Male infertility is a common problem that many men face in their lives. It can be a frustrating journey, but here at The Y Factor we’re here to help ease some of that frustration with tried and true methods to help men improve their fertility. One of those methods is checking for bacteria in the prostate. This is important because bacteria can play a part in decreasing your fertility status. Even if you are not having any symptoms of prostatitis, bacteria may be affecting your sperm quality regardless. Studies have shown that bacteria in the prostate, also known as prostatitis, can contribute to the deterioration of sperm (Moretti, 2009). Specifically, bacteria are known to “attack” sperm, causing changes to their shape and motility. Why this is important is because if sperm shape and motility are altered, they are not able to fertilize the egg as effectively, causing fertility issues. 

Prostatitis is not sexually transmitted, but can cause symptoms similar to a urinary tract infection and diagnosis is accurately made through semen evaluation. Prostatitis can also contribute to sperm DNA damage, which can result in infertility.

At The Y factor, we treat prostatitis very effectively by giving antibiotics that the bacteria are sensitive to, rather than guessing what antibiotic to use. We understand the importance of fertility and bacteria affecting it, so we take it with great caution. We will take all the necessary steps to ensure your fertility status is up to par. 

Resources 

Moretti, E., Capitani, S., Figura, N., Pammolli, A., Federico, M. G., Giannerini, V., & Collodel, G. (2009). The presence of bacteria species in semen and sperm quality. Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics, 26(1), 47–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-008-9283-5

Kyle Garrow is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC). Kyle earned his bachelor’s degree in nursing from Sam Houston State University and a Master’s degree in family nursing practice from Houston Baptist University.

Trained under Dr. Russel Willams, M.D. and Dr. Tristan Grimaldo, DNP, Kyle is ready to provide top notch care to every patient at The Y Factor by executing our standard of care with his unique ability to connect with patients.