What is sever OTA?
Severe Oligo‐astheno‐teratozoospermia (Severe OTA syndrome) is a condition that includes low sperm numbers, low sperm motility, and abnormal sperm morphology. The definition of severe OTA is having <5 million/ml of sperm in a sample. Most cases of severe OTA are caused by idiopathic testicular abnormality or disorder. Genetic tests are abnormal in 7-10% of men […]
Can I freeze my sperm?
Several procedures in embryology require the cryopreservation of whole sperm samples or of isolated sperm cells. These include sperm banks that freeze sperm samples from sperm donors, freezing of sperm found during advanced sperm searches in samples from azoospermic men. Freezing of sperm must be handled by qualified lab personnel, and then kept at highly […]
What are the risks associated with testicular biopsy?
There is a slight risk of bleeding or infection. The area may be sore for 2 to 3 days after the biopsy. The scrotum may swell or become discolored. This should clear up within a few days.
What is a testicular biopsy?
Testicular biopsy is surgery to remove a piece of tissue from the testicles and examined it under a microscope. The test is most often done to find the cause of male infertility. It is done when a semen analysis suggests that there is abnormal sperm and other tests have not found the cause. Two types […]
Can azoospermia be treated?
Azoospermia can in fact be treated. The treatment options and success rates depend on the type of azoospermia the patient has been diagnosed with: obstructive azoospermia or non-obstructive azoospermia. Therefore, the first step should be to diagnose the type of azoospermia (See how do you confirm azoospermia). The procedures for treating each type of azoospermia […]
What causes azoospermia?
Genetic and chromosomal abnormalities could be the cause, including Cystic Fibrosis, Klinefelter syndrome, and Y-chromosome deletions. Diseases, urological conditions, and medical procedures during a person’s life could also cause azoospermia: Vasectomy varicoceles are frequent causes, however, alternate etiologies such as being born with an undescended testicle (cryptorchidism), having the mumps at an older age, going […]
How do you confirm azoospermia?
Azoospermia is considered after a sperm analysis finds no sperm in a sample. Several tests will be conducted to confirm azoospermia and diagnose its cause: the medical history will be analyzed for potential causes; hormonal tests will be done to analyze the levels of testosterone, Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), progesterone, prolactin, estradiol, […]
How many sperm do you need to get pregnant?
Embryologists have at their disposal cutting edge tools and methods that allow them to execute high precision manipulation of isolated single sperm in controlled laboratory conditions. In this way, IVF procedures can utilize a single egg and a single sperm cell to induce fertilization.
How do you test male fertility?
The first step is the examination of the male ejaculate under a microscope to determine the number (count), motility (ability to move), and morphology (shape) of the sperm. These parameters all provide important information about how the sperm will perform in treatment cycles. The semen analysis is a cornerstone of the evaluation of couples experiencing […]
Sperm Freezing / Cryopreservation
Sperm freezing, or cryopreservation, is a simple process that allows for male fertility preservation. The sperm is mixed with a cryoprotectant, a fluid which protects the sperm and allows it to be frozen without being damaged, and then slowly cooled and placed into liquid nitrogen (-196 degrees C). A frozen sperm sample can last for […]