Azoospermia: Types, Causes, and Effective Treatment| Birla Fertility & IVF

Azoospermia

Azoospermia is one of the causes of male infertility where there is no sperm in the semen ejaculated during orgasm. Though the sperms are products from the testicles in the man’s scrotum, and move through the reproductive system and combine with the fluid to produce sperm.

Note: Semen is the production of white, thick fluid from the penis during ejaculation

Types of Azoospermia

To define the cause of azoospermia, it is important to understand the type of azoospermia that might have caused it. There are mainly two types of azoospermia:-

Obstructive azoospermia
Obstructive azoospermia is when there is an obstruction or blockage or a missing link in the epididymis, vas deferens, or maybe somewhere else in the reproductive system. In this type of azoospermia, it is detected that the man is making sperm, but due to the blockage, it is being stopped from exiting, and the sperm is not able to get into the semen.

Nonobstructive azoospermia

Nonobstructive azoospermia is a kind of azoospermia in which sperm production is reduced or absent due to problems in the structure or function of the testicles.

Causes of Obstructive azoospermia

Chemotherapy or radiation
Recreational drugs like narcotics
Vasectomy: The absence of vas deferens
Poor testicular development
Trauma or injury in or around the reproductive system
Any previous injection or surgeries
Inflammation
Development of a cyst

Causes of nonobstructive azoospermia

Genetics causes:- Kallmann syndrome, Klinefelter’s syndrome and Y Chromosome deletion
Hormonal imbalances
Problem inejaculating
Radiation treatments and toxins
Medications
Varicocele
Drug use, excessive drinking and smoking

Azoospermia Treatment

It’s a prevalent misperception that men with azoospermia are unable to have biological children, but this isn’t always the case. Still, it does depend on the type and cause of azoospermia.

For instance:-

If azoospermia has been caused due to the blockage in the then maybe with the help of surgery, it can get unblocked or reconstructed and connected with the developed tubes.
Sperm samples can also be retrieved directly from the testicles if a biopsy has been performed.
If a varicocele is causing low sperm production, the affected veins can be operated on while the other tissues are intact.

FAQs

Is azoospermia curable?

Curing or revering azoospermia depends on the cause. The patient needs to consult with the doctor to determine its cause and understand the available treatment options.

Can someone be born with azoospermia?

It is not certain, so the condition may be present at birth or may develop later in life.

Does masturbation cause azoospermia?

When a man ejaculates excessively and on a daily basis, it might temporarily lead to a deficiency of sperm, but there isn’t any direct link between masturbation and azoospermia.