Asthenozoospermia - causes, symptoms, treatment, consequences and likelihood of conception

If a couple does not manage to conceive a child for a long time, they should consult a doctor and undergo a full medical examination for both spouses.Often the problem can be associated with asthenozoospermia.With this diagnosis, more than 40% of cases of male infertility are associated.

The disease is characterized by a decrease in the activity of spermatozoa in the ejaculate.

Contents: Classification by severity asthenozoospermia asthenozoospermia Causes Symptoms and consequences Diagnosis asthenozoospermia

pathology classification asthenozoospermia severity

WHO classifies sperm cells according to their mobility:

1. Class A. ActiveSpermatozoa moving rectilinearly.With astenozoospermia, their amount is not more than 20%.
2. Class B. Weak sperm, at a rate well below normal.They move rectilinearly.The number in pathology is not more than 30%.
3. Class C. Mobile spermatozoa that perform pendulum-like movements.The amount in the ejaculate with pathology is not less than 50%.
4. Class D. Total absence of motility of spermatozoa.Usually they contain less than 10%.

In turn, asthenozoospermia is classified based on the number of spermatozoa of different classes. To date, there are three degrees of severity of the pathology:

1. 1 degree of asthenozoospermia. The ejaculate contains slightly less than 40% of spermatozoa of class A and B.
2. 2 degree of asthenozoospermia. The mobility of spermatozoa of Class A and B in seminal fluid is not more than 25%.
3. 3 degree of asthenozoospermia. The content of spermatozoa of class C and D is more than 70%.

Attention! The probability of fertilization of an egg by a natural way is preserved at any stage of the pathology.The only thing with which it is necessary to reconcile the couple that conception can not come as fast as one would like.

Causes of asthenozoospermia

Today, medicine can not give an accurate and unambiguous list of the causes that lead to asthenozoospermia.

It is believed that pathology can develop due to the following factors:

• prolonged exposure to stress;
• genetic mutation, or complications after trauma, which led to a change or displacement of the flagellum of the sperm, cervix or head;
• the presence of bacterial agents in the semen that reduce the motility of spermatozoa;
• smoking and drinking alcohol;
• overheating or hypothermia of the body;
• inflammation of the genital organs and venereal diseases;
• irregular sexual activity;
• physical inactivity;
• sperm acidification;
• decreased immunity.

Important! The causes of the disease are not limited to this list.Increasingly, cases of antisperm immunity are registered, which changes the trajectory of sperm movement.

Symptoms and consequences of asthenozoospermia

The disease has no significant symptoms, so the patient does not suspect the disease, up to carrying out laboratory tests of sperm.

If the treatment is not timely started, the sperm state may worsen with time.In rare cases, azoospermia can develop, in which active spermatozoa are completely absent, leading to infertility.

Diagnosis of pathology

Diagnosis is based on the results of such studies:

• spermogram;
• ultrasound;
• study of the permeability of the vas deferens;
• genetic research;
• dopplerography of the scrotum;
• analyzes for the detection of infectious diseases;
• definition of the type of secretion of the prostate.

Normal indices of the spermatogram

At one ejaculation should be allocated not less than 2 ml of sperm.In each milliliter should be present at least 15 million spermatozoa.At the same time, half of them should have normal activity.

Treatment of astenozoospermia

Complete recovery of pathology occurs in 90% of cases of .Recovery of sperm quality depends on the individual characteristics of the organism.

Treatment may include the following methods:

• stimulation of spermatogenesis;
• reception of a complex of vitamins, microelements and immune preparations;
• hormonal and antibacterial therapy;
• prostate massage and physiotherapy;
• Traditional medicine;
• surgical intervention.

It must be remembered that the lifestyle of a man directly affects the quality of sperm.Sometimes enough to give up bad habits, exercise regularly, regulate the regime of the day and diet.Eat foods rich in vitamins and micronutrients.

Attention! If the cause of the pathology is a genetic mutation, then the treatment will not give the desired result.In this case, the couple need to resort to the IVF procedure for conception.

Let's consider some methods of treatment in more detail.

Medication therapy

In the second and third degree, a treatment is prescribed that includes:

• antibiotics, as well as antiseptic and anti-inflammatory drugs;
• reception of mineral complexes, multivitamins and immunomodulators.Assign L-carnitine, Folic acid, Immunomax, Selzinc, Androdosis and Spermaplant;
• reception of hormonal preparations;
• reception of means for stimulation of a spermatogenesis.

Physiotherapeutic therapy

In some cases, laser, micro-current and ozone therapy, or prostate massage, can be prescribed.

Treatment with folk remedies

For mild or moderate asthenozoospermia, use decoctions based on sage, ginseng and plantain.Broths not only have a positive effect on the entire body, but also remove the negative effects of taking medications.

Important! Traditional medicine can not be the only method for treatment.It is used only as a parallel or background therapy.

Surgical intervention

Treatment is surgically used only with varicose veins of the seed rope( varicocele).

Probability of pregnancy in astenozoospermia

The possibility of becoming pregnant depends on the degree of pathology.Determine it and identify abnormalities will help to analyze the spermogram. Conception is possible even with a small number of active and mature spermatozoa. Fertilization is impossible only in particularly severe cases.

Radevich Igor Tadeushevich, a doctor and sexologist andrologist of the Center for Family Planning