Following is a list of causes or underlying conditions (see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Oligospermia) that could possibly cause Oligospermia includes:
As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Oligospermia may be found in:
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Oligospermia.
Some factors associated with male infertility include:
❑ varicocele, a mass of dilated and tortuous varicose veins in the spermatic cord
❑ semen disorders, such as volume or motility disturbances and inadequate sperm density
❑ proliferation of abnormal or immature sperm, with variations in the head’s size and shape
❑ systemic disease, such as diabetes mellitus, neoplasms, hepatic and renal diseases, and viral disturbances, especially mumps-related orchitis
❑ genital infections, such as gonorrhea, tuberculosis, and herpes
❑ disorders of the testes, such as cryptorchidism, Sertoli-cell-only syndrome, and ductal obstruction (caused by absence or ligation of vas deferens or infection)
❑ genetic defects, such as Klinefelter’s and Reifenstein’s syndromes
❑ immunologic disorders, such as autoimmune infertility and allergic orchitis
❑ endocrine imbalances that disrupt pituitary gonadotropins, inhibiting spermatogenesis, testosterone production, or both (as in Kallmann’s syndrome, panhypopituitarism, hypothyroidism, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia)
❑ chemicals and drugs that can inhibit gonadotropins or interfere with spermatogenesis, such as arsenic, methotrexate, medroxyprogesterone, nitrofurantoin, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and some antihypertensives
❑ sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory incompetence, and low libido.
Age, occupation, and traumatic injury to the testes can also contribute to male infertility. Approximately 30% to 40% of infertility problems in the United States are attributed to the male.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Factors that cause male infertility include:
❑ varicocele, a mass of dilated and tortuous varicose veins in the spermatic cord
❑ semen disorders, such as volume or motility disturbances or inadequate sperm density
❑ proliferation of abnormal or immature sperm, with variations in the size and shape of the head
❑ systemic disease, such as diabetes mellitus, neoplasms, liver or kidney disease, or viral disturbances, especially mumps orchitis
❑ genital infection, such as gonorrhea, tuberculosis, or herpes
❑ disorders of the testes, such as cryptorchidism, Sertoli-cell–only syndrome, varicocele, ductal obstruction (caused by absence or ligation of the vas deferens or infection), hydrocele (collection of fluid in the testes), or infection (orchitis and epididymitis).
❑ genetic defects, such as Klinefelter’s syndrome (chromosomal pattern XXY, eunuchoidal habitus, gynecomastia, and small testes) or Reifenstein’s syndrome (chromosomal pattern 46XY, reduced testosterone, azoospermia, eunuchoid-ism, gynecomastia, and hypospadias)
❑ immune disorders, such as autoimmune infertility and allergic orchitis
❑ endocrine imbalance (rare) that disrupts pituitary gonadotropins, inhibiting spermatogenesis, testosterone production, or both; such imbalances occur with Kallmann’s syndrome, panhypopituitarism, hypothyroidism, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia
❑ chemicals and drugs that can inhibit gonadotropins or interfere with spermatogenesis, such as arsenic, methotrexate, medroxyprogesterone acetate, nitrofurantoin, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and some antihypertensives
UNDER STUDY: Researchers have found a significant association between abnormally high serum lead levels and low fertilization rates in males and females. Couples with unexplained fertility problems should have their serum lead levels measured as part of an infertility evaluation.
❑ sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory incompetence, and low libido.
Other factors include age, occupation, trauma to the testes, and tight-fitting clothing that constricts the scrotum and affects sperm production.
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
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