Ignored male infertility is driving couples into unnecessary IVF, experts say

A growing chorus of fertility experts says that many couples are needlessly being pushed into in vitro fertilisation (IVF), because treatable male infertility often goes undiagnosed. Despite men being responsible for around half of all infertility cases, failures in basic screening and limited specialist care mean that many male fertility problems remain unaddressed.

The problem stems in part from a lack of awareness among general practitioners and a shortage of dedicated specialists. As a result, men can wait years—or never—for even the most basic tests. Meanwhile, their female partners may be subjected to exhaustive evaluations.

Leading causes of male infertility, such as a condition called varicocele—where enlarged veins in the scrotum raise temperature and impair sperm production—are often treatable, sometimes with simple surgery or lifestyle changes.

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According to experts such as Vaibhav Modgil, a urologist who spoke to the Guardian, male infertility affects between 5 and 10 per cent of men, yet remains largely ignored. “I don’t think the issue has ever gone away or received the attention it deserves,” he said, calling for a “top-down” overhaul.

Activists and clinicians say the problem is compounded by a health‑system design that implicitly treats fertility as a women’s issue: most couples seeking help see gynecologists, and many regions have only one or two specialists trained in male reproductive health.

There had been hopes that the newly published national men’s health strategy would address this imbalance, but critics say it fails to tackle male infertility specifically. Some say that a forthcoming update to women’s health policy might eventually open a path for better male‑focused fertility care.

Researchers and campaigners advocate for more rigorous, early testing of men—including physical examination, medical history, and lifestyle review—rather than relying solely on semen analysis. They argue such steps could spare couples expensive and emotionally draining IVF cycles, reduce mental‑health burden, and save healthcare costs.