What Is Oligospermia?

Oligospermia is a condition in which the number of spermatozoa in fertile men's semen is lower than normal. According to the International Health Organization, men's sperm is not less than 20 million per ml. If it is less than 20 million, it is classified as oligozoospermia, which will have a great impact on fertility.

Basic Information

nickname

Spermia, thin sperm

English name

oligospermia

Visiting department

Urology

Common causes

Varicocele, cryptorchidism, genital tract infection, etc.

Common symptoms

Tiredness, back pain, soft knees, dizziness, tinnitus, apathy, etc.

Causes of oligozoospermia

Varicocele

When the varicocele of the spermatic cord increases the local temperature of the testis, the vasoactive substances increase, which affects the spermatogenic function of the testes. But the degree of varicocele is not proportional to the quality of the sperm.

Cryptorchidism

Cryptotestis is one of the important reasons affecting the quality of semen. About 60% of patients with unilateral cryptorchidism are infertile, so if sperm density is low and cryptorchidism is present, early treatment is necessary.

3. Reproductive tract infection

Chronic infection of accessory gonads can affect various laboratory indicators in semen.

4. Autoimmune

Reproductive immunology studies have found that male autoimmunity can affect fertility and antisperm antibodies can affect sperm production and transport.

5. Endocrine disorders

Men's normal spermatogenic function depends on the normal function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis. Any one of the obstacles will affect the spermatogenic function. Other diseases such as thyroid and adrenal glands will also affect gonad function and cause oligozoospermia.

6. Chromosomal abnormalities

Chromosome aberrations have serious effects on sperm density, motility, and morphology.

7. Other

Excessive scrotal temperature, radiation damage, chemical drugs and the effects of drugs can cause oligozoospermia.

Clinical manifestations of oligozoospermia

Fatigue, backache, soft knees, dizziness, tinnitus, apathy, and other symptoms may be asymptomatic, but their common manifestations are long-term infertility after marriage, and the conventional sperm count of semen is less than 20 × 10 ^[6] / ml.

Oligozoospermia diagnosis

1. Abstinence 3 to 7 days, semen analysis more than 3 times routinely, sperm density is less than 20 million and no cause can be found, can be considered as idiopathic oligozoospermia. When sperm density is l × 10 ^[6] / ml, severe oligozoospermia can be diagnosed.

2. Most people can find the cause of oligozoospermia by asking medical history, physical examination and other laboratory-assisted tests (genetic examination, endocrine hormone determination, microbiological examination, antisperm antibody, trace element determination, etc.). Semen analysis can be diagnosed as secondary oligospermia when the oligospermia is accompanied by the etiology of the disease that causes oligospermia.

3. Based on frequent urination, urgency, dysuria, and burning-like sensation in the urethra, and purulent secretions from the outer mouth of the urethra, increased pus cells in urine tests, white blood cells greater than 10 / HP in prostate fluid tests, and urine culture can determine the reproduction System inflammation.

4. Immunological examination can determine the presence of autoimmunity, and karyotype analysis can determine the presence of chromosomal abnormalities. Determination of serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T), and prolactin (PRL) are also important methods for oligozoospermia. If FSH and LH are lower than normal, secondary oligozoospermia Elevated PRL is oligospermia caused by hyperprolactinemia.

In addition, some oligozoospermia have unknown causes and are called idiopathic oligozoospermia.

Oligozoospermia treatment

Cause treatment

Those with clear etiology should be treated according to the cause, such as varicocele, cryptorchid can be treated with surgery; genital tract infections should be treated with anti-infection; those with autoimmune anti-sperm antibodies can try immunosuppressants such as adrenal glucocorticoids and large Dose vitamin C treatment. For oligozoospermia caused by exogenous factors, these foreign factors can be removed. With the primary disease and the removal of external factors, the number of sperm will increase, and satisfactory results will be achieved.

2. Testosterone or synthetic testosterone derivatives

For idiopathic oligozoospermia of unknown etiology, testosterone or synthetic testosterone derivatives can be used for treatment, such as testosterone propionate and fluoxymesterone. The serotonin antagonist Metergoline also has a certain effect. In addition, you can try glucocorticoids, clomiphene, tamoxifen, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) and other drugs.