Curriculum · Gynecology / Women's Health / Infertility / Perinatal Care / Birth Spacing
Azoospermia
What it is
Azoospermia is the absence of sperm cells in semen. It is best held against the other semen analysis terms it is confused with:
- Oligospermia or oligozoospermia: a reduced number of spermatozoa in semen.
- Hypospermia: reduced seminal volume.
- Aspermia: complete lack of semen.
- Teratospermia: a raised share of sperm with abnormal morphology.
- Asthenozoospermia: reduced sperm motility.
- Necrozoospermia: all ejaculated sperm are dead.
- Leucospermia: raised white blood cells in semen.
Causes and risk
The causes divide into gonadal failure, disorders of sperm transport, hypothalamic or pituitary dysfunction, and ejaculation dysfunction.
- Gonadal failure, congenital: Klinefelter syndrome, Y chromosome microdeletions, cystic fibrosis, Kallman syndrome.
- Gonadal failure, acquired: trauma, radiation, cryptorchidism, varicocele, mumps, orchitis, TB, testicular torsion.
- Disorders of sperm transport: absence of the vas deferens, and primary ciliary dyskinesia, which is Kartagener syndrome, where the patient presents with recurrent sinus infection and bronchiectasis.
- Hypothalamic or pituitary dysfunction.
- Ejaculation dysfunction, meaning retrograde ejaculation, or impotence.