Surgical sperm harvesting offers hope for those experiencing male factor infertility
In our Nashville fertility practice, we take a comprehensive approach to infertility treatment. Our doctors have the medical expertise to diagnose and treat common causes of infertility, including severe male factor infertility. After a thorough fertility evaluation, we can provide advanced fertility techniques that you may need, such as surgical sperm harvesting.
The truth about male factor infertility
Often, people assume that infertility only affects women. Many people are surprised to learn that male factor infertility is the cause of a couple’s inability to conceive in one-third of cases. Female fertility represents another third, and unexplained or combined infertility accounts for the remainder.
While receiving a diagnosis of infertility can be devastating news, our Nashville fertility practice can develop a customized treatment plan to help you move forward.
Uncovering male infertility issues
With male factor infertility, anatomical issues, hormone imbalances, sperm disorders and lifestyle factors can contribute to a couple’s inability to get pregnant. Your doctor will normally start the testing process with a semen analysis as part of a complete fertility evaluation for both partners. This painless test assesses the quality, quantity, morphology (shape) and motility (movement) of sperm in the male partner’s semen sample.
If the semen analysis reveals anything unusual, we will generally make a referral to a urologist for further testing and possible treatment. As a physician who specializes in the male reproductive system, this doctor can discover the root cause of the problem.
When is surgical sperm harvesting recommended?
Normally, sperm are released during ejaculation. In cases where the male partner makes little to no sperm, or physical blockages exist, we often recommend harvesting sperm surgical. In this procedure, sperm are extracted directly from the testicle. Our goal is to extract enough sperm for IUI (intrauterine insemination), or more commonly, an IVF cycle, often with ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection).
Surgical sperm harvesting may even be an option in cases of azoospermia, in which no sperm are present in the ejaculate, and as an alternative to vasectomy reversal in men who wish to father a child.
What happens during the procedure?
Once you opt for surgical sperm harvesting, your doctor can walk you through the process and answer any questions. The goal is to recover as many healthy, viable sperm as possible. Several methods exist for the retrieval.
- PESA, percutaneous epididymal sperm extraction, uses a needle to extract sperm from the testicle or epididymis.
- MESA, microscopic epididymal sperm extraction, involves opening the epididymis using a surgical microscope to find sperm.
- TESE, testicular sperm extraction, is a procedure in which tissue is removed directly from the testicle to look for sperm.
If you and your partner are dealing with male factor infertility, our Nashville fertility practice team can help you find the optimal fertility treatment. We look forward to partnering with you as you both as you continue your journey toward parenthood. Contact our office for more information about surgical sperm harvesting, or to schedule an appointment.
