Patient's question:
Please ask if prostatitis can lead to infertility. I currently have this condition, will it affect my fertility?Doctor's answer:
Hello! The relationship between prostatitis and fertility has not yet been fully determined. When the prostate becomes inflamed, the secretion of prostatic fluid decreases, leading to a reduction in semen volume, which interferes with the survival and activity of sperm. At the same time, the activity of enzymes in prostatic fluid declines, the viscosity of semen increases, and the liquefaction time extends, all of which affect sperm viability. Patients may also further reduce their fertility due to excessive use of antibiotics. All of these factors can impact male fertility, but they are not decisive factors. In fact, in the majority of male infertility cases, the symptoms of chronic prostatitis are relatively mild. Clinically, some patients may have severe prostatitis, yet their fertility remains unaffected.Recommendations: The causes of male infertility are highly complex and are not solely attributed to prostatitis. Overemphasizing chronic prostatitis may lead to the neglect of other factors or causes, delaying treatment and unnecessarily increasing patients' fear of the condition. If both partners undergo systematic examinations and no other infertility factors or causes are found, there is no need to be overly anxious, as chronic prostatitis can be completely cured.