Q: What are the risk factors for infertility in men?

A: Environmental factors are a cause of male infertility. The most common environmental factors include use of toxic substances for work, smoking, heavy alcohol use, drug abuse, use of prescription medications for either ulcers or psoriasis, heat exposure to the testes or DES exposure.

Most of the time, women are thought to be the cause of infertility. According to infertility statistics, the break between male and female infertility is about 50/50. In 35% of all infertility, men are the sole person responsible for the lack of conception. Along the same lines, 35% of the time it is the woman that is infertile. Just 20% of the time the infertility is associated with problems common to both the male and female partner. The remaining 10% of the cases have no known cause for infertility.
Environmental factors are a cause of male infertility. The most common environmental factors include use of toxic substances for work, smoking, heavy alcohol use, drug abuse, use of prescription medications for either ulcers or psoriasis, heat exposure to the testes or DES exposure. DES was given to women as part of their prenatal vitamins from 1938 until 1971. It is an estrogen replacement medication that caused fetal birth defects including infertility.
There are also medical risk factors that attribute to increased chance of infertility. These include surgical repair of a hernia, testes that did not drop, genital infection, psoriasis or a history of mumps after passing through puberty.
In both men and women, cancer treatment can reduce fertility either temporarily or permanently. There are preservation techniques available for both men and women who are preparing for cancer treatments that may affect fertility. Preservation methods will need to be completed before cancer treatment begins.