Scrubbing up: Your comments

During any one year, millions of men throughout the world struggle to father children, and many more may not be aware of a fertility problem because they have not yet decided to start a family. Others may realise there is a problem and simply give up trying.

Dr Allan Pacey argues that men are not given enough attention when it comes to researching fertility issues.

What do you think? Here are some of the comments you have been sending in to this week's Scrubbing up.

I have fertility problems due to Kellmans Syndrome, and am currently under treatment in order to start a family with my wife. We are paying for this ourselves and it is not cheap. Interestingly, all appointments and correspondence related to my infertility and treatment, are in my wife's name and not mine. It would appear that the man does take a back seat where fertility is concerned,
Dave, Newbury, Great Britain

I agree whole heartedly that more research should be done into male fertility problems. If drugs can be found to help increase the condition of sperm it will mean that many women will not have to endure painful procedures in the quest to become pregnant.
Fiona Anderson, Farnborough

Human infertility in general is getting too much attention. Judging from the world population statistics, fertility is the very least of our problems. Do we really need to work out more ways to add to this disastrous global society? Can't the medical community be strengthening their efforts in eradicating disease and suffering in the existing population? Simply put, if you can't have your own, adopt or sponsor an existing child.
Ori Meissa, London

Yes female infertility does get too much attention. I have been through numerous investigations and was made to feel that the problem was most likely to be with me if there was one. It came as a complete shock when last week we found out the problem lay with my husband. Our only option we are advised is ICSI but no advice was available on what we can try to do improve things naturally. We would like to know why this has happened to him and what, if anything, he could have done to prevent it but such answers are not available.
Marie, Yorkshire

I am in favour of expanding research into male infertility but I have serious doubts about the wisdom of continuing to fund infertility treatment on the NHS. Why, at a time when there is a desperate need to curb population growth, are we subsidising people to reproduce? There is no such thing as a 'right to have a child' and with an ageing population, there are far more pressing needs for NHS funding. Carry out research on infertility but stop expensive and indulgent treatment and let nature take its course.
Graham, Abergavenny, Wales

I think that male fertility is left out. I have been battling to have kids for the past two years. The doctor has only just checked my partner to see if he is actually producing active sperm. I think more research into the fertility problems with males should have happened years ago. How come women have to go through all the treatment whilst the men just sit back thinking that they're ok, when in fact they might not be.
Kirstie-ann, Coventry

Just a thought: Isn't poor sperm quality suggestive of overall defective sperm? Doesn't this raise other ethical issues? Could using poor quality sperm which can't fertilise an ovum without assistance potentially result in health problems in the children? If a couple need to resort to ICSI, isn't there an ethical case for using donor sperm rather than giving a massive helping hand to substandard, potentially harmful sperm?
Tar Samad, Derby

Myself and husband have been trying for a baby for three years. My husband had spinal surgery eight years ago and throughout the infertility treatment the Doctors have never looked at how his spinal trauma may have affected his fertility. According to research done in the USA up to 90% of males with spinal chord trauma need assistance with fertility. All but one test has focused on me, even though we have tried to explain our concerns.
Sarah, Rochdale, England

I agree. My husband and I have undergone a number of procedures for infertility, including IVF. There is no obvious reason why we have not conceived but my husband does have poor (but not disastrous) sperm quality. The consultants have dismissed any suggestion that quality of sperm might be an issue and in the meantime, the IVF drugs and attendant procedures I have undergone are incredibly hard on the body, intrusive and painful. Undergoing IVF and holding down a full time job at the same time is no joke. If the issue of sperm quality could be addressed, I am sure that many women could be spared the emotional and physical trauma of IVF and in all likelihood, the "cure" for defective sperm will not be as demanding on the man as IVF is on the woman.
Sarah, Reading

This may sound a touch harsh, but there is probably a good reason that some of us are unable to produce children - both men and women! Do we not think there are enough people on this planet already?
Martin, UK

Although many a couple face the pain of not conceiving, I would always choose to fund -especially with public money- life threatening and debilitating diseases rather than infertility.
Susa, Herne Bay, Kent

I suffer from a low motility rate and the result is my sperm count is considered low. I have started taking a number of supplements, changed my diet slightly and have reduced my caffeine and alcohol intake, but I am very surprised that there are no options to increase sperm production. Women have a number of options, if they are not ovulating, but there is nothing out there to assist men, which surprises me. It is also odd that the supplements I am taking have been recommended, researched via the internet, but the doctors seem clueless. It seems strange that there is little or no research in this area.
Michael Shaw, Bristol

I would like to disagree with the statement that there is very little that men can do to reverse the situation. In October two years ago I was diagnosed with a low sperm count. Two specialists said that the best chance of my wife and I having a baby was to undertake ICSI. Wanting to exhaust all natural methods we stopped drinking alcohol and caffeine, stopped eating any processed food and moved to a nearly entire organic diet, as well as generally trying to live as healthily as possible, such as exercising at least three times a week. In October last year my wife gave birth to our healthy baby girl. There are non-medical alternatives and although there are costs involved such as eating all organic and a lifestyle change, it is worth it to conceive naturally and not put yourself through the stress of a cycle of fertility treatment
Alex, Surrey

Men who have problems with fertility should be given parity with women. More money should be used to find out why significant numbers of young men are producing less or substandard sperm. If it is a trend then surely there would be a significant decrease in the gene pool available for the human population.
v gotsell, London

I agree with Dr Pacey that the emphasis seems to be on female infertility. I have that rarest of male infertility problems - azoospermia - where the testicles produce no sperm at all. At present, I have no options for fathering my own children, only donor sperm or adoption are available. It has caused a lot of heartache for me and my wife, as well as ethical, time, and money dilemmas. For me, stem cell research may be a solution in the future, but by the time any such option is viable my wife and I are likely to be too old.
CD, UK

After undergoing ICSI treatment twice, I would say that I agree with the comments above to some extent. I think more support is necessary from both a scientific and an emotional point of view. All I can tell you is that I sometimes feel like half a man. I look normal but carry around a big psychological burden. I am sure that stress also does not help the production of quality sperm. It has certainly not helped my career. Unfortunately the NHS does not recognise fertility as a priority. Waiting lists are very long and the care is not comparable to the private option. I appreciate it is not life threatening but it causes a lot of pressure on the family unit. Only the strongest marriages can survive. Luckily my marriage is very strong and although the relationship has changed, it has become stronger than ever.
Anonymous, Hertfordshire

I don't see it as a problem at all. In fact, I hope that male infertility is on the decline and the more rapidly the better. Our planet is grossly overpopulated, so greater infertility is to be welcomed. If we carry on the way we are going, our species is well on course for a major crash as a result of pressure on resources.
Simon, Carmarthen

As a couple undergoing our second cycle of IVF, I have to agree that the main focus throughout the process is on the well-being of the woman. Both my husband and I had fertility problems; I have high FSH levels and he has a reduced sperm count. When we were told that there was a problem, it was a case of "We don't know why this happens it just does". I agree that fertility issues for men do not get as much publicity but sadly I still think there is a stigma to admitting to being an infertile man.
Nicola Willis, Cambridgeshire

The NHS is an increasingly gynocentric organisation. Men's health in general has received little attention in comparison to the effort expended on women. This attitude permeates the organisation. I should know - I worked at a Hospital Trust for some time. Fertility is a sensitive issue for many couples but the potential treatments appear one-sided. On the other hand, there are those who maintain that any fertility treatment is a waste of resources.
Andrew, Birkenhead UK

Isn't the reason there is focus on women a cultural one? They traditionally were blamed for being barren. I wonder if the infertile couples tested were just those with monogamous women in them.
Sandra, Gloucester

My husband was considered to have a low sperm count for 10 years. When he left his high pressured and stressful job, he spent time doing what he enjoyed and ate well-balanced meals. Six months later at the age of 41 we had a natural pregnancy.
Jacqui Pamment, Rhayader

When I was at school and sixth form college the effects of smoking, alcohol, drugs and poor physical health on future infertility were made equally clear to the males and females. However, since leaving sixth form college I have not heard or seen anything concerning male infertility in flyer, adverts or posters (even at health centres).
Ai, Oxford

I fully agree with Dr Pacey that more attention should be paid to the male side of infertility problems. In 2008 my wife and I were told that I could not father a child due to absence of sperm in my semen. I was a bit appalled by the fact that there is very little knowledge on the causes of male infertility and that basically the only option in most cases is ICSI. Now, after four ICSI/IVF cycles, my wife and I are expecting twins this summer. We are of course very happy but we would have preferred a less stressful and invasive solution.
Pieter, The Hague, The Netherlands

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