Patient Education Forum
Welcome to the Patient Education Forum of the SSMR!
An important goal of the SSMR is to educate our patients and couples about male infertility. Education is an important part of a patient’s experience with infertility. We want you, the patient, to be informed and able to make choices that are right for you in your journey towards fertility. Every few months we will feature an article written by one of our male infertility specialists
As individuals and couples begin their journey towards becoming parents, they may have very specific ideas about how that journey will unfold. For some, the trip is smooth sailing, but others may encounter bumps in the road. Read More...
Some men hate going to the doctor. Whether it’s for a cold that we can’t seem to kick or just our annual physical – we often avoid seeing a physician for as long as we can. The same holds true when we’re trying to start our families. With most couples who are trying to get pregnant, it’s the woman who sees her doctor first and gets poked and prodded long before the man is recommended for a thorough evaluation. Read More...
Typically, one of the first tests in the evaluation of an infertile male is a semen analysis, which includes semen volume, sperm concentration, and sperm motility. While there is frequently a relationship between semen parameters and pregnancy rates, a semen analysis is an imperfect test; it is not predictive of pregnancy and it does not evaluate all aspects of sperm functionality. Read More...
If you’re struggling to conceive, you aren’t alone. Approximately 15% of couples will have trouble achieving pregnancy at some point in their lives. Typically defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of unprotected intercourse, the diagnosis of infertility can be devastating to a couple. Read More...
Human embryo development begins when the paternal sperm fuses with the maternal egg, forming a zygote. Both the sperm and the egg contribute DNA, or genetic material, to the newly formed zygote, and this genetic material is packaged as chromosomes. Read More...
The US government’s set of health goals for the nation, includes a target male HPV vaccination rate of 80% by 2020. That rate in 2013 was estimated to be about 14%. Read More...
Diabetes is a worldwide epidemic with significant impacts on multiple aspects of men’s health. 3.5 in every 1000 reproductive aged men (18-45 years old) in the United States are living with diabetes. Read More...
DNA is the genetic information contained in all cells, including sperm. Intact sperm DNA is necessary for normal egg fertilization. Sperm that has DNA with breaks in the strands is abnormal, and is called “DNA fragmentation.” This may cause sperm to function poorly and is not measured by the standard semen analysis. There are situations where sometimes the standard semen analysis does not tell us the entire story. Therefore testing for DNA breaks or fragmentation may be helpful to identify a male factor problem in some cases. Read More...
It is estimated that one in eight couples have difficulty with conception. Of those who have difficulty, approximately 50% of the time, there is an issue with the male partner (i.e., male factor). Fortunately, it is relatively easy to assess whether there is a male factor present or not by having the male collect a semen sample and have it analyzed in a laboratory. This is called a semen analysis. Read More...
There are two ways we can consider success after vasectomy reversal, sperm returning to the ejaculate of the man (surgical success) and pregnancy (overall success). We have very little control over the latter since this is very dependent on the female partner. However, we do have control over the former since this is a result of patient selection, experience and technique. Read More...
Are you overweight, suffer from diabetes or have high blood pressure? Then you might be at risk for having the metabolic syndrome. Read More...
Can sexual dysfunction affect my fertility?
What are the symptoms of the different kinds of sexual dysfunction?
Can being infertile cause ED? Read More...
Infertility is defined as the inability of a couple to conceive within one year of trying. A common misconception is that infertility is a woman’s problem. However, a male factor may be contributory in to up to 50% of infertile couples. Read More...