#AsktheDoctor
Question: Dear Doctor, For a long time, I have had two women who have failed to bear children. Recently, together with my wives, we were told to do tests to confirm our fertility status.
Results indicated that my wives were okay, but mine showed I had low sperm count. Does this mean I am infertile?
Tom
Answer: Dear Tom, Having low sperm count does not necessarily make you infertile because the sperm is available but in low quantities, which limits your ability to have a child.
According to the World Health Organisation, a man should have at least 15 million sperm in a single ejaculation to be able to make a woman pregnant.
If a man is found to have low sperm count, fertility experts advise him to use assisted reproductive technologies, for example, testicular sperm extraction and in vitro fertilisation.
If the man, for whatever reason, has no sperm, he is advised to use donated sperm.
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Ask the Doctor questions were answered by Dr Edward Sali, a senior gynaecologist and fertility expert at Women’s Hospital International and Fertility Centre, Bukoto (Kampala) and Dr Gideon Kurigamba, a gastrointestinal surgeon at Mulago National Referral Hospital. He spoke to Agnes Kyotalengerire.