What is congenital azoospermia?

Testicular azoospermia implies that there is a disorder of sperm production in the testicles themselves. The disorder may be congenital (i.e., the problem is present from birth) or acquired. Sperm production may be entirely absent or may involve arrest during an early or late stage of sperm maturation.

What is obstructive azoospermia?

Obstructive azoospermia (OA) is defined as the absence of spermatozoa in the ejaculate despite normal spermatogenesis. OA is a common urologic condition and accounts for 6.1% (1) to 13.6% (2) of patients presenting for fertility evaluation.

What is idiopathic azoospermia?

Idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia (INOA) consists a special group of men characterized by eugonadism, primary infertility, low testicular volume, azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia and high follicle stimulating hormone values.

How many types of azoospermia are there?

There are two types of azoospermia: Obstructive Azoospermia (OA) Non-Obstructive Azoospermia (NOA)

What are the different types of azoospermia?

There are two main types of azoospermia: Obstructive azoospermia: This type of azoospermia means that there is a blockage or missing connection in the epididymis, vas deferens, or elsewhere along your reproductive tract. You are producing sperm but it’s getting blocked from exit so there’s no measurable amount of sperm in your semen.

Where does the sperm go when you have azoospermia?

It travels through the reproductive tract and mixes with the fluid that’s found in the seminal ducts. Together, the sperm and this fluid make semen —- the thick, white ejaculate that comes out of the penis. With azoospermia, the sperm is taken out of the equation. You may have ejaculate, but it doesn’t contain sperm.

What causes obstruction in the vas deferens in azoospermia?

Klinefelter syndrome is another possibility, and may result when a person is born with chromosomes XXY instead of XY. This obstructive type is present in about 40 percent of azoospermia cases. Obstruction may happen due to a missing connection somewhere, like in the epididymis or vas deferens tubes that move and store sperm.

Is there a cure for non obstructive azoospermia?

Non-obstructive azoospermia may or may not respond to medical treatment. But there’s some good news: You may still be able to achieve pregnancy with a biological child through in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection. How? Your doctor can extract sperm from the testes using a tiny needle.