Aspermia is the complete lack of

semen Semen, also known as seminal fluid, is an organic bodily fluid created to contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads (sexual glands) and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize the female ovum. Sem ...

with

ejaculation Ejaculation is the discharge of semen (the ''ejaculate''; normally containing sperm) from the male reproductory tract as a result of an orgasm. It is the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential compone ...

(not to be confused with azoospermia, the lack of sperm cells in the semen). It is associated with infertility. One of the causes of aspermia is

retrograde ejaculation Retrograde ejaculation occurs when semen which would be ejaculated via the urethra is redirected to the urinary bladder. Normally, the sphincter of the bladder contracts before ejaculation, sealing the bladder which besides inhibiting the relea ...

, because of that the sperm is kept into the bladder and the final ejaculate is 0 mL. It can be brought on by excessive drug use, or as a result of

prostate The prostate is both an accessory gland of the male reproductive system and a muscle-driven mechanical switch between urination and ejaculation. It is found only in some mammals. It differs between species anatomically, chemically, and phys ...

surgery. It can also be caused by alpha blockers such as

tamsulosin Tamsulosin, sold under the brand name Flomax among others, is a medication used to treat symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and chronic prostatitis and to help with the passage of kidney stones. The evidence for benefit with a ki ...

and silodosin. Another cause of aspermia is

ejaculatory duct obstruction Ejaculatory duct obstruction (EDO) is a pathological condition which is characterized by the obstruction of one or both ejaculatory ducts. Thus, the efflux of (most constituents of) semen is not possible. It can be congenital or acquired. It is ...

, which may result in a complete lack or a very low-concentration of

(

oligospermia Terms oligospermia, oligozoospermia, and low sperm count refer to semen with a low concentration of sperm and is a common finding in male infertility. Often semen with a decreased sperm concentration may also show significant abnormalities in spe ...

), in which the semen contains only the secretion of accessory

glands downstream to the orifice of the ejaculatory ducts. Aspermia can be caused by

androgen deficiency Androgen deficiency is a medical condition characterized by insufficient androgenic activity in the body. Androgenic activity is mediated by androgens (a class of steroid hormones with varying affinities for the androgen receptor), and is dependen ...

. This can be the result of absence of puberty, in which the

prostate gland The prostate is both an accessory gland of the male reproductive system and a muscle-driven mechanical switch between urination and ejaculation. It is found only in some mammals. It differs between species anatomically, chemically, and physio ...

and

seminal vesicles The seminal vesicles (also called vesicular glands, or seminal glands) are a pair of two convoluted tubular glands that lie behind the urinary bladder of some male mammals. They secrete fluid that partly composes the semen. The vesicles are 5� ...

(which are the main sources of semen) remain small due to lack of androgen exposure and do not produce seminal fluid, or of treatment for prostate cancer, such as maximal androgen blockade.

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Testicular infertility factors {{symptom-stub

See also

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