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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffLow sperm count (oligospermia) is one cause of male infertility. Although it takes only a single sperm to fertilize an egg (ovum), the odds of a single sperm reaching the egg are very low. For this reason, having a low sperm count decreases your chance of getting your partner pregnant.
The lower your sperm count, the more likely you'll have trouble fathering a child. But treatments for male infertility related to low sperm count can help. Urologists are skilled in evaluating men with fertility problems and can recommend treatment.
In addition to evaluating and treating male fertility problems such as low sperm count, your doctor may also suggest treating your female partner to increase her fertility. This can help compensate for male infertility. If other treatments aren't effective, artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization can be used to produce a pregnancy when low sperm count is a factor.
