General Information About Oligospermia
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is the condition where the number of motile and viable sperm cells in the fluid (semen) expelled during male sexual ejaculation is below the normal values required to achieve pregnancy naturally.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, a healthy male should have at least 15 million sperm in 1 milliliter of semen, and at least 39 million sperm in the total ejaculate. Figures below these are considered oligospermia.
No. Oligospermia (low sperm count) does not mean there is no sperm at all (azoospermia). It merely indicates that the probability and speed of fertilizing an egg naturally are low; the individual can still father a child.
The enlargement of veins that increases testicular temperature (Varicocele) is the most common cause. A history of undescended testicles, infections (orchitis), testosterone hormone deficiencies, overly hot baths, smoking/alcohol use, and genetic defects can suppress sperm production.
Definitive diagnosis is made following an examination by a urologist through a 'Spermiogram (Semen Analysis)', a laboratory evaluation of a semen sample collected after 3-5 days of sexual abstinence (no ejaculation).
If varicocele is the cause of low sperm count, the veins are ligated using microsurgical techniques (Varicocelectomy), and the sperm count increases within months. Medication is prescribed if there is a hormone deficiency. If the count cannot be naturally increased sufficiently for pregnancy, conception is achieved through Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) or In Vitro Fertilization (IVF/ICSI) methods.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
