Like women, men also have several issues that can cause infertility in them and make it difficult to have a child. Asthenospermia is one such male infertility condition.
Asthenospermia or asthenozoospermia is where a large number of sperm in a semen sample are immotile. Doctors consider a man to have asthenospermia if more than or equal to 60% of sperm in his semen sample is immotile.
Sperm motility plays an important role in pregnancy. It is essential to diagnose this condition early and treat it to increase the chances of a successful pregnancy.
In this article, we’ll discuss all about asthenospermia, including its symptoms, causes, and how you can diagnose it.
What Are The Symptoms Of Asthenozoospermia?
Asthenospermia does not have any major impact on a man’s health. So, men won’t experience any outward symptoms if they have the condition.
Being unable to have their own baby through natural pregnancy can be one of the signs of asthenozoospermia. Men should consult fertility hospital and take a semen analysis test to check if they have any issues with their sperm.
Causes Of Asthenozoospermia
There are some genetic and lifestyle factors that can affect sperm motility and cause asthenospermia. Men should identify the root cause of this issue and treat it to increase their chances of having a baby.
Below are some of the major causes of asthenozoospermia.
DNA Fragmentation
DNA Fragmentation happens when the DNA strands in a sperm cell separate or break into pieces. This can affect sperm motility and make them unable to move through the semen.
There will be a certain percentage of DNA fragmentation in almost every male’s sperm. However, men with asthenospermia will have a higher percentage of fragmentation.
Necrozoospermia
Necro means “death.” as the name suggests, necrozoospermia happens when most of the sperm in a semen sample are dead. There will only be very few living sperm, and they, too, might not have good motility.
Congenital Metabolic Disorders
Congenital metabolic disorder, also called Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEM), is a genetic disorder that has been present in men since birth. These disorders affect the body’s basic metabolism and can also affect sperm quality and motility.
Excessive Smoking
Smoking is one of the main causes of male and female infertility. Smoking can negatively impact hormone secretion and affect the reproductive organs. This can affect the sperm quality and motility.
Exposure To Harmful Chemicals
Exposure to harmful chemicals can greatly affect sperm count, motility, and morphology. These chemicals are commonly called endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs).
These chemicals can interfere with the body’s hormones and affect the male reproductive system. Some examples of EDCs are fertilizers, chemical solvents, lubricants, plastics, etc.
Infections
Certain infections, like UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections), can spread bacteria and fungi to the reproductive organs and affect sperm production. This results in lower sperm quality.
How Is Asthenozoospermia Diagnosed?
As we discussed above, asthenospermia does not have any apparent outward symptoms that men can look out for to identify the issue. They need to take a semen analysis test to analyze their sperm and check if they are of good quality.
During a semen analysis, the fertility doctor will examine certain factors to determine a man’s fertility. They will check
- Sperm count (volume),
- Sperm motility (movement), and
- Sperm morphology (shape).
If they find that the majority of the sperm has motility issues, then the male will be diagnosed as having asthenozoospermia. Most doctors consider a motility rate of less than 32% as asthenozoospermia.
Doctors will recommend fertility treatments based on how severe the condition is.
- If the condition is less severe, men can opt for IUI (Intrauterine Insemination.
- If the condition is moderate, men can opt for IVF (In vitro fertilization).
- If the condition is very severe, men might have to opt for ICSI or IMSI procedures to select the best sperm for fertilization.
Conclusion
Asthenospermia is one of the main causes of male fertility. If the sperm can’t swim and reach the egg for fertilization, women obviously can’t get pregnant naturally.
However, having asthezoospermia does not mean that men can’t have their own babies. They can visit our Fertility expert and undergo the ICSI treatment they suggest to achieve pregnancy.
Yes, it is possible to get pregnant naturally, even if the male partner has poor sperm motility. However, the chances of this happening are very low, and it is only possible if at least a few sperm in the semen are healthy with good motility.
Below are some of the major causes of asthenospermia.
- DNA fragmentation
Necrozoospermia - Congenital metabolic disorders
- Excess smoking
Infections - Exposure to harmful chemicals
Treatment options for asthenospermia differ for each person based on the severity of their condition. They can opt for fertility treatments like IUI, IVF, ICSI, or IMSI to overcome asthenospermia and become pregnant.
Asthenospermia is not always hereditary. Men can have the condition due to genetic disorders passed from their parents or even due to lifestyle and other external factors.
