Azoospermia Explained: Blockages vs. Sperm Production Issues

Infertility is a growing concern worldwide, where 1 in every 6 couples are facing fertility problems. Male infertility is a prevalent problem that is often ignored. Azoospermia is a condition characterized by the absence of sperm in the semen. Male infertility is not discussed as frequently as female infertility, but creating awareness on this topic and acknowledging the problem is the need of the hour.

What is Azoospermia?

Azoospermia is the complete absence of sperm in the ejaculated semen. This affects 1 in every 10 men struggling with fertility problems. Many reasons can be responsible for which

● Hormonal imbalances
● Genetic problems
● Non-descended testicles
● Structural problems such as the tubes carrying sperm being damaged and blocked due to disease or injury or being absent from birth
● Genital infections, such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea or prostatitis
● Previous testicular surgery/hernia repair
● Chronic illnesses such as kidney failure, liver damage, uncontrolled diabetes
● Chemotherapy for cancer treatment

Types of azoospermia:

Obstructive azoospermia: When there is an obstruction preventing sperm from entering the semen.

Non-obstructive azoospermia: When sperm production is low or absent in the testes.

Treatment of Azoospermia:

The treatment may vary depending on the type and cause of azoospermia.

In some cases, pregnancy may be possible with the help of assisted reproductive technology (ART) such as IVF or ICSI.

How to become a father?

If sperms are being produced and are not coming out due to blockage, then under the ICSI procedure, sperms can be extracted by doing a testicular biopsy. The best sperm from the sperm obtained through the procedure can be injected into the woman's egg, and the process of fertilization can begin. Through this process, many men with azoospermia have the happiness of becoming fathers.

Men who are not producing sperm can also become fathers through donor sperm. In this, the woman's egg is fertilized with donor sperm through IVF or ICSI technique, and the embryo formed from this is transferred to the woman's uterus.

In this technological era, a man can become a father even if he has less or very less good sperm.

Today, there are many techniques for treating infertility, through which the happiness of becoming a parent can be achieved in case of complex problems of men and women. In case of infertility, couples should get both of them tested before starting any treatment so that it is easy to choose the treatment and the chances of success are high.