Rockville, MD – Men’s Health Awareness Month occurs every November to heighten awareness and provide education about cancers specific to men as well as men’s mental health. Separate from Men’s Health Month recognized in June, November’s Men’s Health Awareness Month raises awareness and support for men coping with prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health issues, and suicide.
Shady Grove Fertility’s (SGF) Center for Male Fertility is led by Director of Reproductive Urology Paul Shin, M.D., and reproductive urologist Cori Tanrikut, M.D., to provide patients unique and integrated reproductive urologic care. The program offers comprehensive male infertility services that ensure continuity of care and communication with both partners before, during, and after treatment.
SGF physicians strongly encourage proactive male fertility preservation prior to cancer treatment
Similar to egg and embryo freezing, men have the opportunity to freeze their sperm to preserve fertility when faced with testicular tumors or other cancers. Cryopreservation of sperm is a viable option for men to safeguard their fertility prior to undergoing cancer treatments.
“At times, men may need to make critical preemptive decisions to preserve their fertility, even if starting a family is a future concept,” explains Cori Tanrikut, M.D. “Men’s Health Awareness Month brings conversations like cancer and mental health to the forefront, so men are aware of the resources available to them during some of life’s most tumultuous times.”
For SGF patients Hannah and John, cryopreservation of John’s sperm helped them start the family they always wanted. John is a two-time cancer survivor, once diagnosed at the age of 6 and again at 16. His more aggressive form of acute lymphocytic leukemia spread to his spine, brain, and testicles. It was at a young age that John had to make the decision to freeze his sperm to secure hope for starting a family of his own one day. After a year of marriage, John and Hannah decided to build their family at SGF through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Because John made the decision to freeze his sperm, he was able to conceive a healthy biological girl.
When it comes to male-risk cancers, while testicular cancer is relatively rare – about 1 of every 250 men will develop it at some point throughout life, however, it is the most common form of cancer for American males between 15- to 35-years old. Read more about how SGF patients Tori and Svenas well as Amanda and Sean turned to sperm cryopreservation prior to treatment so that one day they could start their families.
SGF physicians help couples overcome male-factor infertility
In addition to sperm cryopreservation, SGF’s Center for Male Fertility offers a range of male services from basic fertility evaluation and testing to surgical interventions and state-of-the-art microsurgical techniques, including:
- varicocele repair
- vasectomy reversal
- percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA)
- testicular sperm extraction (TESE)
For men whose family-building is complete, SGF’s reproductive urologists also specialize in no-needle, no-scalpel vasectomy.
SGF offers a wide array of resources for men seeking more knowledge on reproductive health:
- The Lifecycle of Sperm: Sperm Development
- Overcoming Male Factor Infertility
- Improve Sperm Count: Sperm Quality Checklist
- Male Fertility On-Demand Webinar
Struggling with infertility can affect your mental health
Nearly one in eight couples will face infertility, with male factor infertility accounting for nearly 40 to 50 percent of all infertility cases. Understandably, this causes medical, emotional, physical, and financial stress.
“Between 60 and 70 percent of the population experience some issues with sexual health and fertility, whether it is delayed ejaculation, premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, or decreased libido,” explains Dr. Shin. “When they come to us, we work through those issues with patients, which may be physical, but also complicated by anxiety and a loss of confidence.”
SGF offers individual or couples’ professional counseling and support groups for male and female patients:
- Following a pregnancy loss
- Following a treatment cycle(s) that was unsuccessful
- When considering third-party reproduction, such as using donor eggs, donor sperm, and/or a gestational carrier
- When considering transitioning from one treatment to another or when considering discontinuing treatment altogether
- When financial, emotional, physical, or relationship obstacles seem to be insurmountable
- At the start of any feelings of isolation or depression
- If the coping strategies they once found to be helpful no longer seem to be working
To schedule an appointment with our reproductive urologists, Drs. Shin or Tanrikut, or any of SGF’s reproductive endocrinologists, call 1-888-761-1967 or complete this brief online request form.
About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)
SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 85,000 babies born and 5,000+ 5-star patient reviews. With 37 locations throughout FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, VA, D.C., and Santiago, Chile, we offer patients virtual physician consults, deliver individualized care, accept most insurance plans, and make treatment affordable through innovative financial options, including 100% refund guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com.
