When we talk about infertility the focus tends to be on the woman. After some basic tests, IVF is often seen as a solution. But in half the cases, infertility is caused by problems with the man’s sperm. And sperm counts are declining around the world.

toby trice says Helen Pidd About how he and his wife spent years trying to conceive and had two rounds of IVF before they discovered that a problem with his testicles was behind his difficulties. He says that after this he had to struggle with feelings of guilt and embarrassment. Yet his problems were solved with a routine operation.

michael carroll Associate Professor in Reproductive Sciences. He says that now the time has come to talk openly on this issue. “If you pull biceps at the gym, you’ll talk about that. If you’re not producing sperm, you can talk about that. The fact that your testicles aren’t producing sperm doesn’t make you less of a man.”