The Causes Of Male Sterility And What To Do About Them
For years, researchers were never sure about the exact causes of male sterility and why the semen production seemed to be functioning abnormally. But, according to researchers at the University of Southern California, “It is plausible to speculate that male infertility may be added to the growing list of adulthood diseases that have resulted from fetal origins.” Their data, published in the December 12 issue of Public Library of Science One, found that men with low sperm counts had unusually high levels of methylation, which is one way the body regulates gene expression. As an embryo develops, epigenetic reprogramming and DNA methylation takes place. USC Professor of obstetrics and gynecology Rebecca Sokol, M.D. explains, “Disturbance of epigenetic programming can result in abnormal gene activity or function, even if there is no change in DNA sequence.” While the precise reason for infertility is still to be determined, there are many other risk factors and approaches to infertility treatments for men.