Ace the PANCE Genitourinary Exam 2026 – Unlock Your Urology Potential!

Varicocele affects fertility because the enlarged veins in the scrotum raise local temperature and create oxidative stress, which disrupts normal spermatogenesis. This can lead to lower sperm count, reduced motility, and impaired DNA integrity, all of which diminish the likelihood of achieving pregnancy. If left untreated, these changes can contribute to infertility.

Other conditions listed don’t fit: testicular torsion is an acute emergency from twisting of the testicular vessels, not a consequence of a varicocele; prostate cancer risk is not increased by varicocele; and urinary incontinence is unrelated to varicocele.