Male Infertility Testing in Cleveland, OH

Dr. Nannan Thirumavalavan, MD is a board-certified urologist based in Cleveland, who specializes in male infertility. With extensive expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility, Dr. Thirumavalavan can offer valuable guidance and support to men dealing with this condition. Schedule an appointment today at our urology clinic in Cleveland to receive a personalized treatment plan and improve your quality of life.

What Is Male Infertility?

Infertility can be caused by either partner or sometimes both of them. If the male partner is the source of conception issues, then it is known as a case of male infertility.

How Common is Male Infertility?

15 percent of couples are unable to get pregnant during their first year of unprotected intercourse. In one-third of couples, the man and woman contribute equally to the difficulty of conceiving, and in another third of couples, only the man contributes to infertility.

How Dr. Nannan Thirumavalavan Can Help

Infertility can be a very personal thing to discuss with your partner as well as with your provider. Dr. Thirumavalavan, is specially trained to help answer your questions and assist with a wide range of infertility issues.

After years of medical school and a residency in urology, Dr. Thirumavalavan also completed a fellowship in Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery giving him extra insights and training for this complex condition.

Dr. Thirumavalavan values compassionate, thoughtful care and is comfortable discussing sensitive topics such as infertility and erectile dysfunction.

What Causes Male Infertility?

Conception is a lengthy process that requires a lot of unique events to occur in perfect order at exactly the right time. This leaves room for lots of potential problems along the way.

Some common causes of male infertility that Dr. Thirumavalavan can help with include issues related to the sperm.

Male Infertility Causes Related to Sperm

• Problems with the sperm – this may include oddly shaped, small quantities, poorly developed sperm, slow sperm, or inability to produce any sperm at all
• Adjusting medications – some medications used to treat common illnesses like high blood pressure, depression, infections, arthritis, digestive diseases, or cancer can alter the sperm’s functionality
• Low hormone levels – another potential cause of male infertility since a lack of crucial male hormones can lead to low sperm count or poor sperm growth

Other Causes of Male Infertility

Even with great sperm, some men can still experience problems in conceiving a child.

• Having a blockage within the reproductive tract that may have been caused by a congenital or acquired defect.
• Swollen veins in the scrotum called varicoceles are also thought to worsen a man’s fertility functions. These varicoceles supply the scrotum with excess blood, which overheats the scrotum and kills many of the sperm living inside.
• Men who suffer from retrograde ejaculation are unable to get their sperm to the woman’s egg because instead of exiting through the urethra, the sperm is directed back into the man’s bladder.

Determining Male Infertility

In order to appropriately treat a case of male fertility, Dr. Thirumavalavan will first need to diagnose the source of the problem. To determine the cause of your male infertility, Dr. Thirumavalavan takes a comprehensive health history.

He may also order tests that include:

• Blood work to test for hormones or infection
• Semen tests to identify characteristics of sperm

This process will typically begin by checking the patient’s sperm to see if it is indeed healthy or not. If the exact cause is still unclear after this initial investigation then further tests will need to be conducted to determine what is preventing the sperm from reaching or properly fertilizing the partner’s egg.

Our staff members know this can be a sensitive issue. Therefore, we strive to offer compassionate support for each couple under their care. Give Dr. Thirumavalavan a call today.