Do red blood cells (RBCs) in blood harm fertility?
Q: I am 36 years old man married and we are having fertility problems ever since we got married. I got my urine test done and followings are the results:
A:Your urine findings do indicate presence of red blood cells (RBCs), which is abnormal. Red blood cells in urine may come from any lesion in the urinary tract, kidneys, ureters or bladder, commonest being a foreign body like stone or inflammatory lesions apart from rare cancers. Presence of red blood cells in urine, thus, calls for thorough clinical examination and imaging investigations of urinary tract. Despite all efforts it may not be possible to ascertain a cause for such RBCs in urine in up to 70 per cent cases. This abnormal finding may not have correlation with your infertility problem, which would require clinical examination and appropriate investigations of both the partners, including your semen examination. Consumption of some antiepileptics, like cabamazepine and valproates, has been found to affect hormones related with fertility as well as affect the seminal quality.
