Hi clawrence,
After reviewing all the information, it appears to me that your
Fertility Doctors are on the right track. There are precious few
successful treatments available for oligo/asthenozoospermia or severe
teratozoospermia, and IVF and ICSI are the normal front-line
treatments. There's a Male Infertility Assessment and Treatment
Flowchart linked below.
I found some excellent information for you, let's jump in:
MALE INFERTILITY TREATMENT OPTIONS - a patient's guide
http://www.medic8.com/healthguide/articles/maleinfertilitytx.html
..." The introduction of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) over
the past five years has revolutionised the management of male
infertility. It offers hope of a genetic child to almost all couples
with male-based infertility. However, since in about 75 percent of
couples with male-based infertility, the man has some sperm present in
his ejaculate, the discussion revolves around when to move to
treatment rather than what treatment. Unfortunately it is still rare
to be able to offer treatment to increase the sperm count or quality
and so most treatment options are based on using the sperm that are
available in the most likely way to cause fertilisation of an egg..."
Another good page there:
http://www.medic8.com/healthguide/infertilityindex.htm
For reference:
Intra-cytoplasmique sperm injection (ICSI)
http://umr-cpma.art-solution.ch/en/articles/the_treatment/000436.php?page=4
The intracytoplasmic injection is used when a failure of classic IVF
treatment can be anticipated, for example when sperm are too scarce or
they are not very mobile. ICSI can also be performed following a
failure of a normal IVF treatment, when the quality of sperm does not
seem to be the cause of failure.
The technique consists in searching for one single sperm at a time
under the microscope and to inject it inside an oocyte. The search for
mobile sperm can take a few seconds or last over an hour in difficult
cases.
Indications: severe infertility of masculine origin, previous failure
of classic IVF
At this next link, scroll down to:
Recommendations and treatments for Male Infertility (Low Sperm Count):
http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C340376.html
This is relevant and informative.
*************************************************************************
MALE FERTILITY OR INFERTILITY
http://www.fertilinet.com/male.htm
Excerpts:
Acetyl-L-Carnitine - L-Carnitine
Researchers have found that L-carnitine is found in much greater
amounts in sperm tissues than other cells. Preliminary studies suggest
that L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine may be able to stimulate sperm
motility in certain situations. The role of L-carnitine on sperm
maturation and sperm quality however, is still unclear.
Several clinical studies have evaluated the effect of L-carnitine on
men with a low sperm count, a reduction/loss in sperm movement, or men
with both conditions. These studies have evaluated only small numbers
of men who took oral carnitine supplements for varying lengths of
time. Some patients enrolled in these studies experienced increased
sperm counts and/or increased sperm motility, however it is still too
early to determine the benefit of L-carnitine supplementation.
Arginine, L-Arginine -- studies indicate that this amino acid may
improve sperm motility
Vitamin B12
Zinc is an essential nutrient for proper sperm production. A
deficiency may result in lowered testosterone levels.. The usual
recommended dosage of zinc is about 15 to 30 mg daily, coupled with 1
mg of copper for balance. Too much zinc can be toxic. Do not exceed a
dose of 15 to 30 mg daily. This mineral is found in great amounts in
the outer layer of sperm and plays an important role in the production
of the hormone testosterone.
Anti-Oxidants are necessary for good sperm health.
Vitamin E, Supplementation with this antioxidant has been shown to
increase sperm motility and to enhance the ability of the sperm to
penetrate the egg in test-tube studies.
Dose: 400 IU daily. Talk to your doctor prior to starting Vitamin E,
particularly if you are currently taking aspirin or other blood
thinners.
Vitamin C - research suggests it may prevent sperm from "clumping"
together and that it increases sperm count.
Superoxide dismutase and glutathione - research shows that these and
other antioxidants may improve sperm quality.
Nutrition
The importance of a healthy diet cannot be overstated. To function
properly, the reproductive system requires the proper vitamins and
minerals. Nutritional deficiencies can impair hormone function,
inhibit sperm production, and contribute to the production of abnormal
sperm.
* Eat a natural foods diet that focuses on fresh vegetables,
fruits, whole grains, fish, poultry, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
* Drink ½ of body weight in ounces of water daily (e.g., a 150 lb
man would drink 75 oz of water).
* Eliminate processed and refined foods (e.g., white flour), junk
food, sugars, alcohol, and caffeine.
* Avoid saturated fats and hydrogenated oils (e.g., margarine); use olive oil.
* Pumpkin seeds are naturally high in zinc and essential fatty
acids which are vital to healthy functioning of the male reproductive
system. Eat ¼ to ½ cup a day of pumpkin seeds to help maintain a
healthy reproductive system.
Supplements
The following supplements have been shown to increase sperm count
and/or motility. Allow 3-4 months for the supplements to work.
* Arginine?Take 4 gr daily. Needed to produce sperm. If the sperm
count is below 10 million per ml, arginine probably will not provide
any benefit.
* Coenzyme Q10?Take 10 mg daily. Increases sperm count and motility.
* Flaxseed oil?Take 1 tbsp daily. Is a source of essential fatty acids.
* L-carnitine?Take 3-4 grams daily. Required for normal sperm function.
* Multivitamin-mineral?Buy a high-quality product and take one
serving size (differs from brand to brand).
* Selenium?Take 200 mcg daily. Improves sperm motility.
* Vitamin B-12?Take 1000 mcg daily. A B-12 deficiency reduces
sperm motility and sperm count. Even if no deficiency exists, B-12
supplementation may help men with a sperm count of less than 20
million per milliliter or a motility rate of less than 50%
* Vitamin C?Take 500 mg 2 times daily. Is an antioxidant.
* Vitamin E?Take 400 IUs 2 times daily. Is an antioxidant and
improves sperms? ability to impregnate.
* Zinc?Take 15 mg 2 times daily. Required for a healthy male
reproductive system and sperm production.
*************************************************************************
The Importance of Sperm Morphology in the Evaluation of Male Infertility
http://www.gfmer.ch/Endo/PGC_network/Sperm_morphology.htm
*************************************************************************
Eight Ways to Help Improve Male Fertility
http://preconception.com/resources/articles/spermtips.htm
There's at least two new things for you to consider here.
Ten Top Tips To Improve Your Sperm Count
http://www.spermtest.com/tenTopTips.php
A couple more ideas.
Low-Tech Ways to Help You Conceive
http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/lowtechfaq.html
*************************************************************************
STUDIES
Spontaneous pregnancies in severe oligoasthenozoospermia
http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/16/8/1780
Poor reproductive prognosis in severe teratozoospermia with a
predominant sperm anomaly.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2817448&dopt=Abstract
Frequency of defective sperm?zona pellucida interaction in severely
teratozoospermic infertile men
http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/18/4/802
Further studies on the effects of pentoxifylline on sperm count and
sperm motility in patients with idiopathic oligo-asthenozoospermia.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=4083550&dopt=Abstract
Should ICSI be the treatment of choice for all cases of in-vitro conception?
http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/15/6/1278
Chromosome Abnormalities in Sperm From Infertile Men with Asthenoteratozoospermia
http://www.biolreprod.org/cgi/content/full/66/6/1781
*************************************************************************
Treatment Options for Male Infertility - A 15 minute Webcast
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/webcast/2E2FBCC9AEC172D785256EAC0066FFB3
Guidelines On Fertility - European Association of Urology:
http://www.uroweb.nl/files/uploaded_files/guidelines/infertility.pdf
58 pages of information.
Flowchart of diagnostic assessment and therapeutic options in couple infertility.
http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/83/12/4177/F1
Flowchart of diagnostic assessment and therapeutic options in the male
partner of an infertile couple affected with (A) mild
oligoasthenozoospermia
http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/83/12/4177/F2
I found those here:
Evaluation and Treatment of the Infertile Couple
http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/83/12/4177
Male Infertility Treatment
http://www.advancedfertility.com/maleinfertilitytreatment.htm
This is an excellent page.
..."Clomiphene citrate (Clomid, Serophene) for the infertile male
Some men with relatively mild sperm abnormalities have been treated
with clomiphene citrate (tablets) in an attempt to improve the semen.
According to published medical literature, Clomid for the male
sometimes can improve the sperm count or motility. However,
well-controlled medical studies have shown no increase in pregnancy
rates..."
Male Infertility Overview
Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment
http://www.ivf.com/shaban.html
Don't miss page 2.
Center for Male Reproductive Medicine
http://www.malereproduction.com/
male infertility treatment
http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=-1106903036&linkID=24840&cook=yes
*************************************************************************
Normal Ranges for a Semen Analysis
http://www.parentsnest.com/nonsurgi.shtml
The Interpretation of Semen Analysis
http://www.monashivf.edu.au/library/factsheets/semen_analysis.html
*************************************************************************
An interesting clinical trial in Peru:
MACA ROOT - THE PERUVIAN APHRODISIAC
http://www.macasource.com/
In Phase I clinical trials conducted in August 2001 by Universidad
Peruana Cayetano Heredio in Peru, the subjects taking a derivative of
the Peruvian Andes herb "maca" called gelatinized maca reported a 200%
increase in sperm count.
A summary of the clinical trial results can be found here:
http://macasource.com/articles_clinicaltrial.html
*************************************************************************
In the interest of equal time, here's a page detailing ways your wife
can increase her chance of conceiving:
How to increase your chances of conceiving and preventing miscarriages
http://www.marilynglenville.com/infertility.htm
*************************************************************************
This is very interesting. I would consider antioxidants after skimming this.
Role of Antioxidants in treatment of male fertility
http://www.clevelandclinic.org/reproductiveresearchcenter/docs/agradoc139.pdf
*************************************************************************
Infertility Support - Newsgroups, Discussion Groups, and Forums
http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/infertility.html
*************************************************************************
Fertility Plus has some great resources:
Fertility Information Resource List
http://www.fertilityplus.org/firl/
Mega links.
Discount Fertility Medication
http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/drugs.html
Links to Other Fertility Resources and Useful Sites
http://www.fertilityplus.org/links.html
*************************************************************************
There's a lot for you to read and digest here. If I can be of further
assistance in regards to Male Infertility, please don't hesitate to
ask via the "request for clarification" feature.
~~Cynthia
Search terms used at Google:
"male infertility"
oligo/asthenozoospermia treatment
"severe teratozoospermia" treatment |
