Types of Sperm Abnormalities: Impact on Male Fertility

Many kinds of abnormalities are found in sperm and they are usually diagnosed during a semen analysis. To get an accurate result, a semen analysis needs to be taken multiple times. Below, we discuss common sperm abnormalities

Kind of Abnormalities in Sperm

The abnormalities found in the sperm include:

Aspermia

This is a condition where a man experiences dry orgasms or orgasms without releasing any semen. This may be the result of retrograde ejaculation, genetic disorders like cystic fibrosis or Klinefelter syndrome, hormonal imbalances or congenital abnormalities. This condition may affect male fertility.

Hypospermia

In such conditions, the total ejaculate is less than 1.5 millilitres. Retrograde ejaculation is the most common cause of this condition. However, it may also be caused by genetic disorders, hormonal imbalances or congenital abnormalities.

Azoospermia

This is a condition wherein a man releases semen that contains no sperm during an orgasm. It is a severe type of male infertility. It may be caused by genetic disorders, hormonal imbalances, congenital abnormalities, untreated STDs and because of post-testicular cancer treatment.

Oligozoospermia

This is a condition wherein the man may have a low sperm count as well as problems with sperm shape and sperm movement. This may be caused by a varicocele vein, hormonal imbalances, undescended testicles, infections of the reproductive tract, environmental conditions and lifestyle choices. In some cases, making a few lifestyle changes may help improve the condition.

Asthenozoospermia

This is a condition where a large percentage of sperm moves abnormally i.e., it doesn’t move in a straight line or does not move at all. This condition may be accompanied by a low sperm count. Some of the causes of this include exposure to toxins, nutritional problems, excessive alcohol consumption, infections and side effects of certain medications.

Teratozoospermia

In his condition, the majority of the sperm in the semen are shaped abnormally. The sperms may have more than a single head or tail or an oddly shaped head. This keeps them from moving normally and affects their ability to fertilise an egg.

Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT)

In such cases the shape, size and movement of the sperm are abnormal. The sperm count may also be lower than normal. This is the most common cause of male infertility.

Necrozoospermia

In such cases all the sperm in the semen is dead. It is a rare cause of infertility.

Leukocytospermia

This is a condition where there is a high amount of white blood cells present in the semen. It is more of a semen abnormality than a sperm abnormality.