Male infertility and diabetes

Submitted by Shelby D Burns Fri 01/29/2010

Man Diabetes is a known cause of infertility in both men and women. If you have not been able to achieve pregnancy within a twelve month period of unprotected sex, it is advisable that when you talk to your doctor, you ask about diabetes. Additionally, because of the diabetic’s poor blood sugar control, there can be miscarriages if pregnancy is achieved. For men, there can be many problems as a result of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes. Impaired delivery of sperm from the penis into the vagina may be a cause of infertility. Instances include erectile dysfunction in which the penis is not hard enough for penetration and cannot deliver the sperm into the upper part of the vagina. Retrograde ejaculation can also lead to the inability to impregnate. In this case, instead of semen being released into the vagina during ejaculation, it is pushed inside the man’s bladder as a result of the damage caused by diabetes to the nerves controlling the neck of the bladder. The man may notice that little or no semen comes out during ejaculation. This condition is easily treatable with drugs. The quality of sperm is also a factor in diabetes. A 2007 study from Queen’s University in Belfast showed that poor control of diabetes with subsequent high blood sugar levels may affect the quality of sperm by damaging their genetic material. Fertilization by a damaged sperm leads to low implantation rates and miscarriage. Additionally, men with diabetes have a lower volume of semen as well. All of these conditions are treatable and if needed, assisted reproduction methods may be employed. If you are having difficulty conceiving, ask your doctor about diabetes.

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