Agglutination is the cause of male infertility

For conceiving a child, it is important that partners are healthy. Not only the female body must be ready for this. It is important that the male sex glands produce healthy and active sperm that can fertilize the egg.

If a girl cannot get pregnant for a long time, both partners need to see a doctor. In this case, men need to take a spermogram. On the basis of this study, doctors determine the state of the germ cells. After all, one of the most common causes of infertility in men is sperm adhesion - agglutination.

What is sperm agglutination?

This is a medical term - a certain number of male sex cells that have not lost their mobility, but cannot perform their main function. In this case, the two gametes are glued together. This pathological process can be observed in both sick and healthy men. Normally, they repel each other, as they carry a negative charge, so spermagglutination does not occur.

There are several types of agglutination:

• true or specific. When the heads or tails stick together as a result, the sperm lose their mobility and ability to fertilize;
• false - merging of gametes with sperm fractions, while they also lose the ability to move normally. It is also called nonspecific agglutination;
• mixed - sperm can stick together or with other elements of semen. It is rarely diagnosed.

Visually, you can notice a change in the structure of the seminal fluid, it thickens noticeably, and lumps are formed in it.

4 degrees of adhesion, which are indicated in the spermatogram:

Why is this happening?

The agglutination process starts at the moment when antisperm antibodies (ASAT) appear on the germ cells. They act on sperm in such a way that they begin to stick together or with other cellular structures.

The body protects the sex cells of men from contact with blood, which can occur in the seminiferous tubules. Therefore, there are Sertoli cells (blood testicular barrier). They also protect sperm from cells of their own immune system, which would destroy them, considering them foreign, all because they contain a haploid set of chromosomes, only half of the complete set of other cells in the body.

When these important cells lose their function, the sperm come into contact with the immune system, which begins to destroy them, mistaking them for foreign ones. At this moment, the production of agglutinins occurs, they cover the gametes. A strong bond is formed between them, as a result of which the cells lose their main function and ability to move.

Reasons for adhesion of germ cells

Semen agglutination can occur for many reasons. First of all, a malfunction of the immune system occurs, while the body becomes vulnerable to the action of environmental factors.

There are also the following main factors:

• trauma to the organs of the reproductive system;
• hormonal changes;
• inflammatory processes developing in the genitals;
• malfunctioning of the immune system;
• pathology of sweat glands;
• infectious diseases;
• change in the structure of the semen;
• heredity;
• bad habits;
• taking certain medications;
• sexually transmitted diseases.

Due to injury, the pelvic organs can be squeezed or displaced. At the same time, the tissues that surround the genitals are also damaged, their nutrition is disrupted, and the cells begin to die off. In this environment, an inflammatory process develops, in which agglutination occurs.

The hormonal background is very important for the normal functioning of the whole organism, including the reproductive system. The amount of testosterone in the blood, the male sex hormone, determines the appearance of an erection and the production of sperm. If the body produces it in insufficient quantities, spermatogenesis is impaired.

If the semen, in which the cells move along the genital tract, becomes too viscous, the sperm simply begin to adhere to its components, the speed of their movement slows down. This is because the level of peptides increases.

When diseases of an infectious nature develop in the body, this is often accompanied by an inflammatory process. Pathogens destroy healthy cells of the body, dead cells accumulate in the affected area. If such a process occurs in the organs of the reproductive system, false agglutination develops. When sperm cells start to stick together with dead cells.

Diagnostics

Agglutination is a diagnosis and is given to patients only after receiving spermatogram results.But before passing it, the patient needs to do a MAR test. This is a special study that shows the mobility of gametes damaged by antisperm antibodies, their number correlates with the number of normal cells. Since the cells damaged by proteins will be included in the percentage of healthy cells on the spermagram.

To pass the test, you must donate sperm and blood from a vein. It is better to pass both analyzes on the same day.

If the number of healthy germ cells is more than 50%, this is a positive result.

The spermatogram describes the condition of the semen in more detail. The semen is collected by masturbation in a sterile container, this can be done in the hospital or at home. The biomaterial should be brought in for analysis no later than an hour after collection.

Disease Treatment

Doctors not only diagnose agglutination, but also find out the reason for the development of the process. Only after that, appropriate treatment is prescribed, which is aimed at eliminating the cause. If the disease is of an infectious nature, drugs are prescribed that will kill harmful microorganisms.

There are two main treatments, surgical and medical.

If a man suffers from chronic diseases, the medications that he regularly takes can affect the state of sperm. Some medications can lead to the death of germ cells or to impairment of their development. Therefore, if during treatment there is a suspicion of the development of the process of adhesion of germ cells, this should be discussed with the attending physician. If a spermogram is needed, the medication may need to be discontinued, and this should also be discussed with your doctor.

Doctors prescribe antibiotics to fight microorganisms. After a course of taking these drugs, the patient is prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They reduce tissue tone and relieve inflammation. So the body is cleared of dead cells faster, this contributes to the recovery of sperm.

Surgical treatment is resorted to only in cases where the vascular pathways are affected by diseases of the vascular system (varicocele of the second and third degree). Also in case of testicular torsion and in the treatment of the last stage of prostate adenoma.

For successful fertilization, the sperm are washed. In this case, healthy cells are separated from damaged ones. Then the purified sperm is injected into the woman's vagina for fertilization. If this does not happen, the sperm are injected with a special syringe directly into the body of the uterus.

Sperm agglutination is one of the causes of infertility. Therefore, if the spouses cannot conceive a child for a long time, they should consult a specialist.