What causes retrograde ejaculation?

Retrograde ejaculation mainly refers to the patient ejaculating semen into the bladder instead of the normal forward ejaculation through the urethra. This problem can seriously cause infertility problems. The causes of retrograde ejaculation include some congenital factors, such as a congenitally wide bladder neck.

Congenital factors

Congenital wide bladder neck, congenital urethral valve or urethral diverticulum, congenital spina bifida. These congenital diseases make the bladder neck semi-restricted and the urethral membranous resistance increased, causing retrograde ejaculation.

The congenital factors of retrograde ejaculation mainly include congenital wide bladder neck, congenital spina bifida and congenital urethral valves or urethral diverticula. These congenital diseases may cause the bladder neck to be semi-restricted or the resistance of the urethral membranous part to increase, inducing retrograde ejaculation during sexual intercourse.

Iatrogenic factors

It mainly includes various bladder neck and prostate surgeries, thoracolumbar sympathectomy, extensive retroperitoneal lymph node dissection and other pelvic surgeries, which lead to nerve root resection or damage, incomplete closure of the bladder neck, and retrograde ejaculation. Iatrogenic factors refer to retrograde ejaculation caused by medical procedures. If the bladder neck or prostate surgery is performed improperly, it will lead to nerve root resection or damage, incomplete closure of the bladder neck, thereby inducing retrograde ejaculation. In addition, thoracolumbar sympathectomy or extensive retroperitoneal lymph node dissection and other pelvic surgeries will damage the nerves and cause sperm retrograde.

Mechanical factors

Traumatic and inflammatory urethral strictures increase urethral resistance, resulting in semen obstruction during ejaculation. Traumatic pelvic fractures can often cause posterior urethral injury and stricture. At the same time, the fracture fragments can damage the structure of the bladder neck, resulting in poor bladder neck closure function.

Disease factors

Diabetes may be complicated by retrograde ejaculation. Spinal cord injury, bladder stones, cystitis, urethritis, etc. may cause patients to lose the ability to ejaculate or cause retrograde ejaculation, and the incidence rate is relatively high.