Only one in four men has optimal semen quality, a consultant gynaecologist, Dr Victor Ajayi, said, citing a 2012 study.

Mr Ajayi, the chief executive officer of Nordica Fertility Centre, said this during a webinar organised by the centre on Saturday.

The webinar had the theme, “The Forgotten Men: Conversation on Infertility.”

Mr Ajayi said periodic studies by the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicated a global decline in male reproductive potential, with sperm counts falling by more than 50 per cent over the past five decades.

According to him, only a few men now produce the 39 million sperm concentration considered necessary for natural conception.

He said this contrasted with the 300 million to 500 million sperm per ejaculate commonly recorded decades ago.

Mr Ajayi warned that the trend could have profound implications for human reproduction if left unchecked.

He attributed declining sperm quality to obesity, unhealthy lifestyles, sperm DNA fragmentation, scrotal overheating, psychological factors and other health conditions.

The gynaecologist decried the perception of infertility as a woman’s problem, saying men accounted for about 50 per cent of infertility cases.

He said infertility had been culturally and socially framed as a female problem, leaving women to bear stigma, undergo investigations and shoulder emotional burdens.

He noted that male infertility remained largely overlooked in spite of evidence showing that men contributed significantly to infertility cases.

“It is time to bring men into the conversation about reproductive health, not as bystanders, but as equal participants whose fertility matters,” he said.

The fertility specialist said many of the factors affecting sperm quality were preventable and could be addressed through sustained lifestyle changes.

He called for increased public awareness, early intervention and proper counselling to address male infertility and encourage shared responsibility in reproductive health.

Also speaking, Pilot Gbolahan, Clinical Psychologist at Nordica Fertility Centre, said men rarely display their emotional problems.

Mr Gbolahan noted that many men were emotionally distant while suffering from depression caused by infertility and equally avoided therapy.

“Infertility is a medical condition, not a reflection of masculinity or strength.

“Male factors contribute to 50 per cent of infertility cases, yet many men delay seeking fertility evaluation.

“Breaking the silence is the first step towards finding a solution”, he said.

The psychologist said early assessment could make a significant difference. He advocated for routine psychological services within fertility clinics and reproductive healthcare settings across Nigeria.

Dr Jesse Atongo, a consultant gynaecologist at Nordica Fertility Centre, added that many men equated sexual function to reproductive capacity.

He stated that infertility could be diagnosed through medical history, physical examination and semen analysis.

The gynaecologist noted that male infertility treatment was individualised based on the identified etiology, severity of sperm impairment and the couple’s overall fertility profile.

According to him, infertility could be managed through medications, surgery and assisted reproduction. He encouraged men to eschew illicit substances, excessive heat, and alcohol, and maintain a healthy weight and safe sex.

(NAN)