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Diagnosed Of Asthenozoospermia. Can I Impregnate My Wife?

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Posted on Tue, 19 Mar 2013
Question: I have been diagnosed of asthenozoospermia with a motility of 6%. concentration is 62mill/cc and volume is 3.0cc. the pH is 8 and the motility index is 2. can I father a child naturally
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (39 minutes later)
Hi.

Thank you for writing to us.

At first, a diagnosis of asthenozoospermia should be confirmed only after 3 tests reporting the same conclusion and done with a period in between them.

Asthenozoospermia is the most common cause of infertility or reduced fertility in men. I am sorry to inform you, but once the diagnosis is confirmed, it is highly unlikely that you can naturally father a child. But do not lose heart, a method called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is very successful. Please read up on this or discuss the same with your doctor or write back to me if you want more information on this.

In the meantime here are a few remedies that might help:
-Avoid smoking
-Avoid alcohol
-Zinc and vitamin supplements
-Diet XXXXXXX in fruits and vegetables
-Avoid strenuous exercise
-Wear loose undergarments

I hope this information helps. Do not worry. Let us be positive and hope for the best.

Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shoaib Khan (9 hours later)
which zinc and vitamin supplements would you recommend. I don't drink alcohol and I don't smoke. I don't do strenuous exercise either
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (12 minutes later)
Hello once again.

It is good to know that you do not have any of these habits.

Zinc requirement should be about 15 mg for an adult male (in USA). Brands like Galzin, Orazinc 110, M2 Zinc, Zinc chelated, etc. are available in the USA. But, the dosage can only be decided once a doctor checks your zinc blood level. Please visit your doctor for this.

You can also discuss the vitamin supplement with your doctor. The vitamins that could possibly help are: acetyl-L-carnitine, vitamin E, L-carnitine, vitamin C, etc.

I hope this information helps. I wish you only the best and nothing less. Do write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.

Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shoaib Khan (1 hour later)
I want to know the risk involved with the ICSI to the baby and my wife. Again, how long does the process take? is it a couple of days or my wife would have to be admitted for a longer period
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (14 minutes later)
Hello.

There is absolutely no risk to your wife, although there can be failed attempts in the procedure, this depends on the expertise of the embryologist (doctor) who selects the sperm.

The only risk to the baby has been a few reported cases of transmitting genetic abnormalities to the child (from the parents). Other than this, there have been no other reported cases of problems to the child.

ICSI is considered to be the most safe and effective therapy for male factor infertility world over.

I hope this information helps. I wish you and your wife the best of luck. Hope you have a beautiful and healthy child soon.

Do write back to me for any further clarifications or rate my answers once you close this discussion.

God bless.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shoaib Khan (27 minutes later)
how long does the process take because my wife will be here in XXXXXXX for only 2.5months. does it just take a couple of days. is it very expensive. if you could give a price range, I'd be glad
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (6 minutes later)
Hello.

Only the pre-procedure period is time-consuming, as the doctors will have to run thorough tests prior to the procedure. It should all take about 7-10 days. After the procedure, the waiting period begins, once pregnancy is detected, the doctors will need to run a few more tests to ensure a safe and healthy fetus.

The price in India it is approximately 7500 $, I suppose it should be marginally more in the USA.

I hope this helps.

My best wishes are with you and your family.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shoaib Khan (5 hours later)
To what extent can the vitamins and zinc supplements help remedy the situation. ie. what are the success rate
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (2 hours later)
Hello once again sir.

Unfortunately, there is no estimated success rate. Research on how zinc and vitamin supplements can contribute to treating infertility in men has proved that many individuals do not receive their daily required dose of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, zinc, etc.). This causes a lowered immunity, which can lead to effects like infertility.

On taking these supplements, the immune system receives a boost, which has helped in resolving infertility issues in some individuals. Of course, we need to understand that only supplements will not help treat the condition. These supplements, along with other components of the 'treat infertility plan' have a cumulative effect on treating infertility. Other agendas this plan covers were mentioned in my first response (infertility diet plan, avoiding strenuous exercise, etc.).

I hope this information helps. Please feel free to ask me any queries. I am always available, and ready to help.

Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shoaib Khan (5 days later)
Dr.
so given that I have never smoked nor drunk alcohol, what could have caused me this problem and why is it not curable. could it be genetic
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (1 hour later)
Hello. Its been a while. Nice to hear from you again.

The causes of asthenozoospermia have not been known with accuracy, and most researchers have observed that the causes resulting in asthenozoospermia are cumulative. This means that an individual cannot have asthenozoospermia with just one cause (eg. smoking), this has to be a result of at least 2-3 causes put together. Causes other than smoking and alcohol consumption are:
-Teratozoospermia (increased abnormal sperm in semen due to causes like diabetes, injuries, poor feeding, smoking, prolonged exposure to heat, etc.)
-Seminal infections
-Varicocele (varicose or dilated veins in scrotum)
-Testicular problems (development, growth, injury, etc.)
-Poor diet
-Anti-spermatic bodies (anti-bodies that attack sperms, killing them; resulting in low sperm count in the semen)
-Excessive alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, etc.
-Exposure to toxic agent such as insecticides or solvents
-Cancer treatment
-Increasing age (sperm count/motility reduces with increasing age)
-Febrile episodes (frequent illnesses)
-Prolonged exposure to heat (cars, saunas, hot tubs, etc.)

There have been no reports of a genetic factor being responsible for this, so I doubt this can be genetic.

It is not always curable. It is curable when there is a slight decrease in the number of healthy sperm, and this is usually caused by some of the above listed causes. So when the cause is removed, these individuals usually produce a normal amount of healthy sperm.

In cases where it is not curable, the damage cannot be rectified or production of healthy sperm is so low that even a boost (medically, or by removing external causes, etc.) does not bring the healthy sperm count to a normal level.

I hope this information helps. Do write back to me for any further assistance. I would love to help.
Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shoaib Khan (53 minutes later)
so with 6% motility, is there a possibility that I can be cured. can you imagine how desperate I am? you know, I can't even associate myself with any of the causes stated above so it beats my mind why I find myself in this situation. I wished you could just recommend to me a drug that can heal me. I am married for less than two years and I am only 31years
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (13 minutes later)
I completely understand. Which is why I chose to answer your question. I believe in being straight forward and providing as much information to my patients as possible, instead of beating around the bush or keeping them in the dark.

This is not easy for me to say, but your chances seem slim or close to non-existent. Medically most doctors would not even try due to your low sperm motility, but I really wish you would.

Although medical science has developed immensely, there is no drug to treat this. This is why I mentioned a few remedies in my first response and also wish you would explore the possibility of ICSI.

I really wish there were more we could do. Really wish there was more I could do. Please do not feel disheartened. The ICSI procedure chooses the best sperm from a sample given by you, this will be injected into your wife. It would be difficult to find a healthy sperm from your sample, due to low motility, but I am hoping they will be able to do this.

This procedure might take a few tries (successful mostly in 2nd or 3rd attempt), but please give this some thought.

I am always here for any further assistance, not just now, but even in the future. Do not hesitate to discuss anything with me or run anything through me.

Best wishes.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Dr. Shoaib Khan

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2009

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Diagnosed Of Asthenozoospermia. Can I Impregnate My Wife?

Hi.

Thank you for writing to us.

At first, a diagnosis of asthenozoospermia should be confirmed only after 3 tests reporting the same conclusion and done with a period in between them.

Asthenozoospermia is the most common cause of infertility or reduced fertility in men. I am sorry to inform you, but once the diagnosis is confirmed, it is highly unlikely that you can naturally father a child. But do not lose heart, a method called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is very successful. Please read up on this or discuss the same with your doctor or write back to me if you want more information on this.

In the meantime here are a few remedies that might help:
-Avoid smoking
-Avoid alcohol
-Zinc and vitamin supplements
-Diet XXXXXXX in fruits and vegetables
-Avoid strenuous exercise
-Wear loose undergarments

I hope this information helps. Do not worry. Let us be positive and hope for the best.

Best wishes.