Low sperm count due to medication

Men who wish to father a child should talk to their doctor before starting a new medication or having any treatments. Non-FDA approved male fertility supplements may be widely advertised as fertility enhancers but they have not been scientifically evaluated and may cause harm. Before you take any supplements it is important to discuss it with a healthcare provider. Men who are having trouble fathering a child should speak to their doctor about the medications they are taking, and the possible need for semen tests. Some men may have an unexpected side effect from a medication that can harm their fertility. If your doctor thinks that this may be the case, it may be a good idea to stop the medication or try a different one.

Sperm count or total sperm count refers to the average total number of sperm present in one sample of semen. Sperm count is one of the several qualities that are assessed during routine semen analysis and is considered an important factor for fertility. Based on the most current World Health Organization guidelines , a healthy sperm count is 15 million per milliliter ml or at least 39 million per sample. A sperm count lower than 10 million per ml is considered abnormal and commonly associated with male infertility. Anything that impacts the hormones that control the production of sperm or acts as an anti-oxidant may aid the healthy development of sperm and help improve sperm count. Overall, factors that influence testosterone levels are thought to have the most significant impact on sperm number and quality. For several decades, researchers have known that sperm quality and fertility rates have been in decline in most Western nations.

Low sperm count means that the fluid semen you ejaculate during an orgasm contains fewer sperm than normal. A low sperm count is also called oligospermia ol-ih-go-SPUR-me-uh. A complete absence of sperm is called azoospermia. Your sperm count is considered lower than normal if you have fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen.

Here's what you both need to know when you're trying to conceive. You already know how important it is for your health to be in optimal shape if you want to get pregnant. Hurwitz, M. And while you and your guy probably already know that a number of things that can affect his sperm and fertility, like being overweight or too thin, smoking cigarettes, excessive drinking, and use of recreational drugs, you may not be aware that some medications can also interfere with his fertility. Most of the medications that affect sperm will decrease production, causing a low sperm count, but some others can affect the way the sperm functions, Dr.