Hi dghosh-ga,
Congratulations on your upcoming marriage!
First, let me say that I am not a doctor and you should consult with a
reputable physician to address these concerns further. To put your
mind at ease, low volume of ejaculate is not an uncommon complaint. It
may or may not lead to fertility problems but, in and of itself, is
not a cause. If it does lead to infertility, depending on the cause,
it may be highly treatable. To put this into perspective, a person
with a high amount of ejaculate but a low overall sperm count or
deficient sperm can be infertile, whereas a person with low amounts of
ejaculate but a high overall sperm count of healthy, active sperm can
be quite fertile.
Hypospermia, i.e. low volume of ejaculate, is the term used when the
volume is less than 1.5 ml, whereas azoospermia is the term used when
there is a lack of sperm in the ejaculate. As you can see, they are
two different conditions, and only if hypospermia is presented *with*
azoospermia is there a problem with fertility. (In which case the
cause is not low volume, but low sperm count).
Typically, the average volume of ejaculate is about one teaspoon, and
1% of that (on average) is the active sperm cells. A lower volume
ejaculate can be caused by a number of things, including infection,
cysts, blockages (such as a varicose vein) or by a condition known as
retrograde ejaculation where the semen flows backwards into the
bladder opening. This latter condition is more common among diabetics
and generally results in no discernible ejaculate, rather than
diminished ejaculate. Blockages, such as those caused by varicose
veins, account for 40% of all male fertility problems. Surgery can be
performed to remove the blockage. Again though, quantity of sperm is
not the deciding factor in fertility. The concentration, viability,
and mobility of the sperm are the most important consideration.
Tests are readily available that can check the quality of your semen
and address your fertility concerns. You can begin with quick,
inexpensive tests that rule out the more common possibilities first.
According to the Department of Urology, College of Medicine, at the
University of Illinois at Chicago, "The presence of high levels of
fructose is normal in the semen and this sugar comes almost entirely
from the seminal vesicles. Obstruction of this accessory gland due to
infection or tumor will result in low semen volumes since the seminal
vesicles normally produce 70% of the seminal plasma... The
concentration of fructose in the initial semen sample is a quick and
inexpensive way to screen for this possibility and to determine if
further workup is indicated."
http://www.uic.edu/com/mcsr/androlab/Andro.htm
There is an excellent article titled "The Semen Factor", which
addresses assessing the quality of semen. The article is taken from
"The Fertility Sourcebook" by M. Sara Rosenthal. You may read the
entire article online at:
http://webmd.lycos.com/content/article/1680.51511
I also referenced the following:
Sperm Counts
Las Vegas Fertility Institute
http://www.lasvegasfertility.net/sa2.html
Infertility: Urological Aspects
http://www.uroweb.nl/files/uploaded_files/curriculum/infertility.pdf
Search terms used:
"semen volume fertility"
"insufficient ejaculation"
"hypospermia"
I hope this satisfactorily addresses your questions. If not, please
feel free to ask for further clarification.
Thanks for using Google Answers!
Regards,
antivirus-ga |
