The idea used to be that if men had high levels of FSH, then they did not have obstructive azoospermia. That is, if a man’s body was trying really hard to make sperm, sending out more and more FSH, then there was no possibility of finding “pockets” of sperm production that in turn could be used in in vitro fertilization.

Nowadays many doctors will save the expense of FSH testing and go straight to biopsy. However, before you authorize this procedure, make doubly sure your doctor has eliminated the possibility that you have obstructive azoospermia. Surgical treatment of a problem with a vein can be far more successful and far less expensive than IVF.

Generally speaking, “alternative” methods of azoospermia as a cause of male infertility are not a wise investment of money. Many clinics in India advertise “discount” male infertility treatment, which turns out to be yoga instruction.

Herbal remedies occasionally help obstructive azoospermia, but they need to be prescribed by an herbalist with specific knowledge of and experience with male infertility. The herbal formulas that treat obstructive azoospermia caused by inflammation after sexual transmitted disease are not the herbal formulas that might restore the testicular “plumbing” after chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Nutritional supplements are often helpful when the problem is a low sperm count, but they are almost never helpful when the problem is no sperm count. L-carnitine, folic acid, and zinc will not cause problems and they are inexpensive, but no man seeking to become a father who has been diagnosed with azoospermia should rely on nutritional supplements just to save money, when other treatments are available.

Treatment cost is not the only consideration. Make sure you fully understand the possible causes of azoospermia and do not automatically say “yes” when your doctor leads you in the direction of an expensive treatment.

For someone that has no experience the person could be wondering what is ICSI IVF male infertility treatment?   The procedure involves removing eggs from the body of the female and using special tools and equipment under the expertise of an embryologist who will select and secure individual sperm using an ICSI needle.  The needle is then placed through the outer shell of the egg and through the membrane of the egg; the sperm are directly injected into the cytoplasm (inner portion) of the ovum.

For couples trying to conceive, ICSI IVF yields an approximate 75-85% success rate over standard IVF.   There are no couples that could be precluded from trying ICSI IVF, some infertility specialists will only use it in cases of severe male infertility however, while some use it in more cases than not. There are some reasons why a couple trying to have a baby may want to use ICSI IVF:

• Severe male infertility
• Impaired sperm motility
• Do not want to use donor sperm
• Low sperm concentration
• Low egg yield from the woman
• Have already tried traditional IVF with no success

For more information about what is ICSI IVF male infertility treatment, a couple should not only read about the topic, but should also ask their fertility specialist for more information as well.  Fertilization rates for couples trying to conceive using ICSI IVF are about 70-80% higher than with other methods, which means the procedure works well in certain cases.

For a couple desiring to have a baby and are experiencing difficulty getting pregnant, ICSI IVF offers new reason to hope.  When considering all the recent advancements in the world of reproductive medicine, this is yet another option for infertile couples which can bring them the baby of their dreams.