Check sperm count, ovaries before saying ‘I do’ – Doctors

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When a couple walks down the aisle, the next logical expectation is for them to have babies. However, this does not happen for some couples who, after clinical assessment, are diagnosed with infertility.

A fertility consultant at Roswell Women and Children Hospital in Kampala, Dr Joseph Muhumuza, describes infertility as “failure to conceive after 12 consecutive months of regular and unprotected sexual intercourse.” This applies to couples under 35 years old. For women over 35, “only six months of trial” are given before they are declared infertile.

Out of every 100 couples he sees, about 20% grapple with fertility, says Dr Muhumuza. Of these, for 35–40%, it is the women with the challenge. “The men also take an equal share when screened,” he explains. In about 10% of the couples struggling to conceive, the cause cannot be identified.

Infertility in women

The main cause of infertility in women, Dr Muhumuza says, are issues with the fallopian tubes, accounting for 40–50% of cases, especially in couples under 35. “They may be blocked from chronic infections or damaged by other health conditions, especially endometriosis.” Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside it.

Lately, infertility is also linked to ovarian factors, particularly in women aged 35 to 45, as their ovarian reserve declines or eggs are nearly depleted.

Dr Muhumuza adds that fibroids are increasing among young women, which if numerous, block the fallopian tubes.

Another fertility expert at Roswell Women and Children Hospital, Dr Denis Kinene, highlights other causes of infertility among women include hormonal disorders. These occur when “there is too much or too little of a hormone in the blood. Depending on which hormone is out of balance, the common symptoms include weight changes, low sex drive and acne,” Dr Kinene notes.

Men not spared either

The most common cause of infertility in men is azoospermia (absence of sperm in semen), according to Dr Muhumuza.

“Azoospermia is testicular failure where the testes shut down. The brain is doing its job of producing the hormone, but the sperms are not being formed,” he says.

Some men have obstructions in the sperm transport system, and in rare cases, varicose veins in the scrotum interfere with sperm production.

Dr Muhumuza estimates that out of 10 men battling fertility issues, six have azoospermia. The rest may have a reduced sperm count or low sperm concentration.

“Men who have suffered trauma to the testes, had mumps, or have been exposed to radiation or medications affecting sperm production, are also at high risk of infertility,” says Dr Anthony Kayiira from LifeSure Fertility Centre in Kamwokya, a Kampala suburb.

Help is here!

If you are planning to wed and start a family, or are already facing fertility challenges, then the Bride and Groom Expo is the place to be, this weekend (June 27-29)! Happening at the Uganda Manufacturers' Association multi-purpose hall, Lugogo, Kampala, you will have an opportunity to consult fertility experts. At an entrance fee of sh10,000 per person (much cheaper than a doctor's consultation), you will have the opportunity to attend fertility experts' talk at 3:00 pm on Saturday (June 28). The topics lined up include:

Evaluation of an infertile couple – What steps to take when you're struggling to conceive

Common gynaecological conditions that affect fertility

Assisted reproductive treatments – such as ovulation induction and in vitro fertilisation

Come prepared to learn as well as consult the fertility experts, and get answers to any questions you may have.