[jeferyjohn]

In men, infertility can be the result of a blockage either in the epididymis (the coiled tubes which store and carry sperm from the testes) or the vas deferens (the two tubes that carry sperm from the epididymis ready for ejaculation). Other causes include poor sperm quality, low sperm motility (the sperm's ability to move), a semen deficiency, or not having enough (or any) sperm to begin with.

Possible solutions: Just as women often undergo surgery to open blocked fallopian tubes, men may have an operation to clear their blocked tubes (again, a full assessment, including hormonal tests and an evaluation of sperm motility, precedes surgery). If something else is at the root of the problem an operation may not be necessary. Instead, fertility drugs may boost sperm production, or a man's sperm can be sampled and used to artificially inseminate his partner using IUI Another option that has become increasingly popular for the treatment of male fertility problems is intracytoplasmic sperm injectio(ICS), which involves injecting sperm directly into the egg as part of an IVF treatment. The use of donor sperm is another solution for some couples with a male-factor problem.