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There are multiple causes of azoospermia. Our specialists use semen analysis to find the reason for azoospermia.

Obstructive azoospermia causes

Obstructive azoospermia can develop for many reasons:

• Vasectomy— Many men choose vasectomies for long-term birth control. Your vas deferens (tube carrying sperm toward the penis) is cut, and the tissue is safely sealed off (cauterized) during the procedure. A vasectomy is the most common cause of obstructive azoospermia.

• Cystic fibrosis (CF)—CF is a genetic disorder. It causes lung damage and digestive problems. In most men with CF, the tube and ducts that transport sperm don’t develop properly. This is called congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens.

• Ejaculatory duct obstruction—Your ejaculatory ducts take sperm from your vas deferens to your urethra. Your urethra is the tube where urine and semen leave your body. Growths (cysts) that are present at birth or scarring from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may block these ducts.

• Phimosis—Your foreskin is tight and can’t move back (retract) over your penis. This can block semen from exiting your penis. 

• Surgical complications—Surgeries on your groin could injure your vas deferens. For example, repairing an inguinal hernia (bulge in your groin area) could lead to azoospermia. 

Causes of Non-Obstructive Azoospermia

Non-obstructive azoospermia can be divided into two sub-types:

• Pretesticular non-obstructive azoospermia: These conditions affect the hormones you need to make sperm.  

• Testicular non-obstructive azoospermia: These conditions prevent your testes from making normal sperm.

Pretesticular Non-obstructive Azoospermia Causes

• Elevated estradiol—Estradiol is a form of estrogen that affects male sexual function.

• Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism—This condition prevents your pituitary gland from making the hormones needed to create sperm.  

• Hypothyroidism—An underactive or slow thyroid gland can affect sexual health and sperm count.

• Kallman syndrome—Kallman syndrome is a genetic condition that delays or prevents puberty.

• Pituitary tumors—Your pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland that produces and stores hormones. Growths on your pituitary gland can affect your hormones.

• Use of certain medications or treatments—Antidepressants or some heart disease medications can cause non-obstructive azoospermia. Chemotherapy can also damage the hormones that make sperm.

Testicular Non-obstructive Azoospermia Causes

• Exposure to gonadotoxins— Industrial chemicals, radiation, or chemotherapy can damage your testes. Chemotherapy can also damage the hormones that make sperm.

• Klinefelter syndrome (KS)—KS is a genetic condition that causes your testes to produce little to no sperm. 

• Noonan syndrome—Noonan syndrome is a genetic condition that causes your sperm to not develop properly.

• Orchiectomy—This surgery removes one or both testicles. You may have an orchiectomy to treat testicular cancer, a traumatic injury, twisted testicles, or as a gender affirmation surgery.

• Post-pubertal mumps orchitis—A mumps infection in your testicles after puberty can alter your ability to make sperm.

• Sertoli-cell-only (SCO) syndrome—SCO syndrome is a condition that causes your testes to have no sperm cells.

• Testicular cancer—Testicular cancer causes irregular cells to grow and divide uncontrollably in your testicles.

• Undescended testicles—In some cases, your testicles don’t move down into their proper position before you are born. Without surgical correction, mature sperm may not develop properly.

• ³Õ²¹°ù¾±³¦´Ç³¦±ð±ô±ð—A varicocele is an enlarged vein in your scrotum.