Three questions for men facing infertility from risk factors to treatments
Three questions for men facing infertility from risk factors to treatments
Infertility is a common issue in the US - but what are the factors which can add to your risk of a low sperm count?
Approximately one in every six American couples struggles with conception, according a specialist — and men are just as likely to be a part of the issue as women.
Dr Jane Frederick, the medical director at HRC Fertility and an affiliate of Keck Medicine at the University of Southern California, said that around 10% of American men trying to conceive may be suffering from infertility.
Conception is a team effort, Dr Frederick said, and both partners can be equally at risk for infertility.
"The best way to find out if you have a problem is to go seek out a specialist," she told The Mirror.
And women should make sure they bring their male partners, too.
For men, a specialist will likely diagnose issues by performing a sperm analysis, which shows their sperm count, their sperm motility and their sperm morphology — the number of sperm, how they move and what shape and size they are, respectively.
What are the risk factors for male infertility?
Men may be at higher risk for infertility because of a multitude of factors.
Obesity is at the forefront of conditions that can result in diffulties conceiving.
"When you're obese, your testosterone levels go down, and that can affect the production of your sperm," Dr Frederick said. "Looking at the BMI or the weight of the male patient is very important."
Other factors include:
- The medications the men might be taking
- A history of surgery on the testicles
- Varicose (or dilated) veins in the testicles
- A history of undescended testicles
- Prior trauma to the testicles
- Hormonal disorders affecting the pituitary glands
- Cancer treatments requiring chemotherapy
There are also several lifestyle choices men can make that would lower their fertility. Those include:
- Bathing in hot tubs
- Smoking
- Drinking a lot of alcohol
- Smoking marijuana
- Vaping
- Exposure to toxic chemicals or radiation at work
- Undergoing hormonal treatments like steroids
“A lot of my patients were bodybuilders in the past, and they were exposed to steroids," Dr Frederick said. "Long-term steroid use has been noted to be a cause in male infertility down the road.”
“It’s good to be aware of whatever substance you’re trying to ingest," she added. "What are your risks of infertility based on that substance?”
She said all the other lifestyle choices can lead to low sperm counts.
Taking a closer look at daily habits and lifestyle routines is necessary, she said, as is changing any that are unhealthy.
When should men see a specialist?
In general, both men and women should seek out a specialist if they've been trying to conceive for at least one year and the woman is under the age of 35, Dr Frederick said.
"If, after one year, there is no pregnancy, then the couple should come to an office, seek out a specialist and get tested," she said.
"The age of the female partner is critical in the success for conception," she continued.
For couples including women between 35 and 40, she recommends trying for six months. And for women over 40, she recommends seeing someone immediately.
What treatments are available for infertile men?
“The good thing is that, because of the technology we have, 90% of all infertile males have the potential to conceive their own genetic child," Dr Frederick said.
Ways they can do so include using artificial insemination, where the sperm is placed into the cervix artificially to induce pregnancy.
There is also in vitro fertilization, which involves insemination in a lab setting. That method is used when there are low sperm counts but the sperm also can't swim.
Dr Frederick noted a trend in young male cancer patients, who have opted to freeze their sperm before undergoing chemotherapy. That allows them to have their own children down the road, she said, once they're cancer free.
"There is hope out there," she emphasised. "Don't give up if you're having problems trying to conceive."
Reference: Story by Jeremiah Hassel
Patients of color more often brace for unfair treatment in health care, survey finds
Patients of color more often brace for unfair treatment in health care, survey finds
Atrip to the doctor’s office comes with a bit of preparation for most, maybe even an internal pep talk to prepare for being told to get more exercise or calm a simmering fear of needles.
But dressing well in hopes of warding off unfair treatment – or even bracing for being insulted?
A newly released poll by KFF, a health policy research group, found many patients of color — including 3 in 5 Black respondents — take such steps at least some of the time when seeing a doctor.
The poll found that 55% of Black respondents said they feel like they must be very careful about their appearance to be treated fairly at medical visits. That’s similar to the rate for Hispanic and Alaska Native patients – and nearly double the rate for white patients.
Nearly 30% of Black respondents prepare to be insulted, also about double the rate for white patients.
“It’s exhausting,” survey respondent Christine Wright, 60, told The Associated Press.
Wright, who is Black, says she’s faced years of discrimination – including once being called a racial slur by a nurse. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and recently found a doctor she trusts. But she still makes sure to dress well for any medical appointments, putting on jewelry, a nice coat and making sure her hair is done.
She braces herself for looks and comments from doctors and staff. “They don’t control you," she tells herself. "They don’t. Doesn’t matter what they’re saying about you. Because you’re not that.”
While more than 90% of those polled said they were not treated unfairly or with disrespect in a health care setting because of their race or ethnic background in the past three years, the anticipation of unequal treatment can influence patients’ interactions with their doctors, experts say. That’s a particular concern because of the wide disparities in health outcomes along racial lines in the U.S.
“This survey shows the impact racism and discrimination continues to have on people’s health care experiences,” said KFF President Drew Altman.
Dr. Allison Bryant, an obstetrician at Massachusetts General Hospital who was not involved in the survey, said it provided important – though not necessarily surprising – results.
Bryant, who also serves as her hospital system's associate chief health equity officer, said she has heard similar stories from patients of color and seen it in the system's own patient satisfaction data. And as a Black woman, she lives the experience herself, often double-checking she has her ID or wedding ring visible to ward off assumptions from others.
“I think everybody experiences that to some extent,” Bryant said. “But I understand why it’s more exaggerated in individuals of color, who have a legacy of not being treated well.”
The behavior indicates a deeper problem, Bryant said, one that can influence critical interactions between a doctor and patient.
If you anticipate someone may treat you badly you may be more tense, you may not speak properly, she said. “There are deep harms that are associated with this that go beyond what it might look like at the surface, which is like, ‘I put on some high heels and I put on some lipstick.’”
Jeymie Luna Roldán, 45, also participated in the survey. She thinks her previous lack of health insurance or her imperfect English contributed to her bad experiences at the doctor. She spoke to the AP in Spanish.
“In my case, I’m Latina,” said Roldán, of Lake Worth, Florida. “So when I have an appointment, I have to dress up a little – put on earrings, makeup – so that they don’t see me in my work clothes. There’s a saying that goes, ‘Como te miro, te trato.’”
That translates to: “You’re treated how you look.”
Despite high percentages of people saying they prepare for insults or feel their appearance can influence how they are treated at the doctor, 93% said they have not felt they were treated unfairly or with disrespect in a health care setting because of their race or ethnic background in the past three years.
But there were still wide differences among racial groups. Asians and Hispanics were three times more likely to say they’ve been treated badly in a health care setting because of their race than white respondents and Black respondents were 6 times more likely.
Beyond the doctor’s office, 58% of American Indians and Alaska Natives, 54% of Black respondents, 50% of Hispanics, and 42% of Asians said they experienced at least one type of discrimination in daily life at least a few times in the past year. That includes getting poorer service at stores and restaurants, being threatened, harassed, or treated like they are not smart, or being criticized for speaking a language other than English.
While this shows health care is just one of the settings where discrimination is persistent, Bryant said, being treated with disrespect at a car dealership or profiled at a department store poses a different type of risk. A dismissivecardiologist not ordering the right tests because a patient doesn’t “look the part” is potentially more dangerous.
“The consequences in health care are really striking and very frightening, honestly, to understand what people need to do to be taken seriously, to be seen as a whole person,” she said. “I think these data really speak to that.”
Reference:Story by Devi Shastri: The Independent:
Soybeans 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Effects
Soybeans 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Effects
Soybeans, a potent source of plant-based protein, offer other beneficial plant compounds. They may reduce your risk of cancer and alleviate menopause symptoms, but excessive consumption may cause digestive problems.
Soybeans or soya beans (Glycine max) are a type of legume native to eastern Asia.
They are an important component of Asian diets and have been consumed for thousands of years. Today, they are mainly grown in Asia and South and North America.
In Asia, soybeans are often eaten whole, but heavily processed soy products are much more common in Western countries.
Various soy products are available, including soy flour, soy protein, tofu, soy milk, soy sauce, and soybean oil.
Soybeans contain antioxidants and phytonutrients that are linked to various health benefits. However, concerns have been raised about potential adverse effects.
This article tells you everything you need to know about soybeans.
Cause of painful recurring UTIs discovered by scientists
Cause of painful recurring UTIs discovered by scientists
Scientists from University College London made artificial bladders using human cells and infected the lab organs with six different types of bacteria, including E. coli.
The lab-grown bladders are the most sophisticated in the world, consisting of around eight layers of cells and are the size of a five-pence coin.
Around a quarter of a million people die of UTIs every year globally after contracting a superbug strain of the infection, and one in four UTIs recurs within six months.
Antibiotics work in most cases against UTIs but it was previously not known why some cases do not resolve following medication. The condition disproportionately affects women and is an area that often gets little funding.
Prof Jennifer Rohn, senior author of the study, said the team found a range of ways in which the bacteria avoided being killed by drugs.
“One of the key observations was the importance of persistence,” she added.
“If you want to be a successful pathogen, you have to have strategies that help you to survive treatment and hide from patrolling immune cells, which means you live to fight another day.
“Some species of both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bugs formed pods within the bladder wall, most likely as a way of surviving in this harsh environment.
“If this happens with a friendly bug, this isn’t a problem, but if the bug is causing an infection, this poses a serious problem for diagnosis and treatment because the bacteria aren’t necessarily going to be detected in a urine sample or be in a position where oral antibiotics can reach them.”
The variety in responses from the bacteria shows that a one-size-fits-all approach is unlikely to be effective in treating UTIs.
The researchers also found that human cells are very good at identifying “friendly” bacteria.
“This study confirms what many women who’ve struggled with persistent UTIs already know, which is that the current methods of diagnosing and treating these infections are inadequate,” Prof Rohn said.
Carolyn Andrew, the director of the Chronic Urinary Tract Infection Campaign, said: “This research has been instrumental in providing unequivocal evidence for our national campaign to improve testing and diagnosis of chronic, persistent UTIs.
“Professor Rohn’s work in this field is a vitally important step forwards and should help tens of thousands of women in the UK to receive effective diagnosis and treatment of a chronic infection in their bladders.”
The findings have been published in the journal Science Advances.
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