Fertility issues affect over 7% of men globally, making oligospermia one of the most pressing reproductive health concerns facing couples today. Most men remain unaware of fertility complications until they face challenges in conceiving with their partners. Understanding the root causes and recognising warning signs can support your parenthood. If you are experiencing conception difficulties, you might be dealing with low sperm count (oligospermia), a common cause of male infertility that requires proper understanding and treatment. So, let’s understand it in detail.
What is Oligospermia?
Low sperm count (oligospermia) is a condition that results in a low count of sperm below 15 million per millilitre, which can complicate natural conception. Medical professionals further categorise this condition into three scales according to their severity. Types of low sperm count (oligospermia levels):
- Mild oligospermia: The sperm count is between 10 and 16 million, which is below the normal range. But natural conception is often possible with patience. It might need timing adjustment and lifestyle management.
- Moderate oligospermia: In this category, the sperm concentration is between 5-10 million/ml, which is moderately below the normal range. In most cases, it is treated medically with fertility treatment.
- Severe oligospermia: It is where sperm is under 5 million/ ml, which is below the normal range. It often requires advanced fertility treatments such as IVF or ICSI.
The higher the density of your sperm, the higher your chances of conception, but other aspects, such as motility and morphology, are equally important.
Understanding the signs and symptoms of oligospermia
Oligospermia cannot be easily diagnosed, as the majority of men do not have any clear symptoms. The most common indicator is the failure to conceive after 12 months of regular intercourse. Several other signs and symptoms of low sperm count can, however, indicate the condition.
1. Sexual function changes
Low sperm count signs may include:
- Difficulty achieving or maintaining erections
- Less sexual desire or libido
- Changes in ejaculation patterns
- Premature or delayed ejaculation
2. Testicular symptoms
Many men with a lower sperm count experience:
- Testicular pain or swelling
- Noticeable size changes in testicles
- Discomfort around the epididymis
3. Hormonal indicators
Hormonal imbalances related to low sperm count can cause the following physical and emotional symptoms:
- Reduced facial or body hair growth
- Breast tenderness or swelling
- Unexplained weight gain
- Mood changes or depression
- Chronic fatigue or low energy
- Sleep disturbances
Some men also experience alterations in ejaculate volume, colour, consistency or notice thin and watery semen, though normal-looking sperm can still contain signs of low sperm count concentrations.
What are the causes of low sperm count?
Understanding the causes of lower sperm count is essential for proper treatment and management. These factors can be categorised into medical, environmental, and lifestyle-related causes.
1. Medical causes
What causes low sperm count from a medical perspective includes several conditions:
- Varicocele: It is the most common medical cause, involving enlarged veins in the scrotum that disrupt the function of the male reproductive system
- Hormonal disorders: Disruptions in testosterone or thyroid function can affect sperm development and count, often be detected through a blood test
- Genetic factors: Chromosomal abnormalities, such as Y chromosome microdeletions and cystic fibrosis gene mutations, affect sperm production
- Infections: sexually transmitted infections, mumps orchitis, prostate infections
- Undescended testicles: cryptorchidism affecting sperm production
2. Environmental factors
Environmental exposures also affect sperm count, such as:
- Heavy metals and industrial chemicals
- Pesticides and radiation exposure
- Excessive heat from saunas or hot baths
- Occupational hazards in specific industries
3. Lifestyle-related causes
These could be the reasons:
- Smoking directly damages sperm DNA
- Excessive alcohol disrupts hormone balance
- Obesity changes hormone production and increases scrotal temperature
- A poor diet lacking essential nutrients like zinc and selenium
4. Medical effects
Certain medications can temporarily or permanently reduce sperm production:
- Blood pressure medicines
- Antidepressants
- Anabolic steroids
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Testosterone replacement therapy
Hence, the reason for a lower sperm count often involves multiple factors working together.
How to diagnose low sperm count?
Diagnosing low sperm count requires a semen analysis test. A semen analysis is performed after 2-3 days of abstinence to assess sperm concentration, motility, and morphology. Results below 15 million sperm per ml indicate oligospermia.
Low sperm count can be treated depending on the cause and severity.
- Medical treatments include either hormone therapy, varicocele surgery, or treating the underlying cause.
- Quitting smoking, maintaining the right body weight, and taking supplements such as zinc and antioxidants can improve sperm production.
- Severe cases may require assisted reproductive technologies such as IVF with ICSI.
Proper diagnosis and timely treatment are thus important for positive outcomes.
Conclusion
Low sperm count is not permanent, and most men have achieved success in it with the proper treatment. Understanding oligospermia, thus, is the first step in resolving fertility issues. Starting with lifestyle changes to advanced treatments, there are various alternatives to address low sperm count.
If this is your case, consider contacting The Male Fertility Clinic, which offers experience with personalised assessment and effective treatments for low sperm count. Remember, many men with low sperm count have been successfully treated through proper diagnosis and treatment. Getting early diagnosis and intervention can improve your fertility results.
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