Infertile men can be caused by urogenital tract infection

Women are often an easy target behind the reason why it is difficult for most married couples to have children. In fact, as many as 30 percent of cases are caused by infertile men. There are many factors that can cause a man to be infertile. One study published in Science Daily states that 6-10 percent of male fertility problems are caused by urinary tract infections.

Unfortunately, there are still many men who don't know what the symptoms are, so this problem is often ignored.

Urinary tract infections in men are actually rare, but …

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection that attacks the lower urinary tract, including the bladder (urine bag) and urethra (opening of the channel). Usually, these bacteria will be flushed out when you urinate. However, if anything remains, this can lead to infection.

Common symptoms of urinary tract infection in men include pain with each urination and an increased frequency of urinating back and forth. The urine may be darker in color, have a bad smell, or may have blood in it. You may also experience fever and lower abdominal pain.

UTIs are rare in adult men under 50 years of age, but the risk can continue to increase thereafter.

How can urinary tract infections make a man infertile?

As many as 15 percent of cases of infertile men are caused by inflammation of the urinary tract due to infection. Although UTI is not a sexually transmitted disease, several types of bacteria that cause UTI in men can be spread through sexual contact. The bacteria include chlamydia trachomatis (bacteria that cause chlamydia) or E. coli.

UTI-causing bacteria can crawl up from the urethra or bladder to the sex organs such as the testes, prostate and epididymis by riding the bloodstream. These three sex organs play an important role in the production of semen and sperm, along with their distribution in the form of ejaculation. The prostate functions to produce semen, which then flows into the epididymis which becomes a "storehouse" for sperm production, and ends up in the testes as a temporary storage place for semen that is already filled with sperm. Sperm cells are very sensitive to infection, both from bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi.

This bacterial infection can cause the prostate to become inflamed and swollen, a condition known as prostatitis. Inflammation can cause scarring of the prostate duct leading to the epididymis. This results in a small volume of semen and a small number of sperm cells. At least 10 percent of men who have prostatitis, even their semen may not contain sperm cells at all (watery sperm). In case of infection C. trachomatis,Not only does it interfere with the production of semen and sperm cells, it also causes DNA damage to existing sperm. Damage to sperm DNA can affect the maturation process of sperm, including their number, shape and motion.

When we talk about sperm health, there are three important factors to consider, namely the sperm count, the shape (morphology) of the sperm, and the movement (motility) of the sperm. If there is only one, or even more, sperm abnormalities from these three factors, then the risk of a man for fertility problems or infertility can increase.

Plus, at least 60 percent of men experience testicular size reduction (testicular atrophy). A shrunken testicle is the most dreaded complication of acute epipidymitis and is at high risk of causing male infertility.

Can urinary tract infection be cured?

Most cases of urinary tract infections can easily be treated with prescription antibiotics. Patients usually take antibiotics for 3-10 days. Painkillers such as acetaminophen (paracetamol) or ibuprofen can also be used to relieve pain, but consult your doctor before combining your prescription antibiotics with over-the-counter drugs.

While in medicinal therapy, drink plenty of water to help excrete urine. You can also drink real fruit juice and vitamin C supplements to increase the acidity of the urine which will greatly assist the healing process. In addition, keep the penis clean to avoid germs that move to the urethra.

If fertility problems have already occurred, dr. Laurence A. Jacobs in his personal blog mentions that there are two ways that can be done to maintain offspring, one of which is by a special IVF process for infertile men called Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) or through artificial insemination.