Asthenozoospermia: Severe Cases Can Result in Infertility

Asthenozoospermia involves abnormalities in the quantity, motility, or morphology of semen, failing to meet normal reproductive standards. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), normal semen parameters include a sperm count of over 15 million per milliliter, a motility rate exceeding 40%, and a morphology rate above 4%. When these parameters are not met, asthenozoospermia may be diagnosed.

Several factors contribute to asthenozoospermia:

1. Abnormal Semen Liquefaction:

- High viscosity of semen can impede sperm motility, leading to infertility. In non-liquefied seminal plasma, elongated fibrous proteins interweave, reducing the space for sperm movement and thus restraining their motility.

2. Infections:

- Chronic and acute inflammations of the reproductive tract or glands, such as the epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, and prostate, can reduce sperm motility. Microorganisms, such as Chlamydia trachomatis, can directly affect sperm by increasing fluid dynamic resistance, slowing their movement, and impacting their vitality and ability to penetrate egg cells.

3. Immune Factors:

- Anti-sperm antibodies can affect fertilization by binding to the sperm tail, hindering motility and reducing the ability to penetrate egg cells. This can significantly decrease the sperm's capacity to penetrate cervical mucus.

4. Varicocele:

- Varicocele can lead to male infertility by affecting sperm production and reducing sperm vitality. The condition causes blood stasis in the varicose veins, leading to microcirculation disorders, a lack of nutrient supply, decreased oxygen tension, insufficient energy generation, and endocrine dysfunction.

5. Endocrine Factors:

- Endocrine hormones are crucial in sperm production, maturation, and motility. Hormonal imbalances can adversely affect these processes.

6. Chromosome Abnormalities:

- Genetic factors, including chromosomal and sex chromosome aberrations, can impact sperm count, viability, and forward motility. Structural abnormalities in the sperm tail due to genetic issues can impair motility.

7. Lifestyle Factors:

- Habits such as smoking, drinking, drug abuse, staying up late, and exposure to toxic substances or environments can negatively impact male reproductive health. Prolonged unhealthy lifestyle choices can lead to various sperm-related issues, including oligozoospermia, teratozoospermia, necrospermia, and even azoospermia.

Asthenozoospermia can affect fertility in several ways:

1. Conception Challenges:

- While asthenozoospermia can make conception difficult, it does not necessarily mean that affected men cannot father children. The severity of the condition varies, and many men with mild asthenozoospermia can still conceive successfully. However, pregnancies resulting from such conditions may carry certain risks, such as congenital deformities.

2. Impact on Eugenics:

- Eugenics involves combining the best possible sperm and egg. Asthenozoospermia can make achieving this goal challenging due to the reduced sperm quality.

3. Risk of Premature Birth or Miscarriage:

- Pregnancies involving men with asthenozoospermia may have a higher risk of premature birth or miscarriage, potentially due to insufficient sperm quality.

If asthenozoospermia is caused by conditions such as prostatitis or seminal vesiculitis, traditional Chinese medicine like Diuretic and Anti-inflammatory Pill can be used for treatment. Other treatment options include:

- Microsurgical Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (MESA):

- This procedure is used to treat obstructive azoospermia by retrieving sperm directly from the epididymis.

- Microsurgical Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE):

- This procedure is used for primary conditions by extracting sperm directly from the testicles.

- Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART):

- For severe oligoasthenozoospermia, ART can be an effective option to assist with conception.

Lifestyle and Dietary Adjustments

1. Diet:

- Consuming arginine-rich foods, such as soybeans, yams, ginkgo nuts, sea cucumbers, and pumpkins, can benefit sperm production. However, celery should be avoided.

2. Trace Elements:

- Zinc and vitamin E deficiencies can lead to oligospermia. Zinc impacts sperm count and viability, and its deficiency can cause atrophy of the vas deferens. Supplementing with zinc sulfate tablets and consuming zinc-rich foods like oysters can be beneficial. Vitamin E supplementation through foods like pearl powder can also help.

3. Lifestyle:

- Correcting bad habits such as smoking, drinking, and consuming stimulating foods is essential. Reducing excessive fatigue and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can improve overall reproductive health.