Fertility

It is possible for men to remain fertile throughout their lives, well into their old age. Men's sperm is contained in the semen. Sperm are made in the testicles. Sperm swim into the sperm tubes (called the epididymis) in the scrotum. There are two of these tubes, one on each side, attached to the testicle and connecting to the urethra, the tube in the penis. The sperm are carried in fluid called semen which is produced by various glands including the prostate. Anything that affects the testicles can affect sperm production and therefore the ability to have children.

Any procedure which removes one testicle will lessen the amount of sperm produced, but fertility would remain. Removal of both testicles would obviously make a man infertile as there is no place left to make sperm. When infertility is a possible result of any condition being treated either by surgery, drug treatment or radiotherapy (radiation treatment) it may be worth considering have sperm saved beforehand in a sperm bank for later use.