Oligospermia and Azoospermia are medical conditions that can cause infertility in men. Oligospermia refers to having a significant measure of sperm seen in your semen; this amount is lesser than the actual numbers. On the other hand, Azoospermia refers to no sperm in your semen. A sperm count of or above 15 million sperm/ml is normal. But if your sperm count is less than 15 million sperm/ml, that is considered a low sperm count. In this blog, we have discussed the types, causes and treatments of these two conditions. Let’s uncover all the essential aspects of Oligospermia and Azoospermia.
Table of Content
Difference Between Azoospermia and Oligospermia
What is Oligospermia?
Types of Oligospermia
What are the Causes of Oligospermia?
Treatment of Oligospermia
What is Azoospermia?
Types of Azoospermia
What are the Causes of Azoospermia?
Treatment of Azoospermia
Difference Between Azoospermia and Oligospermia

What is Oligospermia?
Oligospermia is a condition where less number of sperm are seen in the semen. The count of the sperm is reported in million/ml. Usually, the WHO Manual is the reference guideline for reporting sperm count. The sperm concentration is the total number of sperm in the entire volume of the ejaculated sperm. As per the WHO manual 5th Edition, Oligospermia is defined as a count of less than 15 million per ml of semen and a concentration of sperm less than 39 million in the whole ejaculate.
Types of Oligospermia
There are three types of Oligospermia
What are the Causes of Oligospermia?
Here are several reasons behind the Oligospermia condition in men.
Treatment of Oligospermia
It’s vital to know that treating Oligospermia can take some time, and it can take a few months for sperm production. Young boys with Klinefelter’s syndrome have very low counts. In such a situation, fertility preservation by freezing sperm should be carried out. Men with declining sperm counts are advised to freeze multiple semen samples for later use.
What is Azoospermia?
Azoospermia refers to the complete absence of sperm in the semen. This medical condition refers to a total lack of sperm in men’s semen. It is a severe condition that affects about 1% of all men and can be caused by multiple factors. This condition can be detected through a sperm count test. In this test sample of semen is collected, and experts perform a microscopic test to determine the presence or absence of sperm.
Types of Azoospermia
There are two major types of Azoospermia.
What are These? Why is the Distinction Important?
Obstructive and Non-obstructive Azoospermia are two definite types of Azoospermia. These have different underlying causes, diagnostic approaches, and treatment options. The distinction between these two types of Azoospermia is essential because it helps identify the underlying cause of infertility, guide treatment decisions, and predict the success rates of multiple treatment options.
What are the Causes of Azoospermia?
Cause of Obstructive Azoospermia
Cause of Non- Obstructive Azoospermia
Treatment of Azoospermia
Treatment of this medical condition entirely depends on the type of Azoospermia. Some possible treatments for obstructive and non-obstructive Azoospermia are mentioned below:
What is PESA and TESA?
PESA refers to Per cutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration, and TESA refers to Testicular Sperm Aspiration. Both are surgical procedures that can be used to fetch sperm. PESA involves inserting a needle directly into the epididymis to fetch sperm. TESA consists in removing a small piece of testicular tissue with a needle or biopsy forceps, which is then examined under a microscope to identify sperm.
Read more: Top IVF failure reasons