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Is Male Infertility More Common Than You Think? What Every Man Should Know Before Starting IVF
By Dr. Bhavana | IVF Specialist, Kompally, Hyderabad
The Question Nobody Asks the Husband
When a couple in Kompally walks into a fertility clinic after months — sometimes years — of trying to conceive, there is a pattern that plays out far too often. The wife undergoes blood tests, ultrasounds, hormone panels, and cycle monitoring. The husband sits in the waiting room. Nobody questions this arrangement. Infertility, in the popular imagination, has always been framed as a woman's problem.
But what if that assumption is costing couples valuable time, money, and emotional energy?
What if the answer — or at least half of it — is sitting in that waiting room chair?
Patriarchal norms continue to prevent men from seeking semen analysis, often leading to unnecessary and invasive testing for their wives. This is not a rare oversight — it is a widespread, systemic one. And for couples in Kompally and across North Hyderabad who are preparing for IVF, understanding the male side of the equation is not optional. It is essential.
The Answer: Male Infertility Is Not Rare — It Is Half the Problem
Here is the direct answer to the question in this blog's title: Yes, male infertility is far more common than most people realise.
Men now account for nearly 40–50% of infertility cases in India, often linked to declining sperm quality due to environmental toxins and stress. That is not a small footnote — that is nearly half of every couple's story.
An astonishing 27.5 million Indian men are now impacted, representing up to 50% of total cases of infertility, based on recent statistics.
Male factor infertility is present in around 40% of couples utilising assisted reproductive technology (ART) — procedures such as IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
This problem is often overshadowed by the more commonly discussed issue of female infertility, leaving many men to suffer in silence.
The most common male fertility issues that fertility specialists encounter include:
- Low sperm count (oligospermia): A sperm concentration below 15 million sperm per millilitre of semen is considered low and significantly reduces the likelihood of natural conception.
- Poor sperm motility (asthenospermia): If sperm cannot move efficiently, they may not reach and fertilise the egg. Factors such as excessive heat exposure, obesity, and poor lifestyle choices contribute to this.
- Azoospermia: This condition affects 1% of the male population and accounts for 20% of male infertility situations.
- Genetic factors: Certain genetic conditions, such as Klinefelter syndrome, can impact male fertility.
The causes are often modifiable. A recent study found strong associations between poor lifestyle choices and reduced sperm function — tobacco and alcohol use significantly lowered sperm count, motility, and shape, and alcohol also increased sperm DNA fragmentation, which could negatively affect embryo development.
The Solution: A Complete Couple Evaluation Before Your First IVF Cycle
At our IVF centre in Kompally, Dr. Bhavana follows a clear principle: no IVF protocol is designed around one partner alone. Before any treatment plan is drawn up for couples coming to us from Kompally and the surrounding areas of North Hyderabad, a full evaluation of both partners is completed simultaneously.
The male evaluation begins with the most informative and least invasive test available.
A semen analysis is a laboratory evaluation of a semen sample that measures the parameters most predictive of fertility — sperm concentration (count), motility (movement), morphology (shape), volume, and pH — and it is the most informative, least invasive, and most economical first step in any fertility workup.
The first step in testing for male infertility is a semen analysis — and regardless of whether you've previously fathered a child or feel otherwise healthy, a semen analysis is the only way to identify or rule out a problem with the male partner's sperm.
Where abnormalities are found, the treatment pathway at our Kompally clinic is customised to the specific diagnosis:
- Mild to moderate low sperm count — Lifestyle optimisation combined with IUI or conventional IVF
- Severe oligospermia or poor motility — ICSI, where a single healthy sperm is injected directly into the egg
- Azoospermia (no sperm in ejaculate) — Surgical sperm retrieval (TESA/TESE) combined with ICSI
ICSI allows successful fertilisation even with immature sperm obtained directly from testicular tissue, done through TESA (Testicular Sperm Aspiration) or TESE (Testicular Sperm Extraction).
The goal is always the same: to give every couple in Kompally the most accurate diagnosis so that the right treatment is chosen — not the most convenient one.
The Evidence: Science Backs Every Step
The research supporting a thorough male fertility evaluation before IVF is unambiguous.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has affirmed itself as a groundbreaking technique to treat severe male factor infertility that could not be effectively managed by conventional in vitro insemination, such as in cases of severe oligozoospermia, extremely poor sperm motility, or complete teratozoospermia.
ICSI has changed the perception of male infertility by demonstrating that low sperm concentration or poor motility does not necessarily equate to the inability to generate healthy conceptuses — achieving high success rates regardless of sperm characteristics, even enabling patients with azoospermia to father children using surgically retrieved spermatozoa.
Approximately 6 in 10 IVF procedures now take place using ICSI, and it is estimated that 50% to 80% of ICSI attempts result in successful fertilisation.
On a national level, the Indian IVF market is projected to double from $900 million in 2024 to $1.8 billion by 2029, reflecting increased seeking of medical aid. Within that growth, the recognition of male factor infertility as a primary driver is reshaping how clinics across India — including those serving Kompally — structure their treatment protocols.
Although an actual "cause" for male infertility is not always identifiable, success rates with treatment remain high even without a specific diagnosis.
Dr. Bhavana's approach is built on this evidence: treat both partners as equal participants in the fertility journey, evaluate thoroughly, and let the data guide the treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can a man with zero sperm count (azoospermia) still have a biological child through IVF?
Yes, in many cases. Even when there is no sperm whatsoever in the man's ejaculate (azoospermia), men with non-obstructive azoospermia caused by germinal failure can now be treated successfully in many cases using testicular sperm extraction (TESE) and ICSI. A fertility specialist in Kompally can assess whether sperm retrieval is a viable option before ruling out biological parenthood.
2. Does a man need to be tested before starting IVF, even if he seems healthy?
Absolutely yes. The first step in testing for male infertility is a semen analysis, and regardless of whether a man has previously fathered a child or feels otherwise healthy, a semen analysis is the only way to identify or rule out a problem with the male partner's sperm. Skipping this step risks designing an entire IVF protocol around an incomplete picture.
3. What lifestyle changes can a man in Kompally make to improve sperm quality before IVF?
Several modifiable factors make a measurable difference. Strong evidence shows that poor lifestyle choices are associated with reduced sperm function, and tobacco and alcohol use significantly lower sperm count, motility, and morphology. Additionally, excessive heat exposure and obesity are known contributors to poor sperm motility. Men preparing for IVF in Kompally are advised to quit smoking, reduce alcohol, maintain a healthy weight, and manage stress at least three months before the cycle begins.
4. What is the difference between IVF and ICSI for male infertility?
ICSI is the advanced, targeted solution for male factor infertility. In conventional IVF, thousands of sperm are placed near an egg and fertilisation happens naturally in the lab. In ICSI, a single sperm is injected directly into the egg, overcoming male factor infertility by enhancing the chance of fertilisation for sperm with limited fertilising capacity. ICSI is recommended when sperm count, motility, or morphology is significantly abnormal.
5. If we've been trying to conceive for over a year in Kompally, should both partners be tested at the same time?
Yes — testing both partners simultaneously saves time and prevents misdiagnosis. Both partners should be tested at the same time, and treatment shouldn't begin until a diagnosis is established. For couples in Kompally, initiating the male semen analysis at the same appointment as the female hormone panel means a complete picture is available sooner — and the right treatment can begin without unnecessary delay.
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Dr Bhavana
Kompally
Phone: 919703158186
Website: drbhavanaivf.com
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