By Dr. Ken Egwuda
Welcome to the Assisted Reproductive Technology series with Dr. Ken. Here, we discuss Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) as a means to tackle the problem of infertility.
In the last article, we answered the million-dollar question of: Are IVF Babies Normal? We established that IVF babies are just as normal as spontaneously conceived babies, and if an extreme side is to be taken, they have the tendency of even more normal. There is absolutely no artificial shade to the IVF treatment whatsoever.
Today, we shall be looking at a seldom talked about factor in reproduction generally: the male sperm factor.
For conception to occur, there must be the fusion of the sperm (from the male partner), and the egg (from the female partner). In our present setting however, most often than not, we tend to forget the immense importance of the male sperm factor and blame the cause of infertility on the woman which may not always be the case.
In reality, the male sperm factor could contribute to the inability to conceive as much as the female egg or body system factor does. We can therefore have infertile men just as we have infertile women. The exclusive use of the word ‘infertile’ for women in religious and societal circles today is not appropriate.
While it is a known fact that the male contributes only the sperm in conception, it is pertinent to note that a whole lot could go wrong which could lead to some abnormalities in sperm production and inability to fertilize the female eggs.
In the last projection made during a convention of global fertility experts held in India in 2019, where I was personally in attendance; it was projected that the male race could go extinct owing to the steady decline of male sperms. There was a time when the number of sperms in an ejaculation numbered about 20 million. We are now down to 15 million, and a continuous decline is expected.
Even though the extinction projection may not necessarily happen because of sperm freezing opportunities available in our time and age, it buttresses a reality that the sperm factor is increasingly becoming the cause of infertility more than ever.
In our society today, the mere mention of the reality of male infertility punctures the pride and ego of men and stands in the way of everything society defines as being a man because it is generally perceived as a man’s world.
However, poor sperm morphology, and low sperm count resulting from disease conditions or social factors like high consumption of alcohol, smoking, stress, obesity, excessive masturbation, and exposure to certain radiation, as well as other factors, is the reality for many men today, making them infertile.
The situation can be treated medically and through the adoption of better lifestyle choices in the way of healthier diets, healthy weight maintenance, and elimination of bad habits. This is critical to the reproductive well-being of couples and the actualization of their reproductive potential.
Assisted Reproductive Technology in any case still finds relevance in making conception possible.
Donor sperms can be used in the case of low or no sperms.
The sperm rejuvenation process could also serve as a treatment option in making conception a possibility.
Thank you for staying with me today. I am always here to provide expert information on Assisted Reproductive Technology, and how this can help make your dream of a complete family a reality.
Until next time, stay fine, and always remember that conception and child bearing is a possibility for everyone that so desires.
Dr. Kenneth Egwuda is a consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist with a specialty in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). He has over 16 years of practice and experience. He trained in the UK, India, Bulgaria, Italy, and Germany. His Facility, ALPS Hospitals, and Diagnostics, Jos, Nigeria, stands at the center stage of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) in Nigeria. It holds the record of the oldest first-time delivery mum in Africa through IVF at the age of 63.
May 3, 2023
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