According to statistics, azoospermia is found in approximately 1% of the male population and

between 10-15% of men with infertility. It is a condition in which no sperm count is found in the
semen. There are three types of azoospermia, pre-testicular, testicular, and post-testicular
azoospermia, out of the three, post-testicular azoospermia is the one caused by an obstruction and
the other two are non-obstructive azoospermia (Marcin, 2019).

When spermatozoa are absent from the ejaculate despite normal spermatogenesis, this condition is
known as obstructive azoospermia. One in six to one in four patients seeking a reproductive
evaluation have azoospermia, a prevalent urologic illness. Vasectomy is a common cause of
azoospermia, but other aetiologies account for 19 percent to 69 percent of people who need surgical
investigation for azoospermia. azoospermia can have a variety of reasons, including infections,
iatrogenic harm, and hereditary, and congenital issues (Baker & Sabanegh, 2013). Obstructive
azoospermia mostly takes place in three regions, these regions are epididymis, vas deferens and
ejaculatory duct (Causes of Obstructive Azoospermia, n.d.). Each testicle has an epididymis, a system
of tiny, coiled tubes attached to the testis that gathers and stores sperm until it is discharged
through the penis (OpenStax, 2018). Infections, inflammation, scrotal trauma or injury, cystic
fibrosis, and aberrant growth brought on by hereditary disorders can all lead to epididymis
obstruction. Vas deferens, the tube used to transfer sperm from the epididymis, can become
blocked for a variety of reasons, including trauma or injury, hernia surgery, and cystic fibrosis caused
by a genetic mutation. The ejaculatory duct, which the sperm pass through to mingle with the
seminal fluid in the urethra, can become blocked due to congenital conditions, infections, trauma, or
surgery. Most of these blockages can be removed using endoscopic or microsurgery (Causes of
Obstructive Azoospermia, n.d.).

The most severe type of male infertility is non-obstructive azoospermia, which is defined as the
absence of sperm in the ejaculate as a result of spermatogenesis failure. Either intrinsic testicular
dysfunction or insufficient gonadotropin production is the cause of non-obstructive azoospermia
(Chiba, Enatsu & Fujisawa, 2016). Non-obstructive azoospermia can be caused by a variety of factors,
including genetic abnormalities, Y chromosome deletions, aberrant karyotypes, exposure to
radiation and chemicals, drugs, hormonal imbalances, varicocele, and so on. Not all genetic causes
are completely understood yet but for the ones that are diagnosable, there are treatments available
for some of them. Exposure to toxins and radiation such as heavy metals, chemotherapy and
radiation therapy can have negative effects on sperm production. Certain medication has also shown
to have an impact on sperm production an example of this is supplementation of testosterone
steroids, etc (Causes of Nonobstructive Azoospermia, n.d.).

Is it possible that chronic stress can cause a reduction in sperm count or even no sperm count at all?

Reference:
Baker, K., & Sabanegh, E., Jr (2013). Obstructive azoospermia: reconstructive
techniques and results. Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil), 68 Suppl 1(Suppl 1), 61–
73. https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2013(sup01)07

Causes of Nonobstructive Azoospermia. (n.d.). Stanford Medicine. Retrieved from:

https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/mens-health/azoospermia/causes/
nonobstructive-azoospermia.html

Causes of Obstructive Azoospermia. (n.d.). Stanford Medicine. Retrieved from:

https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/mens-health/azoospermia/causes/obstructive-
azoospermia.html

Chiba, K., Enatsu, N., & Fujisawa, M. (2016). Management of non-obstructive

azoospermia. Reproductive medicine and biology, 15(3), 165–173.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12522-016-0234-z

Marcin, A. (2019). Azoospermia: Treatment, Causes, Symptoms, and More.

Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/infertility/azoospermia

OpenStax. (2018). Anatomy & physiology. Houston, TX: Rice University. Retrieved from:
https://cnx.org/contents/FPtK1zmh@12.6:fEI3C8Ot@16/Preface