Let’s talk about male fertility for Movember, the annual focus on the key health and well-being issues men face. ICSI is a treatment designed for male factor infertility, but it might not be your only option if you have sperm issues that make it hard to conceive. Depending on your semen analysis results, other treatments may be effective, including IUI, IVF or even simple lifestyle changes.
Here’s what you need to know about male infertility treatment options:
Lifestyle changes for sperm health
Did you know that lifestyle factors cause many sperm issues? You produce new sperm every day, which mature after three months. Throughout this continuous cycle, your sperm can be affected by what you put into your body, what you eat, drink, smoke or take. So all you may need to do to boost your sperm health and achieve pregnancy is improve your lifestyle.
A lifestyle assessment is a key part of a male fertility test at Manchester Fertility. We will advise you about any sperm-friendly changes you can make when we assess your sperm. Such as achieving a healthy BMI, quitting smoking, enjoying alcohol in moderation and ensuring you don’t take any recreational or performance-enhancing drugs like steroids, which affect the hormones responsible for sperm production.
You can book a private male fertility assessment here.
If you have made positive lifestyle changes but have not conceived, IUI may help. IUI – Intrauterine Insemination - involves washing your sperm, which separates sperm from the seminal fluid, washing away any slow or immobile sperm, so only the fastest sperm remain. This sperm is then inserted directly into the uterus to fertilise the egg.
Depending on your diagnosis, IVF may also be an option for mild sperm issues. IVF mixes the washed sperm and eggs in a laboratory to help fertilise.
ICSI – Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection - involves selecting a single, healthy sperm and injecting it directly into the egg for fertilisation. ICSI may be advised if you have sperm DNA damage or moderate sperm issues.
Some men need surgical help to conceive because of azoospermia when there is no sperm in your sample. This can be caused by blockages in the tubes that transport sperm, issues with sperm production, or diagnosed conditions affecting fertility, such as Klinefelter Syndrome.
Surgical Sperm Retrieval (SSR) is a micro-surgical procedure that aims to retrieve viable sperm from within the testicular tissues for use in ICSI treatment. If you have azoospermia, you will be seen by our consultant urologist, Dr Steve Bromage, for evaluation and treatment.
Dedicated male fertility specialists
Our consultants, Mr Steve Bromage and Dr Vaibhav Modgil specialise in diagnosing and treating male fertility problems.
Male fertility help and advice
If you are worried about your fertility and sperm health, getting expert help and support is easy. Talk to our Patient Advisors on 0161 300 2730 or book a free one-to-one discovery appointment online if you would like to arrange a fertility assessment, which includes semen analysis, lifestyle assessment and a consultation with a male fertility specialist.
Last updated: 16th November 2022
