Choosing a Male Fertility Clinic
If you are looking for a male fertility clinic, you will be pleased to find that Medfem Fertility Clinic, conveniently located in Sandton, Johannesburg in South Africa, ticks all the boxes for a world-class clinic with the full spectrum of advanced tests and treatments for male fertility.
Male fertility is not a subject that widely discussed or well understood, and in some circles infertility is still considered a female problem. But male infertility is far more common than most people realise.
In fact, at Medfem Fertility Clinic, in about one-third of the couples who come to us for fertility treatment, the fertility challenge is due to the male partner.
In another third of infertility cases, the fertility challenge is due to the female partner, and for the remaining one-third of cases, the fertility challenge is a combination of male and female factor issues. Furthermore, in 25% of couples, there is also more than one factor contributing to infertility.
In this article, we look at some of the causes of male fertility problems, the treatments available, how to determine what is causing your specific fertility challenge, and how to choose the right fertility clinic for treatment.
Causes of Male Fertility Challenges
There are many possible causes of male fertility challenges. These range from problems with the testes or the ducts leading out from the testes, to functional problems with sexual activity, hormonal issues or even genetic problems. Male infertility is also on the increase as a result of the pace and lifestyle choices of modern life.
However, in most cases, problems with male fertility are related to sperm disorders. In fact, up to 60% of males who experience fertility challenges have damage of some kind to their sperm production. It could be that sperm is not produced in adequate numbers, is somehow obstructed from reaching the penis, are not swimming well, or are under attack from antibodies, or that the hormones required for sperm development are out of balance.
Treatments for Male Fertility Challenges
Thanks to great advances in medical technology, there are a range of treatments, procedures and options for treating male fertility challenges, and these are available at world-class fertility clinics such as Medfem Fertility Clinic.
For example, one of the major break throughs in treatment of male infertility is Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). Because of its rate of fertilisation of around 70% and because only a few normal sperm are needed, this treatment gives even men who were previously considered completely sterile an excellent chance to have their own child.
Briefly detailed below are some of the treatments we proudly offer at Medfem Fertility Clinic.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is used in the case of poor semen characteristics and allows sperm to be directly injected into the egg. These techniques have proven a revolution in the treatment of men with very severe infertility. Now, surgical sperm retrieval of just a few sperm cells from the testes and the technique of ICSI make fatherhood possible for the most challenging of cases. To date, tens of thousands of children have been born around the world as the result of ICSI.
Where motile sperm is being produced, Surgical Sperm Retrieval makes it possible to retrieve the sperm surgically. Alternatively, a sample of tissue (testicular biopsy) can be taken from the testes. Sperm Aspiration are further procedures to extract sperm tissue.
Hormonal therapy restores testosterone production to normal amounts while varicocele repair of a dilation of the veins in the scrotum, which may interfere with the testicle’s production of sperm, can result in a significant improvement in sperm production within months. A vasectomy reversal or vasovasostomy repairs a surgically removed section of the sperm duct.
Artificial Insemination (AI) / Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) is the technique of placing sperm from a male partner or donor directly into the female partner’s uterus and is used in case of a mild sperm abnormality or anti-sperm antibodies.
Sperm donation is also an option, and Medfem Fertility Clinic founded its own sperm bank in 1990 for decent, committed men who give up their time, without getting paid, to help others to conceive.
Sperm freezing and storing semen samples to use in the future are available to men facing a situation that could interfere with their future fertility, such as radiation or chemotherapy, pelvic or testicular surgery, a vasectomy and certain illnesses, diseases or injuries.
Pinpointing Male Fertility Problems
Determining the exact cause of your male fertility challenge from the wide range of possible causes is absolutely crucial for the right treatment to be identified.
Fortunately, at Medfem Fertility Clinic you will find the full range of advanced male fertility tests to pinpoint the exact cause of your infertility challenge.
A semen analysis is usually one of the first tests done to help determine the cause of a man’s infertility problems, since most male infertility challenges are caused by sperm disorders. A semen analysis determines both the quantity and quality of male sperm by measuring the amount of semen produced and determining the number and quality of sperm in the semen sample.
Another method of testing sperm is an ultrasound examination of the testes and prostate can be a useful diagnostic test. A testicular biopsy involves the removal of a small sample of the tissue from a testicle for direct inspection of the sperm-making tissue.
How to choose the right male fertility clinic
When it comes to your sperm and your future family, you want the right fertility clinic with leading experts and advanced technology on your team.
Here is a handy checklist to help you make an informed choice about the right clinic for your particular needs.
Accreditation – Choose a fertility clinic that is accredited by the Southern African Society for Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecological Endoscopy (SASREG), such as Medfem Fertility Clinic.
Expertise – Choose a clinic with a team of experts in the field – from accredited and extensively experienced reproduction specialist doctors and embryologists; and trained, qualified theatre staff, nurse practitioners and clinical psychologists; to specialist pharmacists and friendly administration staff.
Also ensure your fertility specialist is qualified and registered, has extensive experience and an encouraging success rate, and is up-to-date with the latest fertility advances and research.
Our team at Medfem Fertility Clinic has more than 100 years of collective experience diagnosing and treating infertility and are nationally and internationally recognised as pioneers and innovators in the field of infertility treatment.
Facilities – Choose a fertility clinic that is purpose-built and equipped with state-of-the-art technology that facilitates cutting-edge medical treatments and a dedicated fertility pharmacy in one convenient location.
Treatments – Choose a fertility clinic offers comprehensive male fertility testing and the full spectrum of male fertility treatments, such as Medfem Fertility Clinic.
Results – The higher the success rate of the clinic you choose, the better your chances of treatment success. The pregnancy rates achieved by the fertility specialists at Medfem Fertility Clinic are among the highest in the nation. The team at Medfem Fertility Clinic is very proud of our high rate of pregnancies and live births per transfer, and to have assisted in over 16,000 successful pregnancies!
Your next step
If you are concerned about your fertility, we invite you to meet one of our fertility specialists at Medfem Fertility Clinic, simply by clicking here or contacting us telephonically on +27 (11) 463 2244 to book an initial consultation.
We believe in helping you reach your dream of a family through:
* World-Class Fertility for Everyone
* A Positive Fertility Journey
* Delivered With Empathy & Caring
At Medfem Fertility Clinic, it is our joy and commitment to give you a positive outcome to your fertility journey.
We look forward to meeting you!