Asthenozoospermia: Everything You Need To Know
Asthenozoospermia can occur due to diet and toxic habits. By reading today’s extremely interesting article, you will learn more about this condition.
Asthenozoospermia is defined as decreased sperm motility. It is also known as asthenospermia and is commonly referred to as slow or lazy sperm. It is important because it is one of the causes of infertility. In today’s article you will learn more about asthenozoospermia and see how it can be diagnosed. Read on!
Everything you need to know about asthenozoospermia
Etymologically, the word asthenozoospermia means “lack of strength in sperm.” It is a word of Greek origin. The prefix “a” means none and the suffix “steno” means strength.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes that the condition occurs when the number of motile sperm cells in the ejaculate drops below 40%. This is one of the causes of infertility. Since the sperm does not move, it cannot reach the oocyte and fertilize it. Consequently, pregnancy does not occur.
Asthenozoospermia and its causes
The exact causes of this condition are unknown. However, various factors can affect sperm motility:
- Changes in sperm. Genetic changes that affect sperm whites. Thus, they change their mobility. It turns out that in some cases they can even induce complete asthenozoospermia.
- Changes in the vas deferens. Any changes in the testes, epididymides or vas deferens may affect motility ..
- Varicose veins of the spermatic cord. The presence of varicose veins in the blood vessels that supply blood to the testicles.
- Toxic substances. The role may be played by tobacco, alcohol or drugs. In addition, exposure to fertilizers or pesticides can also be dangerous.
- Anti-cancer therapy. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are devastating to sperm.
Age and diet are other important factors. Sperm mobility decreases after the age of 50. In addition, the adherence to a healthy diet by men plays a key role. Lack of vitamins and antioxidants may be associated with asthenozoospermia.
The determining factor is body temperature. The testicles should be two degrees cooler than the rest of the body. Sperm mobility may decrease if the temperature is disturbed. This can be caused by, for example, wearing very tight clothes and using the sauna.
How can it be diagnosed?
A seminogram is a study that analyzes the condition of your sperm. It is also known as a spermiogram or semen analysis. It allows the doctor to examine sperm movements. In order to diagnose asthenozoospermia, at least two seminograms should be performed. The seminogram assesses two types of mobility:
- Total traffic. It applies to all sperm that show any movement. In other words, it covers both progressive and non-progressive movement.
- Progressive movement. It only considers sperm that are able to move.
It should be emphasized that asthenozoospermia occurs when total movement is less than 40% and progressive movement is less than 32%.
However, the doctor must also perform a physical examination. In addition, he should order hormonal tests. Knowing your FSH, LH, and testosterone levels can help you make a diagnosis.
How to become a father if you suffer from asthenozoospermia?
Asthenozoospermia is usually the cause of infertility. However, there are therapies that can help you become a father even if you have the condition. Their goal is to obtain a sperm sample with sperm with sufficient mobility to fertilize an egg using assisted reproductive techniques.
There are different treatments for asthenozoospermia, depending on its severity. The most important of these is ICSI ( intracytoplasmic sperm administration ). It consists in introducing a sperm into each oocyte. Thus, it increases the likelihood of fertilization.
Other methods, on the other hand, focus on improving the mobility itself. Thus, they mainly deal with diet. They rely on taking supplements rich in amino acids such as L-carnitine and antioxidants.
It would be best to detect and correct the cause of asthenozoospermia. However, this is not always possible. Other techniques such as in vitro fertilization or artificial insemination may help.
Asthenozoospermia: Summary Information
Asthenozoospermia is a problem that reduces male fertility. Therefore, you need to know the factors that can trigger it in order to reduce or avoid their effects. Plus, you need to be aware of the importance of this disease to reduce its impact on your self-esteem.
