Pregnancy Planning Still Has No Results? Watch for the Impact of Low Testosterone on Male Fertility

Today, pregnancy planning is not only an issue for women to consider. In reality, some couples try for a long time without becoming pregnant, while the focus of fertility evaluations is often placed primarily on the woman. In fact, male reproductive health can also affect conception. Sperm count, motility, morphology, and hormone levels may all play a role. Low testosterone is one of the male factors worth paying attention to.

Why Can Low Testosterone Affect Fertility?

Testosterone is an important male sex hormone. It is associated with sexual function, muscle and bone health, and also plays a role in sperm production.

Male sperm production is regulated by hormonal interactions among the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and testes. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) all participate in this process. Abnormal testosterone levels may be accompanied by reduced sperm count or impaired sperm production.

However, low testosterone does not directly mean male infertility. Male fertility can also be affected by age, varicocele, infections, genetic factors, lifestyle, and other endocrine problems. Therefore, when testosterone levels are found to be low, it is not enough to focus on a single hormone level.

What Can Cause Low Testosterone?

Male testosterone levels can be affected by various factors, including age, body weight, sleep, chronic diseases, and medications.

Obesity deserves particular attention. Higher levels of body fat may be associated with changes in hormone metabolism. Long-term lack of exercise, insufficient sleep, excessive alcohol consumption, and certain chronic diseases may also affect normal endocrine function.

In addition, some medications may affect testosterone levels. For example, long-term use of certain opioid medications may suppress gonadal function. If there is testicular injury or pituitary disease, the underlying cause also needs to be investigated further.

What Should Men Check First When Planning a Pregnancy?

If a couple has been trying to conceive regularly for an extended period without success, men can generally begin with a semen analysis.

Common indicators include semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility, and sperm morphology. When necessary, doctors may also evaluate testosterone, FSH, LH, and other hormone levels for further assessment.

Can Men With Low Testosterone Still Undergo IVF?

Low testosterone does not mean that IVF is impossible. The key issues are whether sperm can be obtained and whether the sperm quality is sufficient to complete fertilization.

For some men with low sperm counts or poor motility, assisted reproductive technology can improve the effective use of available sperm through laboratory techniques. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is one commonly used method, in which an embryologist selects a sperm and directly injects it into an egg to achieve fertilization.

If conditions such as azoospermia, severe oligoasthenospermia, or ejaculation disorders are present, doctors also need to determine the source of the sperm. Some men may obtain sperm through microsurgical sperm retrieval, testicular sperm retrieval, or epididymal sperm retrieval, followed by ICSI for fertilization.

The team founded by Dr. Nathan Zhang of IVF USA has been engaged in overseas assisted reproductive consultation services for more than ten years, providing services such as egg freezing in the United States, IVF in the United States, and third-party assisted reproduction for those in need. With nearly 20 years of experience in the overseas assisted reproduction field, IVF USA entered the Mexican market early in response to increasingly diverse and personalized reproductive needs and became the Chinese representative of Power Fertility Center, the Mexico POWER Fertility Center (POWER IVF). Dr. Nathan Zhang’s business has now expanded beyond the United States to include IVF and egg freezing in Mexico, IVF and egg freezing in Japan and Thailand, as well as services in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Please believe that with proper medical guidance and scientific treatment, you can achieve your fertility goals.