Patient's question:
Does prostatitis caused by smegma really lead to infertility?Doctor's answer:
The formation of smegma is generally observed in patients with phimosis and paraphimosis. If the foreskin is only slightly redundant and can be cleaned daily without inflammation, it will not cause prostatitis or lead to infertility. However, in cases of phimosis, where the foreskin cannot be retracted to expose the glans, the smegma formed cannot be effectively cleaned, leading to bacterial growth. These bacteria can easily ascend through the urethra to infect the prostate, thereby causing prostatitis. Prostatitis can result in poor semen liquefaction, reduced sperm motility, and even a decrease in sperm density. However, this is only one factor that can cause infertility, and not all cases of prostatitis will lead to infertility.