I am 35 years old and unmarried due to my low self-esteem due to small testicles. Does this condition cause infertility? (Minh Nhat, Ho Chi Minh City)
Reply:
The testicles are sex glands whose main function is to produce sperm and secrete the hormone testosterone. Each person has a different testicle size, depending on genes, heredity... In Vietnamese men, the testicles have an average length of 4-5 cm, width of about 3 cm, thickness of 2-2.5 cm, and an average volume of 12-30 ml. This part is considered small when it is less than 3.5 cm long.
Small testicles can be a sign of certain diseases that affect male fertility, even causing infertility, such as Klinefelter syndrome. This is a condition of hypogonadism with symptoms of underdeveloped or atrophied testicles; hypogonadism due to testosterone deficiency.
There are many other causes such as a history of mumps, accidents, effects from the work environment or infections causing urinary tract infections...
Genital size is an important factor, however, to fully assess a man's spermatogenesis ability, a clinical examination, medical history, diagnostic ultrasound, semen analysis, and testosterone quantification are required. Each case has a specific cause and condition, from which the doctor will treat appropriately.
If you are not married and are worried about the size of your testicles affecting your fertility, you should have a comprehensive reproductive health check-up. If necessary, you can store sperm to preserve your fertility and take the initiative in when to have children in the future.
Men's reproductive health can be affected by many factors such as diseases, injuries, chemicals, smoking, drinking too much alcohol... Therefore, when there are any abnormal symptoms, men, whether married or not, should go to the hospital for early examination and treatment.
Maintain regular reproductive health check-ups, avoid self-medication which can cause severe and prolonged symptoms that are difficult to treat.
MSc. Dr. Duong Quang Huy
Head of Andrology Unit, Center for Reproductive Support
Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City
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