At MCRM Fertility, we are dedicated to helping our patients work through their fertility difficulties and start the families they dream of. If you are suffering from hypogonadism, you may have questions about how it may affect your chances of having children. Discover the impact hypogonadism may have on the ability to have children and what options may be available for you.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphWhat Is Hypogonadism?
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphAccording to Healthline, hypogonadism is a condition in which a person’s body does not make enough, or any, sex hormones. Both women and men can have it. In men, the glands in question are the testicles. For women, they are the ovaries.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphIn women, hypogonadism can cause symptoms like lack of a period or breasts that grow slowly or not at all. For men, symptoms can include things like a small penis or testicles, loss of muscle, and tiredness. In both sexes, this disorder can cause low sex drive, loss of body hair, and hot flashes.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphThere are two types of this disorder: hypergonadotropic and hypogonadotropic. In the hypergonadotropic type, the problem relates to the glands themselves. For whatever reason, the glands are not able to make the hormones at all- often this relates to early atrophy or early menopause. In the hypogonaotropic type, the issue is with the brain signaling to the glands. Often, the glands do not respond appropriately to signaling or the signal is affected by stress or medications.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphHow Does It Affect Fertility?
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphHypogonadism can have a major effect on the ability to have children. In men, it can cause problems like low or no sperm. In women, it can cause dysfunctional ovulation . Some people with hypogonadism may never go through puberty the way they should because the hormones that cause changes of puberty are absent in their bodies.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphSince conceiving a child requires a sperm to fertilize an egg, these problems can make conception difficult.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphWhat Treatments Are Available?
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphThere are several ways to treat this condition. For people with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, treatment usually involves hormone therapy. Taking hormones that the body cannot make can replicate the effects that the hormones naturally would.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphFor women, problems related to hypogonadism are often related to the ovaries’ ability to release an egg. Taking the hormones estrogen and progesterone, usually by shots, can cause ovulation. Sometimes men can also take injections to stimulate sperm production.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphFor patients with other etiologies of hypogonadism, sometimes the problem is a tumor in the brain that stops the sex glands from doing what they normally do. If this is the case, treatment can be surgery or radiation to deal with the tumor.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphHow Can MCRM Fertility Help?
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphAt MCRM Fertility, we have specialists trained in reproductive endocrinology who specialize in treating a wide range of fertility problems. If you are suffering from hypogonadism or other issues, we can help you find a path forward. Whether you end up taking replacement hormones or undergoing another form of treatment, our doctors are experts in the field, and we can work with you to create a treatment plan that suits your needs.
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