Blog Archive
A very low sperm count used to mean a very low chance of having a child. Now with the use of IVF and ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection), pregnancy can be achieved with a high likelihood, even with just a small number of sperm. And, though less likely, natural conception is...
The American Society of Andrology is a medical educational organization dedicated to expanding knowledge in the field of male health. Research is discussed, and papers and posters, submitted by physician and non physician members are reviewed and a subset are selected for presentation. I had the good fortune to have...
Contraceptive options for women have expanded and keep expanding with methods of birth control including but not limited to intrauterine devices (IUDs), Oral contraceptives, diaphragm, tubal ligation, and implantable hormonal contraceptive medication. Methods for men have been and continue to be: abstinence, use of condoms and vasectomy; just those three. ...
A report from the April 2023 journal: Urology by Fantus et al (Urology department, Northwestern) reports on findings of semen analysis over time on patients with normal baseline FSH and sperm density compared to their cohorts with elevated FSH who also had normal sperm density and changes over time in...
Going back even to the Mcleod and Golds breakthrough study in the 1950s which initially set twenty million sperm per ML as the normal threshold for sperm counts, it was known that a large number of men can have normal sperm counts and yet be infertile. This concept of a...
I Understand We Want to Lower Costs, But I Think What’s Most Important Is to Do the Best For Our Patients: Maximize Chances of Success While Minimizing Complications and The Number of Procedures . A Critique of a Recent Article by Patel, Park, Reddy, fisher Mirabal and Lipshultz in the...
#1) Computer Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA) Semen analysis has remained the cornerstone diagnostic test for male fertility evaluation for over a hundred years. Typically, the test is performed by a technologist who assesses several characteristics of the specimen including volume, liquefication, pH, sperm density, motility and percent normal morphology. Of...
DNA is the material in all our cells that contain all of our genes. Genes enable cells to make proteins that are the foundation for our bodies to develop and function. In order to produce proteins and other products, DNA in most cells is partially unwound from “histones” and actively...
Low testosterone can occur for a variety of medical reasons including obesity, sleep apnea, prolactinoma and more. Some men can have borderline testosterone or slightly below normal levels; sometimes this will occur without any symptoms and other times symptoms will be present. Symptoms of low testosterone include: low sex drive,...
There has been a trend in the US to delay childbearing for the past several decades. Many people put off having children in the pursuit of an education and or a career. During the past few years, with the backdrop of COVID, many couples put attempts to conceive on hold...
Using information from the National Survey for Family Growth (NSFG) from 2002 to 2017 the authors performed univariate and multivariate analyses on demographic and health data. The National Center for Health Statistics has been conducting the NSFG every 3-7 years since 1973. Information is acquired through in person structured interviews....
An article by Lund et al in the Sept 24 issue of Andrology explores the relationship between perceived stress and Male fertility. 644 men were assessed with respect to “perceived stress” as measured by the 10 item version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) with a range of 0-40. (Higher...
In certain settings, the workup of male infertility may include a hormonal evaluation in order to determine if there is an abnormality of the HPG (Hypothalamic, Pituitary, Gonadal or testicular) axis. The basics of this axis are as follows: The Hypothalamus releases GnRH (Gonadatropin Releasing Hormone) which results in the...
A review by Halpern et all examined case logs of all urologists submitted to the American Board of Urology from 2004 to 2013. Findings reveal that of the 5316 urologists represented, a majority of vasectomies were performed by high volume surgeons accounting for about 50% or more of the total...
Azoospermia refers to the condition where there are no sperm in the ejaculate. This occurs in about one percent of the male population and up to ten percent of men undergoing fertility evaluation, depending on the practice. Azoospermia can be either obstructive (normal sperm production is present but there is...
Semen analysis is often performed as the first step in the initial evaluation of male fertility and its use dates back several hundred years. Currently, the most commonly evaluated semen parameters are semen volume, sperm density (Aka count), sperm motility and sperm shape (aka morphology). Abnormalities of count, motility and...
It is known that any systemic illness or anything harmful to total body health can negatively affect sperm production. Is there a mechanism that can explain why, with respect to obesity, it affects some men more than others? How does Obesity actually affect male fertility? A study by Dr....
In an article from the July 2021 Journal of Urology (206:97), Drs Zhang et al explore the relationship between diet and testosterone. Testosterone is a male sex hormone responsible for a number of functions in the human body including maintenance of muscle mass, sex drive, bone health as well as...
Oh, the times, they are a changing… Medical Marijuana is now legal in 38 states, Washington DC, and Guam. Of those, recreational “Maryjane” is also legal in 19 states, including New Jersey. Societal benefits that have been claimed include the elimination of a formerly low-level crime, and the generation of...
World vasectomy Day Conference on the Latest Techniques for Vasectomy. On Saturday June 18, I participated in the World Vasectomy Day webinar: “Update on Fascial Interposition: the Nuts and Bolts”. Vasectomy is a procedure that accomplishes a permanent form of Male Contraception. It is most commonly performed with the...
Controversy exists in most areas of life, work, sports and of course, medicine. In the very focused area of how best to manage men who have no sperm in the ejaculate, there is controversy about which approach is best. Options for men who have Non Obstructive Azoospermia (very low or...
National Outcomes of Vasectomy in Men without children: A recent Journal of Urology article by Drs Bobby Najari and Marc Goldstein explored the outcomes in terms of regret or second thoughts for Vasectomy in the setting of males who have not fathered children. There is prior literature that suggests a...
Urology is a surgical subspecialty field in and of its own right. It is the are of medicine focusing on the urinary system including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, prostate and urethra. It also focusses on the male genital system including scrotum, testes, epididymis, vas deferens, prostate, seminal vesicles and related...
The New World Health Organization Manual on Semen Analysis: Comments On the Review Sponsored by the American Society of Andrology and Implications for Current Assessment of Male Fertility Eric K. Seaman MD The World Health Organization recently released its latest version (sixth edition) of the Manual on Semen...
Everyone deserves a satisfying sex life. But if your sex life isn’t what it used to be, hormonal imbalance could be to blame. Testosterone is the primary male hormone, and it controls male sexual characteristics and reproduction. Testosterone levels vary throughout life and start to steadily decline as you get...
Fertility is your ability to naturally conceive a child with your partner. Most couples with average fertility will get pregnant within one year of trying, but up to 15% of couples struggle to get pregnant naturally. If you and your partner are having trouble getting pregnant, you might be wondering...
Obesity is a growing health crisis in the United States. In fact, almost 43% of all American adults are obese, and another 31% are overweight. Carrying extra weight can have serious health complications, including an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic health issues. But did you know...
Your kidneys are two small organs found on either side of your back. They’re part of your urinary system, and their job is to filter your blood and move waste products out of your body through urine. Most of the time, your kidneys effectively filter and eliminate waste products like...
Menopause is a transitional phase that every woman experiences in her 40s and 50s. It happens when the ovaries stop producing certain female hormones, and it triggers infamous symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings. Menopause is a well-known hormonal shift that affects women, but did you know that men...
Your veins transport blood from every corner of your body back toward your heart. Healthy veins usually aren’t that noticeable under your skin, but sometimes, a vein swells and becomes more visible. Swollen leg veins are called varicose veins, and they’re the most common type. However, swollen veins can develop...
Vasectomy is a sterilization procedure for men. It’s safe, quick, and effective — making it a popular option for men who don’t want to have children in the future. Hundreds of thousands of men choose vasectomies every year, but it’s normal to be nervous about it. How does the procedure...
Kidney stones are hard mineral deposits that form in your kidneys. They can be large or small, often causing severe pain as they move through your urinary system and out of your body. Kidney stones are common, affecting about one in 10 adults. Anyone can get them, but your risk...
A vasectomy is a surgical procedure that stops sperm from mixing with semen. About 500,000 vasectomies are performed each year in the United States, and the procedure is almost 100% effective at preventing pregnancy. Vasectomies are an option for men who don’t want to have children in the future. But...
Your prostate is a small gland that produces the fluid that transports sperm. Although it plays an important part in the male reproductive system, most men don’t spend much time contemplating their prostate health. But did you know that after skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common type of...
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone. It’s a chemical created in your testes, and it plays an important role in sexual function and other male characteristics. Your testosterone levels naturally fluctuate throughout life. But, low testosterone is a common medical condition affecting men in their 40s, 50s, and beyond...
Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer in men, ranking just behind skin cancer. It’s estimated that nearly 250,000 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021, but the good news is that survival rates are high when it’s detected early. Early stage prostate cancer...
Vasectomy is a common choice for men who don’t want to have children in the future. It’s a straightforward outpatient procedure that’s nearly 100% effective in preventing pregnancy. When you get a vasectomy, the doctor cuts the vas deferens tubes in your scrotum. The vas deferens carry sperm from the...
Up to 15% of couples have fertility problems. While fertility is largely seen as a women’s issue, the truth is that men contribute to infertility in over one-third of couples struggling to conceive. Having health issues that limit your fertility can be frustrating, saddening, and even angering. If you and...
Are you and your partner facing fertility problems? Maybe you fall into the nearly one third of infertile couples affected by male infertility. Or maybe, you had a vasectomy in the past and you’re considering vasectomy reversal. In order for pregnancy to occur, your ejaculate must contain sperm, which are...
Is your sex life satisfying? If you struggle to achieve and maintain firm erections, the answer might be no. Difficulty maintaining erections can be embarrassing, and it can severely affect your confidence and your relationship with your partner. But are your symptoms just an inevitable part of aging? Erectile dysfunction...
Nearly 500,000 men get vasectomies each year in the United States. Vasectomy is a simple, safe procedure that works by separating sperm from semen to significantly decrease your chances of fathering a child. In fact, vasectomies have an almost 100% efficacy rate in preventing pregnancy. During the procedure, the vas...
About 1 in 10 men and 1 in 20 women in the United States experience kidney stones at some point in their lives. Kidney stones are hardened deposits of minerals and salts, but they can vary widely in size, location, and even mineral makeup. No matter what type of kidney...
Testosterone is the primary hormone linked to male characteristics in the human body. Your testosterone level naturally declines as you get older, and it starts slowing early in adulthood -- around age 30. But if your testosterone levels get too low, you could start experiencing a range of unpleasant side...
One in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime, making it the most common type of cancer affecting men after skin cancer. The survival rate of local prostate cancer is high, with nearly 100% of men living five years or longer after their diagnosis. But prostate...
Up to 500,000 American men opt for vasectomy as a permanent form of birth control each year. It’s very effective at preventing pregnancy, but even the best laid plans can change. If you had a vasectomy in the past, but you want the ability to father a child in the...
Regularly struggling to achieve or maintain an erection firm enough for sex isn’t something you expected to deal with in life. But erectile dysfunction (ED) is a medical condition affecting up to 30 million American men, and it can impact your self-confidence and your relationship with your partner. Though ED...
One in 10 people will develop a kidney stone at some point in life. Kidney stones are hard deposits consisting of salt and other minerals that build up in your kidneys. They range in size, shape, and makeup, but as they move through your urinary tract, they’re almost always painful....
When a couple has trouble getting pregnant, it’s common to assume that the woman’s fertility is the reason. Many women regularly visit their OB/GYN and may be more likely to openly discuss concerns about infertility, but the truth is that it affects both men and women. Of all the couples...
Up to 15% of men experience a vein condition called varicocele. A varicocele is an enlarged vein in the scrotum, and while it’s generally harmless, it might be painful or make it difficult for you to father a child. If you notice swollen veins in your scrotum and you’re 1...
It can be hard to know when an issue requires medical attention. But, any time you start experiencing urinary symptoms or reproductive problems out of the ordinary, a urologist can help. These health care professionals have advanced training in conditions affecting your urinary tract and the male reproductive system. As...
Viagra® might be one of the most recognizable prescription drugs in today’s world. Nicknamed the little blue pill, Viagra was originally developed for chest pain but is now prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). Nearly half of men over the age of 40 have experienced ED. Common symptoms include the...
Dr. Eric Seaman conducted his presentation to an audience of international group of physcians, nurses, PhD's and other researchers in the field of Reproductive medicine at the annual Translational Reproductive Biology and Clinical Reproductive Endocrinology Conference. Dr. Eric Seaman presented his poster entitled: "Cap Score Utility in the Treatment or Varicocele" What is...
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is something most men would rather not talk about. It can create self-doubt and reduce intimacy in your relationships. It may also be a symptom that something has gone awry with your overall health. Occasional episodes of ED are common and most often related to stress, a...
Advances in medical technology and technique continue to improve the odds for couples struggling with infertility. Board-certified urologist Eric K. Seaman, MD is a male fertility specialist who is well-known for his compassion and medical skills. Sperm extraction is one of the treatments he may recommend that can help couples...
September is recognized as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month for good reason. Second only to skin cancer, prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men in the US. Research estimates that 1 in every 9 men is diagnosed with prostate cancer annually. However, recent achievements in medical...
Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer diagnosed in American men, with nearly 175,000 new cases diagnosed each year. But having a prostate cancer diagnosis doesn’t always mean that you need medical intervention. As one of the leading experts in male reproductive health and microsurgery, Eric...
A varicocele is an enlarged vein — similar to the varicose vein in your leg — that develops in your scrotum. Your scrotum is the loose bag of skin that holds your testicles. These oval-shaped organs make and store sperm and produce the male hormone testosterone. When you have varicoceles,...
If you want to start a family, but are facing an infertility issue, whether due to a vasectomy or another medical issue, there are many ways we can bypass normal channels and extract sperm closer to the source. At the Center for Vasectomy and Vasectomy Reversal, a part of New...
If you and your partner are excited about building a family together, but try as you might, you’re unable to succeed, fertility problems may be to blame. And there’s a good chance that the problem may be on your end — one-third of infertility issues stem from women, one third...
Even though March is National Kidney Health Awareness month, we’re always glad to take time to observe that here at Dr. Eric Seaman’s urology practice in Millburn, New Jersey. Our attention is focused on your kidney health year-round. Kidney stones are hard mineral deposits that form inside your kidneys and...
When it comes to preventing pregnancy, a vasectomy is almost as effective as abstinence. After you’ve had a vasectomy, but you later decide that you want to father children, can you undo the procedure? The answer is probably yes. The success rate of a vasectomy reversal depends on many factors,...
Low testosterone, also called hypogonadism and low-T, affects all men as they get older because their hormone production naturally declines over the years. But that’s not the only cause of a testosterone deficiency. Hypogonadism develops for numerous reasons, from problems with your pituitary gland or testicles, to inflammatory conditions, medications,...
Vasectomy is intended to be a permanent method of birth control. It is an office based or sometimes an outpatient minor surgical procedure. It generally only requires fifteen to thirty minutes to accomplished and is most commonly performed on men who have decided that they no longer desire to have...
Answer: Controlling the size of your family. And a relatively simple, minimally invasive method to accomplish this is a Vasectomy. Vasectomy is considered a permanent method of birth control. Although there may be several reasons why a man might consider a vasectomy, the most common setting occurs after a man...
It has been stated that fifteen percent of couples have difficulty conceiving and half of them involve a male factor. Male factor infertility is generally brought to light when abnormalities are found on semen analysis, typically an abnormality in sperm density (count), motility (how well the sperm move) or morphology...
What is a varicocele? A varicocele occurs when veins in the spermatic cord (the structure containing neurovascular supply to the testicle) become tortuous and dilated, similar to what happens with varicose veins in the leg. In fact a scrotal varicocele is simply a varicose enlargement of the veins around the...
Myth 1) Smoking only affects a woman’s fertility: Not true: Multiple publications exist showing a detriment to sperm motility, and morphology (shape) associated with smoking. Other more subtle effects such as sperm agglutination (sticking together) or the presence of leukocytospermia (white blood cells in the semen) have been associated with...
Recent studies appear to show a higher prevalence of male infertility in those with morbid obesity. Obesity defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40. As the obesity epidemic continues, the US may be seeing more couples present with fertility issues. BMI is a ratio of weight over...
Not too Hot, Not too Cold, But just Right. Temperature, Heat Radiation and Clothing are all considerations when it comes to thinking about Male Fertility Health. It seems Temperature is in the news. Fears of global warming, the advantages of retiring to a warmer climate, cold hands warm heart…. When...
Azoospermia means no sperm in the ejaculate. The news of azoospermia can be devastating to men who have this finding. Very often, there is no clue, no suspicion that this is the reason for failure to conceive until a semen analysis reveals the unexpected result. In other cases, men may...
Male Infertility Studies and Statistics Depending on the report or study, statistics show anywhere from twenty-five to seventy five percent of cases of male infertility cannot be adequately diagnosed or treated. Traditional evaluation including semen analysis, hormonal and or genetic testing and male genital imaging may result in an incomplete...
Just because it’s natural, doesn’t mean it’s good for you or even harmless: African Bush Mango in high doses can harm male fertility as well as liver function. Seed extracts of African Bush Mango, also know as Irvingia Gabonensis, have been used as an aid in blood sugar control and...
Phthalates: An Environmental Toxin That Can Impact Male Fertility. The debate between the influence of the environment versus genetics has been used to explain what happens to us, to our health and to our fertility. Supplements are a multibillion dollar industry, fueled by our desire to optimize what we put...
Every day more information and knowledge is discovered with respect to the basic science of fertility. The foundation of the study of fertility begins with how a sperm fertilizes an egg. Sperm undergo a variety of changes as they make their way from the ejaculate to the egg including hyperactivation,...
Hypogonadism or below normal testosterone is a well recognized entity affecting a significant number of men. Symptoms can include low desire for sex or libido as well as low energy. Of course those symptoms can be ascribed to other conditions as well including, but not limited to depression or hypothyroidism;...
In the modern era, there are a host of avenues couples can pursue to initiate a pregnancy. New technologies enable conception even in the setting of very few sperm and or eggs. The most severe setting for male infertility occurs when no sperm at all is present in the ejaculate,...
Over the past decade or so, we’ve been living through a topsy turvy economy. 2008 was witness to our second largest stock market crash and recession. Overnight, for many, a sense of security transformed into a sense of despair. Discretionary spending is usually curtailed in times of financial crisis;...
Couples trying to conceive can face a number of challenges and pressures. They may face social pressures brought on by well intended friends and family. They can face their own internal pressures if they feel that they are not achieving their goals in a timely fashion. Problems related to intimacy...
A recent report from the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Mucci et al states there might be a very small increase in risk over all and a larger increased risk for advanced or lethal prostate cancer. The study from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA, examined the correlation...
Summer time is here. Time for healthy activities like swimming, tennis, bicycle rides……. Or is it? A recent study from the UK published in the Journal of Men’s Health states that cycling is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Apparently the popularity of cycling is increasing in Great...
It seems like more and more attention is being given to testosterone therapy and testosterone replacement. It has been commonly acknowledged that men’s testosterone levels drop as they age and many men will need help. Commercials for testosterone products such as testosterone gels abound on TV. However some use of...
Dr. Eric Seaman has focused his New Jersey Urology practice on Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery since 1996. As part of his focus, he has received special training on vasectomy reversal and specializes in complex microsurgical procedures for male fertility. Dr. Seaman has privileges at Saint Barnabas, Newark Beth Israel,...
A common referral for a urologist, especially for those with a focus on infertility, is for the evaluation of a 13, 14 or 15 year old boy who is discovered by his pediatrician to have a large left varicocele, or abnormally dilated veins in the scrotum. Even if there are...
On November 7, Doctors around the world will be coordinating their efforts in a bid to support Family Planning. World Vasectomy Day is a concept initiated by Dr. Doug Stein, a urologist in Florida and by film maker Jonathan Stack, two years ago. For the second consecutive year, I will...
A study in the journal of sexual medicine says it may very well be, at least in terms of a couple’s sexual satisfaction. Vasectomy is a commonly performed minor surgical procedure to effect a permanent means of birth control for men. In fact, on the order of one half million...
Several studies have previously associated obesity and other systemic disorders as risk factors for male infertility. On the other hand, some studies have reported that physical activity can actually be harmful to sperm, in particular high intensity training among elite athletes, but what about moderate physical activity? In the recent...
One question often posed by patients before undergoing vasectomy is whether there are any long term risks. Literature from twenty years ago raised the possibility of a link between vasectomy and prostate cancer; however, several reports following the initial report refuted the link and prevailing wisdom holds there are no...
Being overweight is looked at differently in the modern era. As America’s waist line expands, focus has been redirected to the consequences of those extra pounds. Unfortunately, scores of medical problems have been associated with obesity and its effect of longevity can be profound. Obesity is commonly associated with several...
I have written previously that vasectomy is intended to be a permanent method of birth control. It generally only requires fifteen to thirty minutes to accomplish and is most commonly performed on men who have decided that they no longer desire to have additional children with their partner. But a...
Fifteen percent of couples will have difficulty conceiving and a male factor is involved in half of those cases. There are a number of possible underlying causes for male fertility problems. One of them occurs when the testicles have difficulty producing a normal level of testosterone. It is a condition...
Semen analysis also known as the “sperm count” or “semen test” remains the standard initial laboratory test in the evaluation of male fertility or infertility. It has been performed for more than half a century with refinements along the way. However, for many men (and couples) it remains limited in...
Everyone seems to know smoking is bad for your health. Everyone also seems to know someone who is a chain smoker but yet had no problem conceiving children. So, are cigarettes bad for sperm? Smoking in the US is on the decline and with good reason. Substantial evidence exists that...
In July 2014, a research team at the Harvard School of Public Health exhumed the debate about a potential relationship between vasectomy and prostate cancer. Their research team’s results made it into newspapers around the world, including the NY Times and The Guardian. I had a vasectomy about 35 years ago. You’ll see...
The semen analysis is a time tested method of evaluating male fertility and has been utilized for over sixty years. However, it is limited in its ability as a consequence of what it examines. The routine semen analysis includes an assessment of the number of sperm, their shape (morphology) and...
The time of the annual NCAA college basketball tournament, is upon us. Men around the nation are intent on watching the games. But, there are other obligations: work, family, in some cases, shoveling snow. One way to justify being able to kick back and focus on the games: get a...
Vasectomy is a readily performed procedure which accomplishes a permanent method of birth control for men. It typically takes about twenty to thirty minutes to accomplish and can be performed in an office setting under local anesthesia, or in a monitored setting with the patient under anesthesia. Most commonly,...
There is conflicting evidence in the literature, at least for pesticides used in the current millennia, as to whether they are associated with any health consequences at all. Certainly, in prior decades, a number of pesticides were associated with health consequences. One of the most famous may have been in the...
The solution for men whose testicles simply do not produce sperm may be on the horizon News on the male infertility front reveals that the Kallistem Laboratory in Lyons, France have accomplished the task of in vitro (outside the body) maturation of sperm. Male infertility takes on a number of...
Vasectomy is considered to be a minimally invasive, safe and reliable method of effecting birth control. Although vasectomy reversal surgery is feasible, vasectomy is considered to be a permanent means of eliminating sperm from the ejaculate. The vasectomy procedue has been performed for several decades in the US...
When someone needs to be evaluated for problems with male fertility, they are often referred to a urologist. What are urologists and why are they the doctor frequently recommended to see? Who else is involved in fertility care? Urology Urology is a surgical subspecialty within medicine. Urologists are physicians whose...
A male factor is known to be involved in about half of couples having fertility problems. The most severe form of male infertility is a complete lack of sperm in the ejaculate. This condition is known as “azoospermia”. Azoospermia is found in about a fifth of male fertility patients. Among...
An article from the July 26, 2015 edition of the Wall Street Journal reports on a federal lawsuit on the subject of paying women for their eggs in the setting of in vitro fertilization (IVF). This suit sheds light on several ethical issues regarding paying for items related to life...
For men who have azoospermia or no sperm in the ejaculate, one solution to enable pregnancy is a surgical sperm retrieval. In essence it is a minor surgical procedure whereby tissue or fluid with sperm is surgically removed from the testis or epididymis and that sperm is used to initiate...
Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is an effective means of restoring testosterone levels to normal in men who are unable to maintain serum levels on their own. However, controversy surrounds TRT; the FDA has revisited the appropriateness of TRT and many private payers are putting up roadblocks to paying for it. ...
Ten percent of couples trying to conceive will have difficulty. It is now taken for granted that a male factor is involved in about half of such couples experiencing a fertility problem. Yet for some reason, the public awareness of this fact appears limited, if not absent. Literature and the...
Penile transplant surgery was performed successfully for the first time in South Africa at Tygerberg hospital in Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa, December, 2014 . The 21 year old recipient’s penis was previously amputated in a life saving procedure after the development of severe complications after a traditional (non medical)...
A report in the journal Fertility and Sterility (March, 2015) reported on 501 couples trying to conceive for a year. Thirteen percent of men who reported heavy work related activity had lower sperm counts compared to 6% of men who reported no exertion. Other work related exposures such as shift...
There is a recognition that poor health is associated with poor fertility. This applies to both men and women. People need to eat right, sleep enough and take care of their bodies not only because it supports medical health, (ie, more energy, less illness) but because it also supports their...
For the third year in a row, UGNJ will be supporting World Vasectomy Day, an international effort involving over 500 physicians from every continent and over thirty countries. The goal is to raise awareness of a man’s role in family planning. The event takes place on Friday, November 13 and...
Now we have become an advocate for insurance payer contracts and also agents for hospitals and large groups to improve their profiles. This blog is my first opinion piece. It is triggered by what I see as a depression that has come over many of my colleagues in medicine, a...
The past two decades have been witness to almost miraculous advances in technology, from the internet, to the tablet, to communication by texting and wearable extensions of our smart phones. Advances in our options to improve men’s ability to achieve erections have been no less profound. The inflatable penile prosthesis...
IN 1677, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek became the first man to identify sperm within semen under microscopic examination. His discovery laid the foundation for what would become the semen analysis, typically the first step in fertility evaluation for a man. Semen analysis, in one form or another has remained the initial test...
Excerpts and commentary on: Marital Status and Female and Male Contraceptive Sterilization in the United States, Mieke C. W. Eeckhaut, Fertil Steril (103) 1509-15, 2015. The following represents excerpts from an interesting article I Fertility and Sterility and my (limited) commentary Common methods used to achieve Permanent Contraception Vasectomy and...
Vasectomy reversal is a surgical procedure which essentially allows a man with a vasectomy to change his mind. Although vasectomy itself is readily accomplished in an office setting in about twenty minutes to a half hour, a vasectomy reversal is far more difficult, takes more time and requires microsurgical techniques...
Another report of sperm actually being grown in culture has been published. In the Journal Cell Stem Cell (Volume 18, Issue 3, p330–340, 3 March 2016), scientists in China report growing (mouse) sperm –like cells from (mouse) embryonic stem cells. Those cells were then able to be injected into (mouse) eggs...
Somewhere between one and two percent of men who have a vasectomy make the decision to change their mind and undergo a vasectomy reversal. In order to understand a reversal one needs to first understand how sperm gets into the ejaculate and then what a vasectomy accomplishes. Sperm form in...
Low-intensity shock wave therapy to the penis is a new alternative for the treatment of erectile dysfunction or difficulty with erections. It has been shown to help men with erectile dysfunction (ED) that is unresponsive to conventional medications: phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitor treatments such as viagra, levitra, cialis, stendra,or staxyn. It is...
Effective November 1, 2016, Dr. Seaman’s current urology group, the Urology Group of New Jersey (UGNJ) along with Skylands Urology will become part of New Jersey Urology, making the combined entity the largest urology group in the state. Simultaneously, the office will adopt a new Electronic medical record with a...
Common sense edicts: Eat right, get some exercise in your day, and now, yes, get enough sleep, are all factors that can affect general health as well as fertility. The need for adequate sleep has earned attention in New research presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s annual conference held in...
Currently, women have a multitude of available options for birth control including oral contraceptives, diaphragms, IUDs, and tubal ligation. For men, choices are limited to condoms and vasectomy. A group in Germany is exploring a third option: injectable medication to that reduces sperm production. The team led by Dr. Hermann...
Episona, an “epigenetics data” company is a bringing a new male fertility test to market. The test is hoped to provide additional useful information in the evaluation of the male fertility patient in addition to and beyond the information a semen analysis provides. Epigenetics refers to heritable changes, not in...
Man as young as 18 and as old as 70 have presented in my office asking about vasectomy. Although the most common age ranges from the mid thirties to early forties. Many factors can prompt the decision for a man to come in for consultation. Reasons include a difficult labor...
Vasectomy is a procedure with a durable track record of being a minimally invasive and reliable method of achieving permanent male contraception. Millions of vasectomies have been performed worldwide. the procedure can be performed in the office under local anesthesia and is generally covered by insurance. Despite the permanence of...
Hematospermia literally means blood in the ejaculate. For men who have experienced it, it can be a shocking situation and a cause for tremendous anxiety. The cause for it is (not universally but) most commonly, benign. Why and how does it happen? The majority fluid in the ejaculate comes from...
This blog departs from my subject matter of fertility and infertility related topics, but the technology is so compelling, I felt compelled to share some information on the topic. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer to affect men. About one out of eleven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer;...
Vasectomy is a readily performed outpatient or in-office minor surgical procedure that offers a permanent method for male birth control. The “newer” no scalpel technique has been available from urologists in the US for over forty years. This option for family planning has gained increasing acceptance from all walks of...
Evaluation of the male partner in an infertile couple is often delayed until the couple has been trying for a period of time. Why? Well, about seventy-five percent of couples will conceive after six months of trying and about ninety-five percent will conceive after trying for a year, so evaluation...
An article from March 22 2017 Science Translational Medicine authored by Manoj Kumar Kanakasabapathy1 et al reports on the development of a combination of smartphone software combined with additional, relatively inexpensive hardware, that can be used to perform a portion of a semen analysis (at home). Standard semen analysis includes an assessment...
The finding of an abnormal semen analysis in the evaluation of an infertile couple can be disheartening to the male, but sometimes for some men the news is devastating. Feelings of inadequacy and failure can creep in and affect, not only the male himself, but the couples’ relationship. Add to...
Review articles on the subject have appeared in Nature magazine. Subsequently a webinar on Perspectives on the potential for CRISPR Editing of embryos was presented (last week) to interested members of ASRM (The American Society of Reproductive Medicine) including speakers: Steven Palter, MD, Art Caplan, PhD, Paula Amato, MD, Dieter...
Race, race awareness, privilege, etc. It’s all over the news, occupying our thoughts and consuming our conversations. But race is, in fact, more of a social construct, based in culture and attitude. Children of parents of different race are often thought of as belonging to the race of one of...
The reproductive organs in a male include: the testicles, epididymides, vasa, prostate, seminal vesicles, cowpers (bulbourethral) glands, urethra and penis. Recently, there has been recognition that some men with poor sperm production may be at higher risk for testicular cancer. Given that link, there is question as to whether male...
Vasectomy is a readily accomplished method of male contraceptive. It is often performed in an office or outpatient setting and has been ascribed virtues of being an economical form of birth control, a low risk form of birth control and even a more “green” form of birth control. However, one...
One small part of the domain of fertility care pertains to preservation of fertility in the setting of malignancy. I have treated fertility problems in men who have been treated for various cancers with chemotherapy, and or radiation therapy. I have also diagnosed men with diseases such as prostate cancer...
I have previously written about home sperm tests previously including this one which previously was not ready for distribution. It was a 3D printed adaptation of one’s cell phone to make it into a substitute for a computer assisted semen analysis or CASA. How it did work and still works: ...
Smart phones are everywhere and their applications are ubiquitous. There’s an app for almost everything. Why not an app for birth control? Natural cycle is a smart phone application that uses algorithms based on the “rhythm method” to guide couples to have sex outside the “fertile window” of the woman’s...
IVF with ICSI has offered a path to pregnancy for hundreds of thousands of couples around the globe. The procedure combines standard IVF with the insertion of a single sperm into an egg. Standard IVF involves medication to the female partner which allows maturation of multiple ovarian follicles (each of...
Do you get enough sleep? Does your partner? Increasing demands of work may be shortening the duration of your sleep. So may increasing time on the screen with facebook, instagram or other forms of social media. An attempt to assess the affect of sleep on the ability of men to...
The following is taken without editing from the FDAsite:https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/ImplantsandProsthetics/EssurePermanentBirthControl/ucm452254.htm FDA Activities: Essure The FDA continues to monitor the safety of Essure. Women considering permanent birth control should make fully informed decisions by getting information from their health care provider about the risks and benefits of all options. The FDA continues...
A recent article in the Journal Nature reports on the “microbiome” in the testicle. A microbiome refers to populations of different strains of bacteria, viruses and yeast or fungi that occupy every surface of the human body. Some have estimated that the average person’s body s host to about 30...
The United States has been witness to a dramatic decline in mortality from prostate cancer over the past three decades. Although there is a lot of speculation as to why this is the case, a major factor appears to be the use of PSA in prostate cancer screening. Especially supporting...
A 2014 report from the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Mucci et al states there might be a very small increase in risk over all and a larger increased risk for advanced or lethal prostate cancer. The study from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA, examined the correlation...
Only 5% of the volume of the “raw” ejaculate is composed of sperm. The remainder comes from secretions made by the prostate, seminal vesicles and cowpers glands. Those secretions enable sperm to survive until they can travel into the cervical crypts, then into the uterus and into the fallopian tube...
The Phosphorus Male Infertility Panel: A Newer, More Useful Genetic Assay For Evaluation Of Men With No Sperm In the Ejaculate (Azoospermia) The finding of no sperm in the ejaculate on semen analysis can be a devastating finding for men trying to conceive a pregnancy with their wives. Urologic evaluation...
For couples who desire a pregnancy, but the male partner has had a vasectomy, there are two options available: either reverse the vasectomy, or leave the vasectomy but surgically retrieve sperm and use those sperm in an IVF setting to initiate a pregnancy. Which is the better option? It’s tempting...