Male Infertility A child of my own - Andrology Australia

Chances of finding sperm are low for menwho have sperm production problems, such asgerm cell arrest or Sertoli cell-only syndrome.However, the chances are better for men withhypospermatogenesis.Many couples decide that a small chance offinding sperm in an open biopsy is not worth therisk and may want to use donor sperm instead.Others may wish to take every opportunity to havetheir own child.What are the risks with a testicular biopsy?A needle biopsy has an excellent safety record.Sometimes, infection and bleeding can happenand the testis can swell and be sore for several days,but these problems generally clear up easily. Lessthan one in 100 men has bleeding or infectionafter a biopsy.Discomfort is common for a few days after anopen biopsy procedure. Supportive underwearmay help.In some men, removal of larger biopsy samplesmay damage the testis and lower its ability tomake the male sex hormone, testosterone. Thismay lead to a life-long need for testosteronereplacement therapy.See AndrologyAustralia’s guide onAndrogen Defi ciencyfor more informationMALE INFERTILITY 51