What causes low sperm count?

Under normal circumstances, a man's sperm count is very large. The number of sperm a man ejaculates each time is so large that it is unimaginable. However, due to various reasons, such as some men's diseases, a man's sperm count can become very small. If a man's sperm count drops to a certain number, it may lead to male infertility. In addition, the following are other reasons for low sperm count in men.

What causes low sperm count?

Oligospermia refers to a condition in which the number of sperm in the semen of fertile men is lower than normal. The International Health Organization stipulates that the number of sperm in a man should not be less than 20 million per milliliter. If it is less than 20 million, it is considered oligospermia, which will have a great impact on fertility.

The common cause of oligospermia is poor sperm production in the testicles, resulting in a low number of sperm. Such people have small testicles and feel soft. Some oligospermia patients have normal testicles and can produce enough sperm, but the sperm transport channels are not completely smooth and cannot be fully discharged, thus causing oligospermia. A small number of young people have excessive sexual intercourse. They mistakenly believe that increasing the frequency of sexual intercourse will increase the chances of fertility, but contrary to their wishes, they develop oligospermia.

There are two main reasons for low sperm count: systemic factors and local factors. Systemic factors include pituitary dysfunction, hypothyroidism, severe diabetes, spinal cord injury, excessive smoking and drinking habits, radiation damage, tuberculosis, drug effects, occupational environment (high temperature work, contact with toxic substances such as lead and phosphorus, etc.). Local factors are lesions of the testicles themselves, such as testicular dysplasia, cryptorchidism, testicular tuberculosis, mumps complicated with orchitis, prostatitis, and varicocele. Frequent sexual intercourse can also cause a decrease in sperm count.

A sperm concentration less than 20×106/ml in multiple tests is called oligospermia, which is one of the most common causes of male infertility.

The key is to find the cause of oligospermia and take appropriate treatment measures. Generally, varicocele, immune factors, reproductive tract infection and endocrine disorders can be treated.