What is oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT)?

What is oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT)?

OAT refers to a group of conditions that include oligozoospermia (low sperm count), asthenozoospermia (poor sperm motility), and teratozoospermia (abnormal sperm shape). The most common cause of male infertility is OAT. Subfertility occurs when a guy is unable to make a woman pregnant after a year of regular intercourse without the use of birth control.

What causes OAT?

he cause may not be known. The following are possible causes of infertility:

• Steroids and medications used to treat high blood pressure, cancer, or depression may impair your fertility.
• Infertility may be caused by genetics. This suggests you may have been born with infertility-causing genes. Genes have the potential to influence sperm production, mobility, and transport.
• Hormone imbalances might have an impact on sperm production.
• Sperm may be attacked by antibodies. Antibodies are immune-system proteins that target viruses or bacteria.
• Male fertility may be affected by infections of the male reproductive system, notably the prostate.
• A varicocele is a disorder in which the veins in your scrotum expand and dilate.

What is azoospermia?

Azoospermia is a condition in which a man’s ejaculate (semen) has no detectable sperm. Male infertility is caused by azoospermia.

Are there different types of azoospermia?

There are two main types of azoospermia:

Obstructive azoospermia: A blockage or missing connection in the epididymis, vas deferens, or elsewhere along your reproductive system causes this sort of azoospermia. You are creating sperm, but it is being kept from leaving your body, thus there is no detectable amount of sperm in your sperm.

Nonobstructive azoospermia: This sort of azoospermia means that you produce little or no sperm due to problems in the structure or function of the testicles or other factors.