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Meet Our Fertility Specialists

Diagnosing Male Infertility

When diagnosing male infertility, Dr. Hudson employs a three-tiered approach.

First, Dr. Hudson will review and discuss your medical history, and then order a semen analysis and possibly blood work. If a physical exam is warranted, Dr. Hudson will refer you to a fertility urologist to help with diagnosing male infertility. . The following are the most common causes of male infertility that Dr. Hudson investigates through a medical history review. 

They will ask if you have now or experienced in the past:

  • Inherited genetic disease, including cystic fibrosis and Klinefelter’s
  • Celiac disease
  • Cancer treatment
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Premature ejaculation
  • Retrograde ejaculation
  • Surgeries involving the spine or male reproductive system
  • Varicocele
  • Sexually transmitted disease
  • Diabetes
  • Mumps
  • Undescended testicles
  • Testicular damage
  • Vasectomy reversal

Lifestyle factors that may cause male infertility

In addition to the male infertility causes listed above, Dr. Hudson will explain the correlation between certain lifestyle factors and difficulty conceiving. For example, if your work environment exposes you to high heat or dangerous chemicals (pesticides, painting materials, etc.), heavy metals or toxins such as radiation or X-rays, you might need to amend your job responsibilities while trying to get pregnant. In addition, overheating the testicles damages sperm and can occur as a result of prolonged use of laptop computers, saunas or hot tubs.

Did you know that 50 percent of all infertility cases involve male infertility factors?

Dr. Hudson will make recommendations for optimizing your fertility by eliminating or moderating the following habits:

  • Cigarette smoking
  • Excessive alcohol intake
  • Extreme cycling
  • Drug use, including anabolic steroids/testosterone

Blood work to identify causes of male infertility

A small percentage of cases result from hormonal imbalances, so blood work can provide helpful information about disruptions in the hypothalamus-pituitary endocrine system that lead to male infertility.

Some causes of male infertility fall into the ‘unexplained’ category, even after exhaustive testing. Dr. Hudson offers comprehensive semen analysis and may refer cases to a urologist for further testing. The good news is, couples that seek treatment with an experienced fertility specialist will very likely get pregnant.

Find out more today – call Texas Fertility Center New Braunfels to schedule your personal consultation with Dr. Hudson.