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Can a man reproduce without a prostate?

Once the prostate is removed a man no longer has the ability to make semen or ejaculate semen, so infertility is an unavoidable and permanent consequence of surgery. Radiation may also damage the prostate's ability to produce semen or damage the sperm cells in the testicles.

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What is infertility?

Infertility is the inability to father children through sexual intercourse. Some men do not know that the loss of fertility is a common side effect of prostate cancer treatment.

What causes infertility?

Many types of prostate cancer treatment cause infertility. The prostate produces the fluid that helps keep semen liquid. Once the prostate is removed a man no longer has the ability to make semen or ejaculate semen, so infertility is an unavoidable and permanent consequence of surgery. Radiation may also damage the prostate’s ability to produce semen or damage the sperm cells in the testicles.

What if I have prostate cancer and want to have children?

If maintaining the possibility of fatherhood is important to you, be sure to discuss that with your doctor. Men with low-risk, slow-growing prostate cancer may be able to avoid infertility by choosing active surveillance. However, if your cancer requires treatment, there are some options you can pursue to maintain the possibility of fathering children:

Sperm Banking

Freezing (cryopreservation) of sperm is the most successful way for men to preserve fertility before cancer treatment. The most common way to collect the semen sample is through masturbation. Men who cannot ejaculate may have vibrational or electrical stimulation to help them do so. The sperm will stay frozen, or “banked,” until you need them. Freezing—even for many years—does not damage sperm.

Testicular Sperm Extraction

Even if a man cannot ejaculate sperm, he may still have sperm in the testicles. In testicular sperm extraction, a surgeon removes small pieces of testicular tissue (biopsy) while the patient is sedated or under local or general anesthesia. If the tissue contains sperm, the sperm are either frozen or used to fertilize a female partner’s eggs. This technique may be an option before or after cancer treatment.

Where can I learn more?

If you are interested in fertility preservation, ask for a referral to a physician who specialized in treating male fertility. This may be an endocrinologist, andrologist, or urologist.

Visit the following links to learn more:

LIVESTRONG Fertility for Men

American Society for Reproductive Medicine

Oncofertility Consortium

Save My Fertility

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Can a guy get hard again after finishing?

It may take a half hour or more for his body to perform sexually again. Younger men may need only a few minutes of recovery time, but older men usually have a longer refractory period, sometimes between 12 to 24 hours. For some men, the refractory period can last a few days.

What is the refractory period?

After orgasm, both men and women experience a resolution stage called the refractory period. At this time, their bodies “recover” from sexual excitement and return to their normal states. For men, the penis becomes flaccid again as he goes through a refractory period. During the refractory period, a man doesn’t think about sex or get aroused. His body does not respond to sexual stimulation and he is unable to reach orgasm again until the period is over. The length of the refractory period is different for every man. It may take a half hour or more for his body to perform sexually again. Younger men may need only a few minutes of recovery time, but older men usually have a longer refractory period, sometimes between 12 to 24 hours. For some men, the refractory period can last a few days. Experts aren’t sure why the length of refractory periods varies so much among men. But they do know that the length of time needed is not related to potency or testosterone levels. Some men wonder how they can shorten their refractory period. No drugs have been approved for this purpose, but research has shown that Viagra and Cialis – two drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction – may reduce recovery time. Women do not have refractory periods the way men do, but fatigue after orgasm can make them lose interest in sex temporarily. This can happen after one orgasm or multiple orgasms.

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