Medical Services and Centers

Center for Male Infertility

Infertility affects approximately fifteen percent of couples trying to initiate a pregnancy. In the past, evaluation and treatment focused primarily on the female partner. This is unfortunate, as a male factor causes thirty percent of infertility in couples, and a combination of male and female factors causes another twenty percent.  In other words, fifty percent of all infertility involves a male factor; however, only twenty percent of men in such couples undergo medical evaluation.

We regard infertility as a "couple's issue," and encourage both male and female partners to be seen by an appropriate health professional to determine the full extent of the couple's reproductive potential. This combined approach allows us to provide patients with a complete assessment of their reproductive options.  Additionally, several medical studies showed that infertility in the male may be the only clinical sign of a more significant underlying medical disorder.  This further underscores the need for the male partner to bee seen by a urologist or other specialist in male reproductive medicine when infertility is present.

At Northwestern, it is our philosophy that all male partners in couples experiencing difficulty achieving a pregnancy should undergo a thorough medical evaluation. This evaluation should include a detailed history and physical examination. Additionally, bloodwork is routinely done to ensure that male hormone levels, which are responsible for sperm production, are normal. We routinely obtain two semen analyses (each after 2-3 days of abstinence) in order to establish the patient's current semen parameters. The parameters, which we closely evaluate, include ejaculate volume, sperm concentration (sperm count), sperm motility and sperm morphology (shape). Other semen parameters are also evaluated and additional testing is ordered as needed.

At this time, there are a large number of therapeutic options available to couples striving to achieve a pregnancy. We work closely with our reproductive endocrinology colleagues (female fertility specialists) in the use of assisted reproductive techniques such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This collaborative approach maximizes the male and female partners' fertility status and helps to expedite care.

Oftentimes, there is a correctable cause for male infertility. Some of the more common causes of male infertility include varicoceles (dilated veins within the scrotum), blockage of the genital duct tract, low hormone levels, and ejaculatory impairment or erectile dysfunction. We provide state-of-the-art care, including the use of sophisticated ultrasound imaging techniques and microsurgical procedures, to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of these problems. It is our philosophy that couples should be aware of all treatment options available to them, and we are dedicated to spending the time necessary with patients to help them reach a full understanding of the benefits associated with each therapeutic approach.

Many individuals decide to have children after having undergone a previous vasectomy. Again, there are options available for these patients in terms of how to proceed. One option involves in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Pregnancy may be achieved through IVF using sperm retrieved during a simple outpatient procedure. This retrieved sperm is then used in an in-vitro setting with intracystoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to achieve a pregnancy.

Many men, however, prefer to proceed with a microsurgical vasectomy reversal. Several studies have shown this approach to be more cost-effective than routine in-vitro fertilization. Furthermore, a successful vasectomy reversal enables couples to achieve a pregnancy at home through natural means. The procedures utilized to reverse a vasectomy include vasovasostomy and epididymovasostomy. The specific surgical approach used hinges on the findings at the time of surgery.

In summary, we provide comprehensive, state-of-the-art medical care to men experiencing fertility problems. It is our goal not only to thoroughly evaluate and diagnose the underlying problem but also to assist the couple in defining all of their potential treatment options and helping them arrive at the form of treatment most suitable to them.