IMPOTENCE AND INFERTILITY IN MEN

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Impotence and infertility are two different terms which are sometimes used interchangeably since one could give rise to the other. An impotent man may have normal sperm production and count but because intercourse couldn't be possible or successful, infertility could occur. We shall, however, consider them differently.

SEXUAL IMPOTENCE
Impotence literally means sexual weakness of the man’s organ. Therefore, a man could be said to be impotent when:

He is not able to achieve an erection.
He is not able to maintain an erection. Thus, may have premature ejaculation or not able to ejaculate at all.

Physiologically, sexual maturity and sperm production begin at puberty, and could persist throughout life. However, it has been observed that sexual potency of man begins to decline after 40. This age dependent sexual fitness varies in people with different sociocultural background. Statistics have also shown great decline in sexual strength of men as generations evolve. For instance, in the olden days, the men above 70 were still sexually active which account for their old age marriages. Interestingly, they still bear children at that age without artificial support.

Nevertheless, the question is; what causes this ages dependent sexual degradation amongst men across the generations? What makes it appear worse this time around? This question has been a puzzle for centuries. Interestingly, the cause was said to be idiopathic (unknown) until recently; courtesy of the evolution of molecular medicine.

INFERTILITY
Infertility simply means an abnormally low ability to reproduce. It could be reversed if the underlying cause is removed. It is important to differentiate it from sterility which is complete inability to reproduce ; an irreversible state. On the other hand considering infertility as it regards childlessness in marriage, a man is said to be infertile when he is not able to impregnate a woman after one year of unprotected sexual intercourse.

THERE ARE TWO TYPES IF INFERTILITY IN MEN:

PRIMARY INFERTILITY; here the infertile man has no past history of impregnating a woman, irrespective of the outcome of the pregnancy i.e Aborted, Miscarriage or Delivered alive or dead.

SECONDARY INFERTILITY; here there is past history of impregnating a woman irrespective of the outcome. This most times give false hope and confidence to most men. To such men their wives must always be held responsible for any childlessness in the marriage. That of course is a gross misconception and deception. It is very important to reeemphasize here that a man could have many children years before but still come down with not only infertility but complete sterility.