Can I ever father a child?

Q: I am a 31 years old male who got a semen analysis done. The report says volume 3.0 ml, colour - grey white, pH 8.0, viscosity – normal, liquefaction - 30 minutes, count - less than 1 millions / ml. Motility result t - fast progressive (a): 0 % slow progressive (b) 5%, non progressive(c) 5%, immotile (d) 90%. Morphology: normal 5%, head defects – 60%, mid piece defects – 30%, tail defects – 5%. Concentration: leucocytes 1 to 2 cells/HPF and RBC 0 to 1 cells/Hpf. Please interpret the report and let me know if I have any chance of becoming a father?

A:Yes, the counts in this report are low, but a single report has no clinical relevance. Semen analysis needs to be repeated a minimum of three times with a gap of month before we label someone as having low sperm counts. The semen analysis should be done with three days abstinence. You need to be clinically evaluated. A varicocoele needs to be ruled out. Your spouse needs to be assessed. Only then a comment can be made about the possibility of pregnancy. Drugs are available to improve the sperm counts. With todays assisted reproductive techniques, it is possible to become a father even if there is a single sperm! So no stress, there are ample options available.