Male factor infertility is a common cause of infertility. In fact, it may be a factor in up to nearly 50 percent of all infertility cases.
A semen analysis is done to diagnose male factor infertility. An ejaculated semen sample, collected after masturbation, is analyzed in the laboratory.
Several parameters of the sample are studied:
- Volume
- Sperm count
- Sperm motility (the percentage of moving sperm)
- Sperm morphology (the appearance of the sperm)
One of the leading causes of male factor infertility is a varicocele. This is a dilated vein around the testicle that raises the core temperature of the testicle which can impair sperm production. This condition is easily corrected by ligating the dilated vein.