Can Erectile Dysfunction Lead to Infertility?

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is a challenging disorder for anyone facing it. It can impact your sex life, your relationships, and even your mental health, but it’s important to remember that you’re not alone.

In fact, almost 50% of men will experience ED at some point in their lives. So, if you’re feeling alone in dealing with this frustrating condition, it’s important to remember, millions of other men are dealing with this condition - just in Canada.

One of the fears that typically accompanies starting to experience ED symptoms is whether erectile dysfunction can cause infertility.

Thankfully, the team at Felix has put together some useful information to put your mind at ease, and help you better understand the relationship between infertility and erectile dysfunction.

Is Erectile Dysfunction a Sign of Infertility?

No, it’s not.

There is no evidence to support the idea that erectile dysfunction is a sign of fertility issues.

Erections occur because of a combination of neural, vascular, and hormonal events within the body. When any of these pathways is disrupted, it can cause Erectile Dysfunction (ED).

Infertility has a number of different causes in men, such as: unhealthy sperm, low sperm count, or genetic issues, like cystic fibrosis. But these causes are not necessarily related to ED in any way.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of ED, and you’re trying to conceive, you should consider completing an assessment with a healthcare practitioner at Felix. They’ll be able to suggest ED treatments, which can make conception much less stressful and much more fun.

What is the Difference Between Infertility & Impotence?

Infertility is defined as the inability to achieve conception, after 1 year of trying with unprotected sex.

On the other hand, impotence is just the old-school term for erectile dysfunction, which isn’t really used anymore. Anytime someone uses impotence, they mean ED.

So, as you can see, infertility and impotence are definitely not the same thing.

Can a Person Still Get Pregnant if Their Partner Has Erectile Dysfunction?

Yes, they can!

This is important to note for two reasons. Firstly, if you’re feeling down, because you’ve started to experience ED symptoms, and you’ve been trying to get pregnant, don’t lose hope!

Erectile dysfunction can be treated, and unless you’ve had testing done to check the health of your sperm, there’s no reason to be concerned about being unable to conceive a child.

Secondly, it’s crucial to keep this in mind, if you’re not trying to conceive. Even if you’re experiencing ED symptoms, or using ED medications to treat those symptoms, you still need to ensure you’re using contraceptives (i.e., birth control, condoms, etc.).

Otherwise, there’s a chance you could end up with an unplanned pregnancy.

Can Erectile Dysfunction Medications Affect Fertility?

If you’ve been seeking treatment for your erectile dysfunction symptoms, you might be wondering whether ED meds can cause infertility.

The good news is no, there’s no evidence at this time that would indicate that ED medications can affect fertility.

This means, you can continue taking your ED medications, without having to worry about it impacting your ability to achieve conception.

Tips for Dealing with Erectile Dysfunction When Trying to Conceive

There are a few tips that you can use to help deal with your ED symptoms, while you’re trying to conceive.

The biggest one to start with is that if your erectile dysfunction symptoms are severe enough that you’re unable to ejaculate during intercourse, you should seek ED treatments. These treatments should allow you to maintain an erection long enough to ejaculate, which is a necessary part of the conception process.

Another major issue for men experiencing ED is male performance anxiety when trying to conceive. There’s a lot of pressure to perform, which can negatively impact your mental state, and through this, worsen your ED symptoms.

If you’re concerned about how to conceive when you or your partner has erectile dysfunction, don’t hesitate to talk to one of the healthcare practitioners at Felix.

With guidance and the right ED treatments, you can get back to enjoying your sex life, without worrying about whether conception is possible.