gynecology and obstetrics
Sperm Disorders
Etiology of Sperm Disorders
Spermatogenesis can be impaired (see table Causes of Impaired Spermatogenesis ) by the following, resulting in an inadequate quantity or defective quality of sperm: Heat Disorders (endocrine, genetic, genitourinary) Drugs (eg, anabolic steroids) Toxins Sperm emission may be impaired because of retrograde ejaculation into the bladder. Retrograde ejaculation is often due to Diabetes Mellitus (DM) None Neurologic dysfunction Retroperitoneal dissection (eg, for Hodgkin Lymphoma ) Transurethral resection of the prostate Sperm emission can also be impaired by Obstruction of the vas deferens or ejaculatory ducts Congenital absence of both vasa deferentia or epididymides, often in men with mutations of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene Absence of both seminal vesicles Almost all men with symptomatic Cystic Fibrosis have congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens, but the vasa deferentia may also be absent in men with mutations of Erectile Dysfunction can result in infertility. Men with microdeletions affecting the Y chromosome, particularly in the AZFc (azoospermia factor c) region, can develop oligozoospermia via various mechanisms, depending on the specific deletion. Another rare mechanism of infertility is destruction or inactivation of sperm by sperm antibodies, which are usually produced by the man. 