Male Reproduction
Male Reproduction
About 40% of all cases of infertility can be attributed to male factors. So, understanding male reproduction is important when you’re not getting pregnant right away.
In contrast to the female, whose sex organs exist entirely inside the body, the male reproductive organs, also called the genitals, sit both inside and outside his body and include his:
- Testicles
- Duct system
- Penis
- Hormones
More About Male Repreduction
Most men have two two testicles, also called testes. They should be oval shaped and about 2 inches in length and about 1 inch in diameter. Also known as testes, they produce and store millions of sperm cells as well as hormones essential to becoming pregnant, such as testosterone.
The scrotum houses the testicles and regulates temperature. You should avoid overheating the testicles if you’re trying to conceive.
After production in the testicles, sperm are store in the epididymis to mature before being transported to the penis in a fluid called semen. The vas deferens is a part of the duct system responsible for that transportation. Both semen and urine exit the body through the urethra.
The Endocrine System
The endocrine system produces and carries essential hormones to the appropriate places in the body. The hormones involved in sperm production during male reproduction are:
- Gonadotropin (GnRH): Gonadotropin is produced in the hypothalamus and coordinates the release of FSH and LH hormones.
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH): FSH is produced in the pituitary gland and stimulates germ cells to mature.
- Luteinizing hormone (LH): LH works together with FSH to produce sperm.
- Testosterone: Testosterone stimulates the production of sperm and is important for the development of reproduction tissue like prostate and testes.
