Usually, you have no idea about your problems until they start interrupting your life. As a couple, you doubt having infertility when you do not succeed in your planned parenthood journey through your effort for 6-12 months. And both of you decide to see an expert at a fertility or IVF centre in Delhi or your locality.
At the clinic or hospital, the doctor will interact with both of you and try to know about your general as well as reproductive health. As men, you could face questions on your medical history, lifestyle, family medical history, and your sexual life. You might face physical examination of your genital organ and a recommendation of semen analysis to know your sperm count, shape, and motility. Here are some possible questions that you will have to answer at your infertility appointment:
Do you have undescended testicles from your birth?
Your doctor tries to know this as testicle size has a direct association with sperm production. In the case of being one or both testicles inside the abdomen, your body will be warmer. And this warmth leaves a bad impact on your sperm production.
Have you had high fever in the last six months?
High fever for a longer period affects sperm production for some time.
Have you recently experienced testicle swelling, pain, injury, or testicular torsion?
When torsion happens due to a twist in your scrotum, you experience fertility problems. And any type of blow to the groyne causing inflammation in the testicles can result in a temporary effect on sperm quality and quantity.
Have you ever noticed a cyst or tumour in your testicles ?
A surgical procedure performed previously for the removal of a cyst can cause you scarring that leaves bad impacts on your fertility.
Have you ever gone through an x-ray of your groyne area?
Technician uses a shield for radiation protection while taking an x-ray of the groyne area. However, an accidental exposure can lead you to have sperm issues such as low low count, motility or poor shape.
Do you have severe urinary tract or bladder infections? Do you have a burning sensation while urinating? Is your urine cloudy?
Burning sensation might be a sign of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It can damage the fallopian tubes of your female partner if you pass it to her through sexual intercourse.
Have you ever faced radiation therapy or chemotherapy to treat cancer?
Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy can temporarily or permanently damage your sperm. And sperm damage leads you to have infertility.
Do you have chronic diseases?
Chronic diseases such as diabetes, thyroid, and cancer affect your reproductive health and fertility.
Are you taking any medicines or going through any treatments?
Medicines to control high blood pressure and steroids interfere with your fertility and affect it badly.
How old were you when you had mumps (if faced)?
Having the mumps after puberty affect sperm production?
Do you have chemical exposure?
Environmental toxins and industrial chemicals have a direct link with male infertility.
Have you ever had a sexually transmitted infection or disease?
STIs such as gonorrhoea and chlamydia if passed by you can cause inflammation and block the fallopian tubes of your female partner. They can harm her reproductive organs.
Do you have any sexual problems or difficulties?
Having a penile erection or issues to keep it maintained, or ejaculation issues can make you face difficulties in having vaginal sex. And no vaginal sex means there is no pregnancy chance.
Have you ever had a vasectomy or vasectomy reversal?
The reversal of the sterilisation process carries some side effects. Scar tissues may be still present and cause ejaculation problems. And a vasectomy reversal can make some men have sperm antibodies that affect their sperm.
Has anyone in your family faced genetic or birth issues?
Gene is behind some of the fertility problems. Knowing family history helps your doctor estimate the probability of the same in you and recommend genetic screening to stop it passing to your future child.
Further, your doctor will ask you questions related to bad habits such as smoking, drinking, caffeine intake, and physical activeness. Answering such questions will help your doctor know the issue and recommend suitable tests or screenings to confirm the same.
After being confirmed on your fertility problem, you can ask your queries on the possible treatment options, need for the further tests, expected time to treat the issue, and side effects of the available treatment options.
Conclusion
Having an idea about what could happen to you and what you could expect will help you prepare yourself well. You will easily answer your doctor’s queries, show off your medical records, and ask your queries. With this cooperation from both ends, you will get maximum positive results and outcomes.