Rare Causes Of Infertility

The causes of infertility can be attributed to both men and women but interestingly are more prevalent in men.  Fertility problems in women are common as well but less common than in men.  Many times the problem is not actually one of infertility but is one that affects fertility in either the man or the woman.  Many abnormalities and infections or diseases can cause infertility.

There are many common causes of male infertility but there are some that are rare and overlooked when evaluating the male patient.
1.    Varicocele – is a varicose vein in the scrotum, which can cause the temperature within the testicles to rise, and therefore, kills the sperm.
2.    Testosterone deficiency – is another way that the male fertility can be compromised by causing the sperm to be inadequate in their ability to fertilize the female eggs.
3.    Klinefelter’s Syndrome – causes abnormal development of the testicles and related sperm production because of an abnormality in the male chromosomes.  Instead of having and X and Y-chromosomes the male will have two X-chromosomes which causes this particular syndrome.
4.    Infections – such as sexually transmitted diseases and even illnesses such as mumps or prostatitis can cause inadequate sperm production in men sometimes occurring even from childhood.
5.    General health and lifestyle issues such as obesity or malnutrition can also affect male fertility but are not general thought of to be problems initially.

The most common causes of female infertility are such things are annovulatory cycles, fallopian tube blockages, and endometriosis.  Other less common conditions can cause fertility issues among women.
1.    Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is caused by an increase in the androgen hormone.  An increase in this hormone can cause irregular menstruation and ovulatory problems.
2.    Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that grow along the lining of the uterus and can cause infertility by blocking the fallopian tubes and by disturbing the contour of the uterus, which could inhibit the implantation of the fertilized egg.
3.    Thyroid problems can also disrupt the menstrual cycle and cause infertility.
4.    Many medications can interfere with the female menstrual cycle and therefore cause infertility.  These effects are many times reversible once the drug is stopped but the woman has to know that medications can cause infertility and under a doctor’s care, which ones to stop taking.
For both men and women there are other environmental issues that need to be acknowledged as potential risks to fertility.  These include pesticides, which can cause female hormone like reactions in the male body and cause reduction in sperm production, and substance abuse and tobacco use both can cause damage to the male sperm.  Within the athletic realm, in particular there is wide use of hot tubs and saunas, which can cause a reduced sperm count and slower sperm movement in men.  Many times the damage has already been done by the time the man finds out to importance of limiting time in hot water or steam.

When facing problems with fertility, it is important for both men and women to know to look beyond the traditional causes of infertility.  By broadening the scope within which the testing is done, there is greater likelihood that the couple will discover the cause of their fertility problems.