Common male infertility problems

The Private Healthcare UK guide to infertility treatment contains articles on infertility and IVF treatment which are aimed at improving your knowledge of treatments for infertility, their benefits and potential risks.

The guide is sponsored by The London Women's Clinic, leading fertility specialists who have been involved in fertility management since 1984.

The London Women's Clinic (LWC) delivers a full range of diagnostic and treatment programmes for fertility disorders  and operate one of the most successful IVF programmes in the world.

The LWC in Harley Street is rated in the top three amongst all UK licensed centres for women aged up to 35 and the HFEA has published the centre specific IVF success rates for the period 1st January – 30th June 2007 showing verified results of 55.7% success.

For more information about The London Women’s Clinic:

The London Women's Clinic London, Harley Street.

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7487 5050 E-mail: info@londonwomensclinic.com  

In this section

A single sperm consists of a head, which contains the man's genetic information, and its tip (acrosome) which will help the sperm penetrate the outer shell of the egg; a midpiece, which supplies the energy needed for movement; and the tail which propels the sperm forward.

In order for sperm to be “normal”, the sperm count, motility and appearance must be within certain parameters. Male subfertility can occur due to oligospermia (low sperm count), asthenospermia (poor motility) or teratospermia (high incidence of abnormal forms).

Immunological factors can also affect male fertility. Anti-sperm antibodies may occur following surgery, trauma or infection of the genital tract. These antibodies impair sperm motility and affect the sperm’s ability to penetrate and fertilise and egg.

In some cases of male fertility problems, azoospermia (the absence of sperm) can occur. This may be due to an obstruction in the vas, epididymis, or even the testes, or to a bilateral congenital absence of the vas. Azoospermia could also be due to testicular failure caused by hormonal or chromosomal abnormalities, previous infection such as mumps or undescended testes.

In this guide

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