IVF Clinic
26.08.2024
Today, it is becoming more and more common to look at the male side of a couple’s infertility and find solutions that will actually help in this area. Science and research are now at such a level that they can often handle the seemingly impossible.
Until recently, when couples struggled to bring a child into the world, it was automatically assumed that the underlying issue would be with the women. And while female fertility has been studied for decades and ways have been found to help women become mothers, this has not been the case for men. But science and societal settings have progressed and nowadays men are getting enough attention and care.
More often than it seems
Male fertility is only beginning to be openly discussed, but it is already coming to light that it is a much more common cause of infertility in couples than we would expect. “The male factor is playing an increasingly important role in infertility, and new laboratory methods in sperm selection and treatment are developing rapidly. Even with a single viable sperm, we can then continue working and achieve successful fertilisation,” explains Ondřej Halda, andrologist and embryologist at the Prague Fertility Centre.
The most common causes of male infertility
There can be quite a few factors that reduce the ability to conceive a child. Among the most frequent ones we can certainly count a decrease in sperm concentration, mobility or deformation, or immunological causes — for example, antibodies against sperm that prevent their movement and entry into the egg. Other common impediments to male fertility are congenital defects (such as testicular descent disorder after birth), various major diseases, erectile dysfunction, as well as long-term exposure to toxic substances such as alcohol, cigarettes or steroid substances.
Fertility testing in men
If you and your partner are unable to conceive a child, there may be many reasons for this. Experts from the Prague Fertility Centre will help you to discover the true source of your reproductive problems through specialised examinations and suggest individual solutions. Their aim is to lead you as a couple to a healthy pregnancy and a bouncing baby.
How does it work?
At the first consultation, the doctor will be interested in your comprehensive medical history. The basic diagnostic examination at this time is a spermogram. Based on the information obtained, the doctor can assess your fertility and recommend a treatment tailored just for you. Today’s methods of artificial insemination can already cope with various difficulties related to conception, so it is important not to lose hope and a positive attitude. Experts with extensive experience from the Prague Centre for Infertility Treatment will do everything possible for you. Your comfort and ensuring the best possible results will always be taken care of by an experienced team with an experienced doctor, embryologists and a personal coordinator. The latter will keep you informed about the results of the examination or treatment and will also provide you with answers to all your questions.
If things are not going well
The number one choice for men with sperm in their ejaculate is the MICHSS method. This involves sorting sperm without the use of chemicals or machines, using only a disposable glass chip. It is the principle of natural sperm selection by passing sperm through microbarriers that mimic the natural environment of the fallopian tubes. If no sperm is present in the sample, we move on to the specialised surgical sperm retrieval methods of MESA / TESE ((micro)surgical sperm retrieval) and, if necessary, to the LAISS method — laser-assisted selection of immobile sperm.
With LAISS we are able to detect those sperm that are immobile but still alive and have the ability to fertilise an egg by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This increases the chance of fertilization for couples with male factor infertility. Sperm viability is a requirement for successful fertilization with ICSI. This method is suitable not only in MESA / TESE IVF cycles, but also in other cases of immobile sperm.
Think about the future
Having a family is not on the agenda for you now, but do you want to become a parent in the future? Or do you know that you’re facing some major surgery or challenging treatment that could affect your fertility? In that case, it’s ideal to think on your back wheels and have your healthy sperm frozen. Sperm freezing (social freezing) is a good option for men who want to preventively preserve their reproductive cells in a quality that will allow them to be used in the future and increase the chance of successful fertilization.