Prostatitis is the inflammation of the prostate gland. This condition often causes anxiety for couples attempting to conceive, raising questions about the man’s ability to father a child. The prostate gland contributes a substantial portion of the fluid that makes up semen, meaning any inflammation there can impact reproductive function. Understanding the relationship between prostatitis and fertility is the first step in creating a successful conception plan. This article explores how inflammation affects semen quality and outlines steps couples can take to achieve pregnancy.
What Prostatitis Is
The prostate is a small, walnut-sized gland located below the bladder and surrounding the urethra. Its primary function is to produce prostatic fluid, which makes up about 20 to 30 percent of the total volume of semen. This fluid contains enzymes and nutrients that nourish and protect sperm, helping them survive the journey toward an egg.
Prostatitis is categorized into different types. Acute bacterial prostatitis is a sudden, severe bacterial infection, while chronic bacterial prostatitis is a recurring infection. The most common form is chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), which involves chronic pain and inflammation but is not caused by bacteria. A fourth type, asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis, shows inflammation only through testing and produces no noticeable symptoms.
Common symptoms include pelvic pain, discomfort in the genitals, and urinary difficulties, such as frequent or painful urination. Identifying the specific type of prostatitis is necessary because it dictates the appropriate treatment and the potential impact on fertility.
How Prostatitis Affects Sperm and Conception
Prostatitis does not cause absolute sterility, but the resulting inflammation can temporarily compromise reproductive potential by negatively altering semen parameters. The inflammatory response brings immune cells and substances into the prostatic fluid, which can damage sperm cells.
Inflammation often leads to oxidative stress within the semen, where an imbalance of free radicals damages the sperm’s DNA. Fragmented sperm DNA can impair the chances of successful fertilization and healthy embryo development. The quality of the prostatic fluid is also compromised, reducing its ability to nourish and protect the sperm.
Sperm movement, or motility, is frequently reduced in men with prostatitis, making it harder for sperm to travel through the female reproductive tract. Inflammation can also change the semen’s acidity or viscosity, creating a hostile environment that decreases sperm survival. In rare, chronic cases, severe inflammation may lead to scarring or blockages of the ejaculatory ducts, preventing sperm release during ejaculation.
Treatment and Trying to Conceive
Treating the underlying inflammation or infection is the most effective step toward restoring fertility. For bacterial prostatitis, a course of antibiotics is prescribed, which may be short-term for acute cases or extended for chronic infections. Non-bacterial types, such as chronic pelvic pain syndrome, are managed with anti-inflammatory medications, alpha-blockers to relax muscle fibers, and pain management techniques.
After successful treatment, couples should wait for a period to allow the reproductive system to recover and sperm quality to improve. A post-treatment semen analysis is necessary to confirm the condition has resolved and semen quality has returned to normal levels. If the initial analysis showed poor sperm parameters, a follow-up test ensures the treatment was effective.
If conception does not occur after several months of trying, a couple should seek a full fertility assessment. For men with persistent issues, specialized fertility treatments like intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) may be recommended. IVF is a viable option if the condition has caused permanent damage or blockage, as it allows for direct sperm retrieval and fertilization.
Safety Concerns for Partners
Concerns about the man’s condition affecting his partner or a developing fetus are manageable with treatment. Prostatitis not caused by a bacterial infection, such as CPPS or asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis, poses no risk of transmission to a partner. These non-infectious types of inflammation are confined to the man’s gland and do not affect the woman’s health.
For bacterial prostatitis, the bacteria can potentially be transmitted during intercourse, possibly leading to a urinary tract infection in the female partner. This risk is higher if the infection is caused by bacteria related to sexually transmitted infections. Barrier protection, such as condoms, is recommended during active infection and treatment to prevent transmission and reinfection.
Once the infection is cleared with antibiotics, the risk of transmission is eliminated. Prostatitis itself does not pose a direct risk to a fetus, but any severe, active infection should be fully managed before or during conception to ensure a healthy pregnancy.