Infertility in men can be caused by a variety of factors prompting to seek fertility treatments to become a parent. A specialist will evaluate the number of sperm (concentration), motility (movement), and morphology (shape). A slightly abnormal semen analysis does not mean that a man is necessarily infertile. Instead, a semen analysis helps determine if and how male factors are contributing to infertility.
Conditions that can contribute to abnormal semen analyses include—
• Blockage (obstruction) of the male reproductive tract
• Hormonal factors affecting the formation and development of sperm
• Varicocele (an enlargement of the veins within the scrotum)
• Certain genetic diseases (i.e. cystic fibrosis)
• Exposure to environmental toxins and excessive heat
• Lifestyle factors (smoking, drinking, drug use, steroids, obesity),
• Cancer and other medical conditions and treatments
