Patient's question:
I've been married to my wife for 6 years, and she hasn't been pregnant yet. At first, I thought there was something wrong with my wife because I had previously gotten pregnant with my ex-girlfriend. Later, my wife went to the hospital for a check-up, and everything was normal. When I got tested for sperm, the doctor said my sperm count was low, making natural pregnancy difficult. I'm really frustrated. What could be the reason for a low sperm count in semen?Doctor's answer:
Low sperm count can potentially affect a woman's ability to conceive. This is because after ejaculation, male semen enters the female vagina and deposits in a place called the posterior fornix, forming a semen pool. A normal amount of semen can create a semen pool that reaches the cervix. During ovulation, sperm in the semen pool can easily pass through the cervical mucus, which becomes thinner due to hormonal effects, and move upward to the fallopian tubes to combine with an egg, forming a fertilized egg. However, if the sperm count is low, the semen cannot form a semen pool and fails to come into contact with the cervix, thus unable to enter the cervix and, of course, unable to lead to pregnancy.For men, infertility caused by low sperm count or azoospermia (no sperm) has complex causes. Common reasons for male oligospermia include congenital testicular developmental disorders or cryptorchidism (undescended testicles) that impair sperm production; varicocele, hydrocele of the tunica vaginalis; reproductive tract infections; immune suppression and endocrine disorders; and factors such as smoking and alcohol intoxication, all of which can inhibit the production of male sperm.
Advice: Unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, wearing tight clothing, and taking saunas, can also lead to male oligospermia. Additionally, individuals exposed to long-term electromagnetic radiation or high-temperature work environments may experience a significant decline in their testicular sperm production function. In cases of oligospermia caused by these factors, improving lifestyle or changing the work environment can quickly restore sperm production ability, and medication is generally not required.