Why some men are infertile

Male infertility cases are on the rise in the UAE, thanks to modern day ills such as obesity, diabetes, smoking and stress.

According to doctors, men account for four in 10 infertility cases.

The problem in the UAE reflects the global trend, but doctors have identified obesity, diabetes and smoking to be the main culprits.

Infertility experts point to the rising number of men undergoing fertility treatment. "At present, around 40 per cent of the infertility cases that we have dealt with are related to male problems. This is much more than what we used to see in previous years," said Dr Sarita Kapoor, Consultant Gynaecologist and Infertility Expert, Getwell Clinic.

She said there is a "nearly equal" ratio of male and female infertility, a significant change from the past. "In recent times, there has been an increase in men with low sperm count and poor fertilisation capabilities."

Modern lifestyle

She said factors like muscle-building hormones, excessive use of sauna, anti-depressants, stress and other "modern lifestyle habits" affect male fecundity.

While factors like obesity affect women as well, they affect men to a greater extent, said Dr Mohammad Al Kalyoubi, Consultant Gynaecologist and Infertility Expert with the Dubai Gynaecology and Fertility Centre, the only authorised clinic in Dubai to perform in-vitro fertilisation (IVF).

Men more susceptible

"Studies show that male infertility is increasing at a faster rate than female infertility. This proves that men are more susceptible to environmental factors like stress, obesity, etc," said Dr Al Kalyoubi.

He said infertility is defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy after one year of unprotected intercourse.

"An increase in male infertility is a strong signal that this is not solely a woman's problem as commonly perceived."

He said a study in France showed that every 10 years, an additional two per cent of men will have infertility problems, which is "alarming".

A major factor often underestimated is the impact of smoking on male fecundity.

"When a man smokes, it affects the DNA structure of the sperm itself. In a rapidly dividing cell like the sperm, the DNA corrupts easily."

He said even though a semen analysis may show the results to be normal, it can result in lower chances of pregnancy even if the wife is a non-smoker.

Moreover, it can increase the chances of miscarriage, pre-term labour and, in rare cases, even cause sudden infant death.

This bolsters the fact that infertility is not just a woman's problem, he added.

"We are talking about the impact of passive smoking and direct smoking on the DNA structures of the sperm and chromosomes." He said the effects of smoking do not clear from a smoker's body for almost two years.

"People in the UAE must understand that just because shisha passes through water, it does not mean that it's less harmful. It still contains toxins that affect the sperm."

Dr Kapoor said: "The main problem with male infertility is that there are not many treatment options available like in the case of female infertility. Therefore, a balanced lifestyle is the key to achieve good fecundity."

At a glance

The number of couples with infertility problems at the Dubai Gynaecology and Fertility Centre in 2006 was 1,400, of which over 600 underwent assisted reproduction procedure. In 2007, the number shot up to 1,700 couples, of which 800 underwent assisted reproduction procedure

One in six couples in Britain requires fertility treatment, and in a third of those couples the problem is with the male

In 2002, over 122,000 ICSI cycles and nearly 113,000 IVF cycles were reported from 24 European countries

In 2001, female infertility in India accounted for 62 per cent of test tube babies. But, according to the National ART (Artificial Reproductive Techniques) Registry of India (NARI) survey, 56 per cent of the test tube babies born this year (nearly six out of 10) is due to male infertility.

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