What is poor morphology?
Poor morphology means that the size and shape of the sperm are abnormal. The defect in the sperm will be in the head and/or tail of the sperm. These changes make it more difficult for the sperm to reach the egg or even penetrate the egg once it does get there. Regardless, a very high percentage of poor morphology negatively affects fertility.
How is poor sperm morphology related to Male Factor?
Male Factor is a category of infertility issues stemming from a problem with either sperm production or the passage of sperm out of the man’s body and into the woman’s (i.e., an internal blockage of some kind). So, poor sperm morphology (teratozoospermia) is definitely related to Male Factor. Approximately 1 in 6 couples today experience infertility, and have trouble getting pregnant. Of those, somewhere between a third and half are experiencing infertility because of Male Factor fertility issues. Research has shown that acupuncture and herbal medicine can help. Generally speaking, results are better when both the man and woman are receiving treatment in tandem. It takes two to tango, after all.
What causes poor morphology?
The causes of poor sperm morphology are not understood. Some
of the conditions that may affect sperm morphology include:
- Diseases, such as celiac, Hodgkin’s, or Crohn’s
- Causes of low sperm motility can also affect sperm morphology, such as testicular swelling (varicocele), environmental factors, and lifestyle
- Chemical exposure
- Hyperthermia (i.e., the testicles are too hot)
How is poor morphology (teratozoospermia) treated by acupuncture?
From a purely Chinese medicine perspective, problems with the form of things, like shape of sperm, are usually indicative of a problem with the Jing (Essence) of the body, or the Kidney.- Acupuncture and Chinese herb can supplement the kidney essence, generate the energy
- Male exercise is also helpful together with wht cupping