.
- Oligospermia – Low sperm count. This is defined as low sperm concentration in the ejaculate. As per WHO the sperm count in a semen sample should be above 15 million sperm per milliliter, anything below can be diagnosed as oligospermia.
- Asthenospermia – Poor sperm motility. Motility is the forward swimming motion of sperm. When sperm motility is poor, fewer sperm are able to reach the egg, making conception less likely to occur.
- Poor sperm morphology refers to the size and shape of sperm. Abnormally shaped sperm may have difficulty fusing with the egg, thereby decreasing the chances of successful fertilization.
Treatment options for poor sperm health:
- Dietary supplements designed to improve sperm count, motility and morphology such as Fertilaid, Motilityboost, Countboost.
- ICSI/IVF
- IUI
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Retrograde Ejaculation
Retrograde ejaculation occurs when the semen is redirected to the urinary bladder instead of ejaculating via the urethra. This happens when the bladder sphincter does not function properly, forcing semen to enter the bladder.
Even though retrograde ejaculation is harmless, it can cause male infertility. Retrograde ejaculation may be also caused due to usage of certain medications, congenital conditions, injury or surgery.
Treatment option
- IVF/ICSI with sperm retrieval from the epididymis or testes through testicular sperm extraction (TESA)
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Varicocele
Varicocele is a condition occurs when the veins enlarge within the scrotum. 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 decreased sperm count, decreased motility and poor morphology.
Treatment option
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. In many patients this can result in a dramatic increase in sperm counts and motility.
Approximate costs for the different treatment options
| IVF Type in Nairobi, Kenya | City | Approximate Cost (Kenya Shilling – KES) |
| Normal IVF Cycle | Nairobi | 400,000 KES |
| Advanced IVF Cycle/ ICSI | Nairobi | 500,000 KES |
| IUI | Nairobi | 60,000 KES |
| Dietary supplements | Nairobi | 10,000 KES |
I hope this helps you in understanding the treatment options available and deciding on the best option for you on your fertility journey.
Some other topics that could interest you are:
Steps to take when struggling with infertility
What is a Semen Analysis/sperm test
Why dietary supplements are a great treatment option for infertility