Reasons Your Fertility Doctor May Recommend Sperm Retrieval

If you have been diagnosed as infertile, there may still be hope for you to become a father. Sperm retrieval procedures (testicular sperm extraction, testicular sperm aspiration, microsurgical/percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration, etc.) in conjunction with in vitro fertilization can help couples achieve reasonable pregnancy rates. If you have reached out to a fertility doctor in Sarasota , sperm retrieval may be one of the recommended procedures to obtain sperm for fertility purposes. There are a few specific reasons why your doctor may recommend sperm retrieval, including:

Obstructive Azoospermia

Azoospermia is the absence of sperm in the ejaculate fluid. If sperm are produced by the testicles but are unable to be released into the semen, there may be a blockage in the reproductive tract. Common causes of obstructive azoospermia include a genetically missing vas deferens or injury to the vas deferens from previous surgery, such as a vasectomy or hernia repair. If you are going in for a vasectomy removal, your vasectomy reversal surgeon will inspect the condition of the vas deferens.

Non-Obstructive Azoospermia

Non-obstructive azoospermia is a condition in which sperm are either not being produced at all or are being produced in such low level that there is not enough of them to reach the end of the reproductive tract. Your doctor will recommend blood tests and genetic tests to determine the cause of non-obstructive azoospermia before continuing with the recommended sperm retrieval procedure.

Anejaculation/Retrograde Ejaculation

If no semen is released from the tip of your penis after having an orgasm, this may be caused by anejaculation or retrograde ejaculation. Anejaculation refers to no seminal fluid being released from the reproductive tract into the urethra, while retrograde ejaculation refers to semen being released into the urethra but being pushed backwards into the bladder. Injuries and certain types of medical conditions are commonly responsible for preventing the body from being able to ejaculate semen out of the reproductive tract.