Many different factors influence male fertility and infertility, including sperm transport. When sperm are not effectively transported to the uterus, fertilization cannot occur.
There are three main causes of sperm transport problems:
- Congenital disorders
- Acquired disorders
- Functional obstruction
Congenital disorders that can impair male fertility can include: incomplete duct development, atresia - naturally blocked - of the male ducts that transport sperm, absence of seminal vesicles to store the sperm and absence of other male reproductive structures secondary to such hereditary diseases as cystic fibrosis.
Acquired disorders that impact sperm transport can include: scarring of the ducts due to bacterial infections, such as sexually transmitted diseases, or accidental severing of transport ducts during hernia repair or other surgery.
Functional disorders that impede sperm transport, in male infertility, can include: nerve damage to the reproductive organs from trauma, surgery or spinal cord injury. Medications, such as high blood pressure medicine, tranquilizers and anti-depressants, can also effect the nervous system and result in functional problems.
Since there are do many different conditions which can cause male infertility, determining the contributing causes, including the presence of sperm transport problems, requires assertive testing and intervention, in order to get the best outcome. Talk to your Infertility Specialist, who can help you problem-solve your fertility concerns.
