Other causes
Hormonal disorders
The male testicles are responsible for producing hormones and sperm. In hormone analysis, an elevated male FSH level may indicate testicular damage, but this does not rule out the possibility of natural pregnancy.
For men of reproductive age, the suppression of hormones from the pituitary gland through the use of anabolic steroids should not be underestimated. They can lead to inhibition of sperm production and a decrease in testicular volume. Sperm production can take up to six months or longer to recover. In addition to infertility, loss of libido and erectile dysfunction can also be observed when taking anabolic steroids.
Some medications cause erectile dysfunction and ejaculation problems, and they can also have a negative impact on sperm production and epididymal function. Especially in the context of ongoing fertility treatment, patients should only take medication in consultation with their doctor at the KIWI Dr. Loimer.
Undescended testicles
The testicles are naturally located outside the male body because sperm cannot tolerate body heat. Generally, a pediatrician checks the testicles of male infants after birth. In some cases, the testicles have not completely migrated from the abdominal cavity of the newborn, or have not migrated at all, and the parents are advised to have the infant undergo testicular surgery. The reason for the testicles not descending in infants can be genetic. Timely treatment of undescended testicles can lead to improved fertility later in life.
If the testicles remain too far inside the abdominal cavity and no surgical correction is performed, this can lead to reduced sperm quality later in life.
Varicocele
Varicose veins in the testicle area are referred to as varicoceles. They are usually not painful, but can potentially cause reduced fertility.
To preserve fertility, surgical correction is usually recommended for more severe varicoceles. However, the indication for surgical varicocele treatment is controversial. There is no uniform recommendation that removal of the varicose veins leads to an improvement in sperm quality.
Mumps in childhood
Mumps is commonly considered harmless, but it can have serious consequences for male fertility. Nowadays, most babies are vaccinated against mumps in infancy, but infections still occur.
The older boys are at the time of infection, the more frequently they experience painful inflammation of the testicles or epididymis (mumps orchitis) as a side effect. In cases of infection after puberty, around 20 to 30 percent of young men suffer from epididymitis as a result of the infection. This can cause permanent shrinkage of the testicles, with around half of men with mumps orchitis suffering from testicular atrophy (testicular atrophy).