Almost a third of all patients we see have fertility problems because of issues with sperm. From low sperm counts to low motility and abnormal shape, there are many reasons why you’re not able to conceive naturally.
But the good news is that many cases of male factor infertility can be overcome, even when it’s more complicated and may require surgical intervention.
We specialise in the treatment of male infertility, with leading consultant urologists on our team who are dedicated to helping men with fertility problems to become fathers.
When you come to us for help, the first step is for us to fully understand your fertility status through simple tests including semen analysis and blood tests to check for hormone and chromosome abnormalities. We may also perform an ultrasound to check for blockages in your testicular tubes.
Once we have your results, our consultant urologists will tailor a treatment plan that’s devised to maximise the chances of your sperm being used successfully in infertility treatment:
If you have low sperm count/poor sperm motility/abnormal shape
A low sperm count means you don’t have many live sperm in your sample, but this doesn’t mean they’re not capable of fertilising an egg. Poor sperm motility means your sperm isn’t moving the way it needs to, to reach the egg. Having an abnormal shape also affects the movement of the sperm. In these instances treatment is typically IVF with ICSI. ICSI is a refinement of IVF where instead of your sperm being mixed with the egg, our expert andrologists select a good quality sperm from your sample, and inject it directly into the egg to fertilise it.
If you’re not producing any sperm at all
If you’re not producing any sperm at all, we’re able to offer a technique called Surgical Sperm Retrieval (SSR), where sperm is retrieved via surgery from testicular tissues. Performed by our consultant urologists at our clinic, the surgery and type of technique used will depend upon your diagnosis and whether any reconstruction is needed. Retrieved sperm is always frozen and examined for viability by our andrologists before your partner embarks on IVF. If viable sperm is found it is used in IVF with ICSI to maximise chances of fertilisation.
Read our Guide for Men to find out more about our specialist help for men with fertility problems. We’re here to support you every step of the way, so if you want to talk to us in confidence about treatment, call our friendly Patient Advisors on 0161 300 2737.
Last updated: 20th January 2020
