Male Infertility A child of my own - Andrology Australia

APPENDICESINFECTIONSvesicles can also cause inflammatory cells to passinto the ejaculate, which may damage the sperm.Can surgery repair blockages?Some couples become pregnant naturally aftersurgery to remove blockages caused by infections.The success of surgery depends on the amount ofdamage and where the blockage is located in thereproductive tract. Blockages near the testes areparticularly hard to fix. Sperm antibodies are alsooften a problem for men with these blockages andmay also reduce the chance of natural pregnancy.[See section: ‘Appendices’ for more information on sperm antibodies]What are the risks with surgery?All surgery, particularly when a general anaesthetic isneeded, has some risks that need to be discussed withthe doctor. The risks with surgery to repair blockagesare small, however, sometimes bleeding and infectioncan happen at the site of the operation.Are there other ways to treat sperm blockages?IVF or other forms of assisted reproduction maybe done if men wish to have a family and do notwish to have surgery, or surgery was unsuccessful,to remove the blockage. A biopsy, or sample of thetestis, is taken to find sperm that can be used forIVF/ICSI procedures.[See section: ‘Having a Family’ for more information]MALE INFERTILITY 74