Male Sexual Health & Fertility

Providing You With Expert Male Infertility and Erectile Dysfunction Care 

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) urologists provide expert care for all health conditions related to male sexual health and fertility.

Fertility Challenges

In the United States, approximately 15% of couples face fertility challenges. This means they are not able to conceive despite having unprotected sexual intercourse for more than a year. In about half of cases, fertility challenges are due to an issue with the male partner. This may be problems with the number or quality of sperm or a blockage in the reproductive tract.

Causes of Male Fertility Challenges

Many factors can play a role in male fertility challenges:  

Fertility Treatments

Treatment for male infertility depends on the cause of the condition. Your urologist may first suggest lifestyle changes or medications. If these are not enough, we offer the latest options for fertility. These include the following: 

• Reconstruction surgery, such as epididymovasostomy (vasectomy reversal) 
• Sperm aspiration: using a needle to remove sperm cells for lab analysis or to use in fertility treatments 
• Testicular sperm extraction: removal of a small amount of testicle tissue to use sperm cells for in vitro fertilization or other procedures 
• Varicocele repair: surgery to correct a blocked blood vessel in the scrotum

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection during sexual activity. Another name for ED is impotence. ED occurs when not enough blood flows to the penis, preventing an erection.

Causes of ED

In most cases, health conditions that affect blood flow cause ED. Causes of ED include:

ED Treatments

Treatment for ED depends on the underlying cause. There are many different treatment options to consider: 

• Counseling to address behavioral health issues 
• Exercise and weight loss 
• Hormone replacement therapy 
• Oral (by mouth) ED medication 

We collaborate with other BIDMC specialists to ensure that you receive the appropriate treatment. We also provide the latest non-surgical and surgical ED treatment options: 

• Penile vacuum device (VCD) 
• Penile injections
• Penile implant (malleable or inflatable) 

Care for Other Men's Health Care Conditions

We also provide treatment for other conditions affecting male sexual health: