Treatment of male infertility focuses on the underlying cause. Without treatment, 15% to 20% of infertile couples will eventually get pregnant. Treatment for a male with infertility may include:
- Avoiding extended periods of time in hot baths and hot tubs
- Eating a healthy diet and exercising in moderation
- Having a varicocele surgically repaired
- Having vasectomy reversal surgery, which reconnects the tubes carrying sperm from the testes
- Learning about the best times to conceive
- Making lifestyle changes, such as smoking cessation and limiting intake of alcohol
- Taking hormone therapy
- Treating erectile dysfunction with counseling, medication, or surgery
- Wearing loose-fitting underwear, such as boxer shorts
If these treatments don't work, other means of fertilization may be considered, such as:
- Artificial insemination: This involves placing sperm directly in the cervix or uterus.
- Invitro fertilization: This involves fertilizing the egg outside the womb and then returning it to the uterus.
- Intracytoplasmic sperm injection: This involves placing individual sperm cells directly inside the woman's eggs during the process of invitro fertilization.