Comprehensive Services and Support
At the University of Miami Health Center for Reproductive Medicine, we understand that the path to parenthood might look different for everyone. If you’re an individual with disabilities, you may face unique challenges when considering fertility, but there's good news: Advancements in reproductive medicine offer a variety of options to help you achieve your family-building dreams.
Our expert team offers fertility options for males with disabilities to address the reproductive health issues you may face. Male fertility preservation can help protect your chances of having a biological child, providing accessible care that caters to your individual needs.
Fertility Challenges for Males with Physical Disabilities
Certain physical disabilities may cause fertility challenges if you are a male who is seeking to have a biological child. For example, potential challenges may include:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Mobility impairments
- Certain neurologic conditions
These conditions might make collecting semen samples or undergoing procedures more difficult. But this does not mean that you cannot pursue fatherhood. Fertility preservation treatments can address different reproductive health needs and offer supportive ways to approach your goals.
Fertility Options for Males with Physical Disabilities
At the UHealth Center for Reproductive Medicine, we can support your needs in multiple ways:
- Special sperm retrieval techniques. We have specialized equipment and techniques to facilitate semen collection.
- Fertility options. We offer services like sperm freezing (cryopreservation), which can provide options to have a biological child in the future.
- Assisted reproductive technology. We offer procedures that can provide alternatives to natural conception, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
Sperm Retrieval Techniques
If you’re concerned about your future fertility, sperm freezing can offer a way to expand your reproductive options. Semen samples containing sperm can be frozen (cryopreserved) for years, improving your chances of fatherhood.
You may provide a semen sample for freezing by ejaculating in a private room. However, physical disabilities and other complications can sometimes make this difficult.
At the UHealth Center for Reproductive Medicine, we offer sperm retrieval techniques customized for your needs, including:
- Testicular sperm extraction (TESE). This is a surgical procedure that retrieves sperm from a biopsy of the testicular tissue. It may help men who have obstructive azoospermia. Another version of this, called microdissection TESE (microTESE), is performed under a microscope.
- Microepididymal sperm aspiration (MESA). This minimally invasive procedure uses a microscope to retrieve sperm from a tube at the back of the testicles called the epididymis. It may help men with certain blockages that prevent sperm from getting released.
- Percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA). This sperm retrieval procedure may be used for men with nonobstructive azoospermia. It’s performed by using a fine needle to obtain sperm.
- Electroejaculation. This technique uses an electric probe positioned against the prostate to stimulate ejaculation. It may be used for men who have spinal cord injuries.
The time sperm retrieval takes can vary from minutes to hours. It depends on different factors such as the technique used and your fertility challenges.
Assisted Reproductive Technologies
If you've encountered challenges with natural conception, assisted reproductive technologies may provide ways to achieve parenthood. These methods can use fresh or frozen sperm to help begin a pregnancy with medical procedures.
Some assisted reproductive technology (ART) methods include the following:
- In vitro fertilization (IVF). This highly successful technique combines egg and sperm fertilization outside the body, creating embryos for implantation in the uterus.
- Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). With this specialized technique, a single sperm is injected directly into an egg for fertilization.
Donor Sperm or Eggs
For some individuals, using donor sperm or eggs might be an option to build a family. We can guide you through the legal and ethical considerations.
Benefits of Fertility Preservation
If you are a male with physical disabilities, the benefits of fertility preservation can include the following:
- Future fertility. With fertility preservation, you can help protect your future fertility by freezing sperm that can be used for years.
- Family planning and reproductive options. Fertility preservation can enable you to plan your family at a time that works for you.
- Preserve your genetic potential. Sperm banking provides a chance to have biological children.
Risks and Side Effects of Fertility Preservation
Helping to ensure the safety of fertility preservation is our top priority. Still, there can be some risks and side effects.
For example, fertility preservation risks associated with sperm retrieval can include the following:
- There is a chance that sperm won’t be found.
- Bleeding, infection, and pain can occur.
- Though rare, there is a chance of damaging the testicles.
- Anesthesia used for procedures can carry some risks.
- A drop in testosterone may occur for a small number of men.
Success Rates of Fertility Preservation Techniques
Fertility preservation may help you have biological children. Still, sperm are not always found. And even if they are, there’s no guarantee of a pregnancy. Fertility preservation success rates can vary widely.
If you’re considering fertility preservation, talk with your doctor about success rates and what you can expect.
Preparing for Fertility Preservation Procedures
Knowing what to expect can help you feel more confident about your care decisions. Here’s an overview of the different steps in preparing for fertility preservation.
- Consultation. This is a chance to better understand your fertility status and any patient preparation needed before you move forward. You and your physician can review information about your health and specific fertility challenges. Take this opportunity to ask questions about possible treatments and how fertility preservation may impact your chances of having a child in the future.
- Medical evaluations. Your physician may order testing to better understand your condition and the possible treatment approaches. For example, this may include a semen analysis to determine if your semen contains sperm. Your doctor may also conduct a physical exam and review your reproductive history.
- Steps to take before the procedure. Depending on which procedure you’re having, you may need to take different steps to prepare. For example, surgical sperm retrieval requires that you follow certain instructions about eating, medications, sedation, and more. Also, if you plan to have your sperm frozen, your provider will talk with you about sperm storage facilities that can safely preserve your sperm.
Support Services at UHealth Center for Reproductive Medicine
We understand the importance of creating a comfortable and accessible experience. Our comprehensive services include counseling and follow-up care that accommodates your individual needs. Our patient resources include:
- Telehealth consultations. For individuals with physical limitations, traveling to appointments can pose a significant challenge. This is where telehealth consultations come in, offering a convenient and effective way to connect with our fertility specialists from the comfort of your own home.
- Accessible facilities. Our clinic is designed to accommodate individuals with mobility limitations.
- Adaptive equipment. We have specialized equipment and techniques to facilitate semen collection or other procedures, ensuring your comfort and privacy.
- Sensitive and understanding staff. Our team is trained to provide compassionate and respectful care, addressing your individual needs and concerns with empathy.
What Happens After Fertility Preservation?
The next steps after fertility preservation can vary depending on your needs and family planning. For example, you may:
- Plan sperm retrieval around a fertility procedure such as IVF so that you can use fresh sperm (if found) for the procedure.
- Plan to have your sperm cryopreserved (frozen) for future use.
If you choose to have your sperm frozen, it will be stored and monitored in a facility that can help ensure it is preserved in the proper conditions. The sperm can remain there for months or years until you’re ready to use them.
As part of the post-preservation process, your semen will be thawed and analyzed. During this process, specialists can check for active sperm that may be used in fertility procedures.
Is Fertility Preservation Covered by Insurance for Males with Disabilities?
Fertility preservation is not typically covered by insurance. Still, check with your insurance provider for possible exceptions. Here at UHealth, we offer financing options to help you make payment more affordable.
We're Here to Guide You
No matter your disability, you deserve a chance to build a family. Our team of specialists is here to answer your questions, discuss your options, and create a personalized fertility plan that works for you. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and explore your path to parenthood.
Schedule a Consultation: Learn more about your fertility options by scheduling a consultation with our specialists. Call us at 305-243-8642.
Why Choose UHealth?
Patient-centered fertility preservation care. The ideal approach to fertility preservation varies for each patient. Factors like age, diagnosis, family planning goals, and potential fertility challenges all play a role. We work closely with you to understand your specific risks and fertility preservation options. This ensures you receive the best possible care.
Focus on urgency and personalized care. Early action is key, particularly when treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy pose a risk to fertility. Our compassionate team works closely with you to explore fertility preservation options and prioritize your consultations in our schedule.
Wide range of innovative treatments. If you need specialized services such as genetic testing to aid you in your fertility planning, you can find them right here with us. We offer treatments for both women and men, including diagnosis of infertility, pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS), semen analysis, and microsurgeries that restore the normal function of the reproductive organs.
High pregnancy rates. We can support you through every stage of your family-planning journey – from fertility preservation to in vitro fertilization (IVF) when you’re ready to pursue parenthood. We have some of the highest pregnancy rates in not only South Florida, but in the entire United States. Our success stories include even the most challenging cases. When caring for each of our patients, we strive to always maintain the highest ethical standards and practices.
Academic medical center expertise. Faculty members at the Miller School of Medicine, a nationally recognized institution, currently conduct nearly 2,000 research projects in science and clinical care in a variety of fields. Our emphasis on research and innovation ensures you receive the most sophisticated diagnostic tests and advanced fertility treatments available. This combination of our physician-directed practice within a university-based health system emphasizes research and innovation in fertility medicine.
Active members of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies (SART). Our experts strive to uphold the highest standards in our field of medicine. As members of SART, we follow the strictest guidelines and rules set forth by this industry-leading organization.
Affordable fertility care. We offer cost-effective treatments and make the process as affordable as possible with our competitive pricing, view our financing options. Our center prides itself on integrity and we are dedicated to providing a transparent process. Your treatment options are clearly outlined and presented to you at the time of consultation. We provide financial consultations and will show you how our plans differ from what other centers in our area offer. We are committed to making sure you know what to expect upfront. We offer financing through Lending Club Patient Solutions. In addition, we do not bundle price for our in-vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, which means if you get pregnant within one cycle, you will only be charged for that one cycle. If pregnancy does not occur in the first cycle, we provide discounts for second and third IVF cycles.
Questions? We're here to help.
Our appointment specialists are ready to help you find what you need. Contact us today.