Male infertility is a medical condition that affects approximately one in twenty men in the United States and is as much a factor in couples’ inability to conceive as female infertility.  (Male problems account for 30 to 40 percent of infertility cases, equal to the portion of female contributors; the other 20 to 40 percent of cases are unexplained.) Yet doctors say men’s reticence in the past has been far more of a stumbling block to treatment.

“We’ve seen IVF pregnancy rates essentially double in the last 15 years and much credit goes to better medicine and technology. Some is also due to the willingness of women to capitalize on advancements by exploring treatment options and generally seeking the right help promptly,” said Dr. Samuel Pang, the new medical director at RSC. “We are only beginning to glimpse the same willingness in men.”

Why the apprehension to discuss male infertility? “Men often associate their sense of masculinity with the ability to impregnate a woman and sire children,” Dr. Pang said, “and until recently, they’ve been very hesitant about coming in for just a simple semen analysis. But now, we’re gradually beginning to see men who are more willing to come in for an evaluation, particularly those who are more well informed, who understand that male infertility is commonplace and realize they are not alone.”

When a couple faces infertility it is often the woman who will undergo hormone, ovulatory function, and fallopian tube tests months before her husband has even had a semen analysis—despite the possibility that the couple’s infertility is due to his sperm or some combination of male and female factors.

For example, two RSC patients – Mr. and Mrs. Smith, a real New England couple who chose to remain anonymous due to social stigmas associated with male infertility, struggled with infertility for years, first visiting an infertility specialist nearly four years ago.

Even though the couple thought it was a case of male infertility, their first physician, a non-IVF specialist, ordered a series of tests for Mrs. Smith. “I never had any issues with late menstruation or other problems that I knew of,” said Mrs. Smith. “We suspected a problem with my husband from the beginning.”

She underwent the usual tests, many of which they covered personally, and the findings all came back normal. Their doctor then recommended IVF treatment at a clinic near their home. Over the next year, they underwent three IVF attempts, two were unsuccessful and one resulted in a miscarriage. The treatment cost approximately $30,000.

The Smiths eventually sought treatment with the specialists at RSC in 2004 and subsequently gave birth to a daughter. Their second treatment at RSC led to the birth of their second child, a son, this September.

“I’m very interested in helping more people understand the issue of male infertility,” said Mrs. Smith.  “I think it’s a real problem, especially after I went through testing that may not have been needed.” Even today, Mrs. Smith speaks publicly for her husband about his infertility, since he prefers not to discuss the problem with anyone other than his doctors or wife.

“It is imperative that we continue to raise awareness about the importance of male reproductive health,” says Dr. Pang. “This is emphasized by recent research indicating that men older than 35 are twice as likely to be infertile as men younger than 25. Public education remains one of our biggest challenges.”

With eight locations throughout New England, Reproductive Science Center is the seventh largest medical practice of its kind nationwide, known coast to coast for its innovative patient care, advanced laboratory capabilities and for success rates that are among the highest in the United States.  Founded in 1988, RSC is led today by a team of seven physicians – four of whom are women, making it one of the largest groups of female reproductive endocrinologists in the Northeast. RSC is a member of IntegraMed America, an exclusive network limited to the highest performing infertility practices in larger metro areas around the United States. Nearly one out of every four IVF procedures in the United States is performed in an IntegraMed practice. For more information, visit www.rscnewengland.com.