In a recent interview with myjoyonline, Dr Samuel Gyedu Owusu shed light on the significant role of male factors in infertility, revealing that both men and women contribute equally—45% each—to fertility issues. Dr. Owusu highlighted five specific sperm conditions that can lead to infertility in men, emphasizing that these conditions are crucial for understanding and addressing reproductive challenges.
Dr. Owusu identified Oligospermia as one of the conditions where men have a low sperm count, which can hinder the ability to conceive naturally. In cases where sperm count is severely reduced, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) may be necessary to enhance the chances of pregnancy, as only the most viable sperm are utilized.
Another condition, Teratospermia , involves abnormalities in sperm shape. Dr Owusu explained that sperm with malformed heads, tails, midsections, or those with multiple heads could not effectively fertilize an egg—such deformed sperm results in a lower count of functional sperm in the ejaculate. Asthenospermia refers to reduced sperm motility.
Normally, sperm should move linearly towards the egg in the fallopian tube. In men with asthenospermia, sperm may exhibit poor movement or erratic swimming patterns and, in some cases, may even flow back out of the vagina, significantly impairing the likelihood of fertilization. Aspermia is characterized by the absence of semen during ejaculation, a condition often linked to retrograde ejaculation, where semen enter.