Conceiving a baby is beautiful process but often there are challenges that can be experienced by the couple. Infertility affects a significant number of couples in India, yet awareness remains limited, particularly around male reproductive health. Investigations often focus on women, even though male factors contribute to 50 per cent of infertility cases, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research. Social hesitation, stigma, and delayed evaluation frequently prevent timely diagnosis, leaving a critical gap in understanding a couple’s full fertility profile.
A recent case highlights why early male evaluation is crucial. A couple from Pune, a 36-year-old husband and a 34-year-old wife, married for five years and trying to conceive for four, had undergone routine fertility assessments. While the wife had completed a full evaluation, the husband had never been assessed. Comprehensive testing revealed male-specific reproductive factors that required focused attention.
Dr Amol Subhash Lunkad, IVF specialist at Indira IVF Pune, said, “Male fertility is often overlooked because evaluations traditionally begin with women. Many men avoid testing due to social stigma, leaving underlying reproductive issues undiagnosed for years. Timely evaluation allows us to design targeted treatment plans and gives couples a better chance at a healthy pregnancy.”
For this case, genetic and hormonal tests confirmed Klinefelter syndrome (47, XXY), elevated FSH, and low testosterone. The multidisciplinary team designed a personalised treatment plan that included micro-TESE (surgical sperm extraction), ICSI-IVF with laser hatching, PGT-A genetic screening of embryos, sperm preservation, and frozen embryo transfer following individualised hormonal preparation.
After the treatment was completed, the couple conceived and later welcomed a healthy baby free from genetic abnormalities. Their experience serves as a reminder that men’s reproductive health needs greater visibility and open conversation. Many men delay testing due to hesitation or stigma, even though timely evaluation can uncover conditions that remain silent for years. When men participate early and view fertility as an important part of their overall health, couples receive clearer guidance and avoid unnecessary delays. Normalising these discussions helps shift infertility away from being seen as a woman’s burden and supports a more balanced and informed approach for every couple.
