trying to conceive
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trying to conceive

Azoospermia

by Beena
(India)

Dear Amelia

I have been married for the past 2 years and haven't conceived. On testing, my husband was diagonised to have azoospermia and we were asked to go for ICSI. His FSH level also seems to be higher than normal.

But we aren't really prepared for ICSI and would like to have a baby in a natural way. Is there some treatment that you would like to suggest?

Regards
Beena

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Azoospermia

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Azoospermia
by: Amelia Hirota

Hi Beena,
I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's possibly azoospermia. I'm curious as to whether your husband has a very low sperm count or no sperm at all? Azoospermia means that there is no sperm whatsoever in the ejaculate.

I ask because you mentioned that your doctor has recommended ICSI. Are they planning on harvesting your husband's sperm for the ICSI procedure?

Let's talk a bit about the big picture of azoospermia. The reason for zero sperm is either a problem in the production of sperm or in the presence of sperm in the ejaculate.

It appears from the high FSH that you mentioned that the problem may be in the production. A high FSH means that the pituitary gland is ramping up the production of FSH to stimulate the production of sperm. So, this may be a hormonal problem. I recommend making sure that your husband has his LH, prolactin, testosterone, and thyroid (I recommend testing TSH, T4, T3, anti-TPO and anti-TG) tested to see if there are any other hormonal imbalances.

Also, there may be a functional problem that is preventing the manufactured sperm from being ejaculated. In order to check for blockages, it's important to have a thorough physical examination of the scrotum. It's especially important to rule out a varicocele or blockages in the seminal vesicle with an ultrasound.

Lastly, your husband should ejaculate and then have the urine following ejaculation tested for the presence of sperm. If there is sperm in his urine, this could indicate that the entry to the bladder isn't closing properly, and is therefore allowing the semen to flow into the bladder.

So, in answer to your question about a treatment for azoospermia, I would recommend thoroughly examining your husband and figuring out the cause for his azoospermia first. Then once you know the cause, you'll be in a better position to choose a treatment strategy.

If the problem is entirely hormonal, then I think that acupuncture and herbal therapy could be very helpful for your husband. I'm wondering if your husband took steroid medication at some point? Prednisone can have an affect on the sperm and it is often prescribed for asthma, eczema and psoriasis.

I hope this is helpful for you. If you do decide to harvest your husband's sperm and undergo ICSI, please be sure to prepare your bodies for at least 3 months beforehand with a healthy diet and no caffeine, decaf, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup or processed foods. Best of luck to the two of you.

Sending Baby Dust Your Way,
Amelia Hirota, Licensed and Board Certified Acupuncturist and Herbalist
Azoospermia
by: Anonymous

Hello Amelia,

I was diagnosed with azoospermia because of blockage in ejaculatory duct. My Urologist did a surgery after which the blockage was temporarily removed. After this we did find 9 million sperms during ejaculation. But soon after the blockage resurfaced and I now have 0 sperm count. Do you think acupuncture can help here?

Thanks
Possible Infection
by: Amelia Hirota

I'm not sure if acupuncture on it's own is going to clear the blockage, but appropriate herbs might be helpful. If a blockage formed so soon after surgery, it sounds like there might be an infection of some kind. Common infections could include various STDs or just a low grade infection. I encourage you to see an acupuncturist that is board certified in Chinese herbs and she can check to see if you have an infection.

I recommend herbs in conjunction with acupuncture first. Hopefully, this will address whatever is going on constitutionally. If you need to have surgery again, this preparatory treatment will hopefully prevent the blockage from recurring again. Best of luck!

Warm regards,
Amelia Hirota

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