Oligospermia is the low amount of sperm in semen, which directly interferes with man fertility. The decrease in the amount of sperm can be a consequence of sexually transmitted infections, genetic and/or hormonal changes, anabolic use or due to bad lifestyle habits.
It is important that the urologist is consulted, especially when trying to get pregnant, to check the quantity and quality of the sperm produced by man.
The treatment of oligospermia should be directed by the doctor according to the cause, and may be indicated the use of medications, change in lifestyle and food habits or surgery in some cases.
The main causes
The main causes of oligospermia are:
- sexually transmitted infections;
- Genetic alterations that interfere with the sex chromosomes;
- Side effect of medication;
- Use of anabolic steroids;
- hormonal changes;
- Obesity;
- Dilation of the veins of the testicle, called varicocele.
In addition, sperm production can be influenced by lifestyle habits, such as sedentary lifestyle, high-fat eating and frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages, for example.
How to confirm
Oligospermia is confirmed by the urologist from the performance of the spermogram, which is the laboratory examination that evaluates the amount of sperm and its characteristics. Thus, it is indicative of oligospermia when the amount of sperm is less than 15 million per mL or 39 million per total semen volume. Here’s how to understand the result of the spermogram.
The doctor may also recommend other laboratory tests, the main dosage of testosterone, LH and FSH, to verify the cause of decreased sperm production.
Schedule an appointment with the nearest urologist, using the following tool to check the need to perform the spermogram.
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How the treatment is done
Treatment of oligospermia is guided by the urologist according to the cause. Thus, if the decrease in sperm happens due to infections, it may be indicated the use of antibiotics according to the responsible infectious agent.
In cases of varicocele, it may initially be indicated by the doctor the use of medications that relieve symptoms. However, in some cases, surgery may be necessary to treat the condition.
If oligospermia is a consequence of hormonal changes and/ or use of anabolic steroids, the physician should evaluate the amount of circulating hormones and thus indicate the hormone replacement or use of medications that help regulate the hormonal concentration.
It is also important to have good eating and life habits, and it is recommended that the man practice physical activity regularly, avoid excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages and have a healthy and balanced diet. Here are more tips than you can to increase semen.
