Management of Male Infertility

The specialty of Male Reproductive Medicine has grown tremendously over the past few years. Recent studies indicate that in about 50% of couples experiencing infertility, the male partner has some form of infertility conditions that can benefit from treatment after a full medical evaluation. The McGill Reproductive Centre has one of the largest teams of experienced, Royal College-certified urologists who are fellowship-trained in Male Reproductive Medicine and Male Sexual Health. We provide a comprehensive fertility evaluation to all male partners for their reproductive and sexual health utilizing advanced techniques to diagnose and treat sperm abnormalities that interfere with fertilization. The combination of new technology with advanced clinical methods used in our Centre has benefited numerous infertile men who can now be managed confidently with good prospects of fatherhood.

Treatment Of The Male Partner

Couples generally prefer to conceive by natural methods, avoiding treatment regimens such as IVF and intra- uterine insemination. At our centre, this is strongly encouraged, especially where the female partner is in good reproductive health and young.

In the evaluation of male fertility, the man is interviewed with his partner by our andrologist/ urologist. Initial evaluations may require urine, blood, or additional specialized sperm tests, all in a confidential and very private setting. Treatment options, which may include medical or surgical therapies, will be discussed in detail.

Lifestyle Modification

In addition to the various advanced reproductive technologies and treatment modalities, we provide health counseling to couples to help them achieve a healthy life-style and avoid exposure to detrimental factors that could further impair their general and reproductive health. Measures such as avoidance of smoking or inhalation of other toxic substances, engagement in regular exercise, enjoyment of a healthy diet, and stress reduction management are strongly encouraged to couples going through fertility management.

Medical Therapies

Subnormal testicular function, resulting in hormonal imbalance or hypogonadism, can often be diagnosed in infertile men. Hypogonadism often results in sub-optimal sperm quantity and quality in fertilizing the eggs. Diagnosing this common condition can sometimes be challenging, as men with hypogonadism often have no symptoms that would prompt them to see a doctor. However, when properly diagnosed, these men can be candidates for various forms of medical and surgical therapies to improve their fertility profile.

Infection or other inflammatory conditions in the male reproductive tract are other common causes that have been associated with subnormal semen profile and impaired fertilization capability of sperm. Careful diagnosis and treatment of these conditions by an andrologist/urologist in our Centre have allowed many men to improve semen parameters.