Male Infertility Treatment

Why Choose HMC for Male Infertility Treatment?

Treatment of male infertility in Israel is carried out by specialist experts at Herzliya Medical Center’s private hospital at the IVF Department. At HMC, innovative diagnostics and treatment of reproductive disorders are carried out by leading experts. The application of advanced techniques based on the latest scientific developments has allowed our specialists at Herzliya Medical Center to achieve outstanding results in the treatment of male infertility.

Dr. Shai Shefi – leading andrologist (male infertility specialist) at Herzliya Medical Center. Dr. Shefi spent two years at the University of San Francisco (UCSF), USA, where he underwent his fellowship in the field of advanced methods of diagnosis and treatment of male infertility. Returning to Israel, he became a pioneer in the field of microsurgical treatment of male infertility.

 Male Infertility

In recent years there has been a sharp increase regarding the unlikelihood of spontaneous fertilization, this is due to a number of male or female factors. A couple is considered infertile when they are unable to conceive naturally after a year. According to scientific research, about 15% of couples are unable to conceive naturally. Male infertility accounts for 40% of infertility cases due to underlying disorders.

Unexplained infertility is a phenomenon defining 15% of infertile couples that undergo all required tests, without reaching a diagnosis from a physician. Modern medicine at Herzliya Medical Center successfully addresses these problems.

Causes of Male Infertility

In the complex mechanism of the male reproductive system, a few possible factors lead to the development of male infertility, the main reasons are:

• Hormonal dysfunction as a consequence of congenital or acquired disorders of the endocrine glands
• Genetic mutations that lead to anatomical or physiological disorders of male genital organs
• Erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation or difficulty
• Neurological diseases, including the effects of trauma and spinal and pelvic injuries
• Consequences of infectious and inflammatory diseases of the male genital organs and prostate
• Metabolic disorders
• Autoimmune diseases
• Cryptorchidism (undescended testicles)
• Varicocele – varicose veins in the testicle
• Hypospadias – abnormal exit opening of the urethra
• The impact of drugs, including the uncontrolled use of anabolic steroids
• The impact of alcohol, smoking, and household chemicals containing heavy metal salts
• Exposure to ionizing radiation
• Obesity
• Prolonged overheating of the testes associated with a sedentary lifestyle, the specifics of some professions and some sports (cycling)

Male Infertility Diagnosis in Israel

In Israel at Herzliya Medical Center, patients undergo a full diagnostic assessment to establish the cause of male (or female) infertility. The main methods diagnosing male infertility:

• Compiling a comprehensive medical history and physical examination
• Full semen analysis, establishing the number, shape, and motility of sperm
• Antisperm Antibody Test
• Laboratory studies of hormone levels in the blood
• Full biochemical blood tests for the presence of metabolic disorders
• General and bacteriological analysis of the urine, as well as microscopic examination of the urine for the presence of sperm, indicating inappropriate ejaculation
• Genetic studies on the presence of chromosomal mutations
• Ultrasound examination of the genital organs, as well as a study on the method of Doppler blood vessels of the penis and scrotum
• Study of erectile function
• Aspiration biopsy of the testicle with a needle

Treatment of Male Infertility in Israel

Once a diagnosis has been made, specialists at Herzliya Medical Center can then provide a detailed consultation as to effective therapy. The main treatments available for male infertility at HMC are:

• Drug therapy to balance hormonal levels and to stimulate the production of sperm. This is effective in the majority of cases of congenital or acquired hormonal dysfunction
• Surgical intervention of varicose veins, hypospadias, narrowing duct will restore reproductive function, impaired as a consequence of these diseases
• Medical and alternative treatment for erectile dysfunction
• Treatment of acute and chronic infectious diseases, taking into account the sensitivity of microorganisms to antibiotics
• Treatment of autoimmune disorders

Artificial insemination (in vitro fertilization, IVF) is usually recommended when the aforementioned treatment options are unsuccessful. At Herzliya Medical Center we also offer the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), in the cases of poor quality sperm, the sperm if artificially injected into the cytoplasm of the egg. In contrast to the classical procedure of IVF, ICSI fertilization allows for a minimal number of sperm (obtained by testicular puncture), this is also regardless of their degree of mobility.

The treatment outcome of reproductive disorders depends on the accurate diagnoses of both primary and secondary dysfunction causes.

The wealth of experience and professionalism of the specialists at Herzliya Medical Center ensure quality treatment and a strictly personal approach in the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility. The availability of advanced medicine in Israel (and at HMC) allow for effective solutions in addressing the majority of infertility cases.