Causes of male infertility

Infertility Specialist David Tourgeman, MD, explains what the common causes of male infertility are and how they are best treated
Causes of Infertility in Men - Expert Fertility Advice
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Causes of male infertility

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It turns out that male infertility accounts for approximately a third of all infertility cases. And it turns out also that semen analysis is not a very good test. But when we do find one that is abnormal, there are various reasons for why there may be infertility problems involving the male. And they may include anatomic. For example, there may be an obstruction for the sperm going from the testicle to the outside world. There may be dilated blood vessels, as we call them vericasyls, that heat the testicle and have ill effects on the ability of the sperm to swim. There may also be hormonal issues. For example, testosterone is not being produced sufficiently and so they may be an ill impact on the ability of the testicle to produce enough sperm simply because it is not functioning well hormonally. There are also environmental issues such as tobacco smoking, marijuana, hot showers that may also play factors in diminishing some of the parameters in a sperm analysis. Typically those do not cause irreversible function loss within the testicle. But there are some environmental things. For example, steroid injections which men may use to enhance muscle mass that will adversely affect testicular function and semen analysis parameters. The semen analysis parameters that we look at include volume, concentration of sperm, motility or the fraction that are moving, and the morphology or the shape of the sperm. And as it turns out, the morphology or the shape is the most important parameter to understanding the sperm´s ability to penetrate the egg in the process of fertilization.
PREGNANCY, Fertility, Infertility

Infertility Specialist David Tourgeman, MD, explains what the common causes of male infertility are and how they are best treated

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Expert Bio

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David Tourgeman, MD

Infertility Specialist

Education
 - Undergraduate: University of California, Santa Barbara.
 Medical School: University of Southern California.
 Residency: Obstetrics and Gynecology 
University of Southern California, Los Angeles County Women’s & Children’s Hospital. 
Fellowship: Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility University of Southern California, Los Angeles County Women’s & Children’s Hospital.

Board Certification 
- Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
 Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Academic Appointments
 - Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
 University of Southern California School of Medicine.

Hospital Affiliations 
- Huntington Memorial Hospital 
St. John’s Health Center.

Awards
 - Wyeth-Ayest Award of the Pacific coast Reproductive Society, April 1999. 
Serono In-Training Award for the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society, April 2000
. Ortho- Mcneil Poster Award Obstetrical and Gynecological Assembly of Southern California, February 2011.
 Serono In-Training Award for the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society, April 2001. 
Fellow Award, co-author Pacific Coast Reproductive Society, April 2001.

Professional Organizations - 
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. 
Pacific Coast Reproductive Society
 Society of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

Areas of Research and Publication
 - Assisted reproductive technologies and oocyte donation in women of advanced
 reproductive age. 
Advanced reproductive fertility surgery. 
Alternatives for enhancing embryo implantation
. Evaluation of ovulation induction agents. 
Vaginal hormone administration.

Languages Spoken
 - English, 
French, &
 Spanish.

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