Certain men are very disturbed by their infertility. When researchers used quantitative methods to study couples undergoing infertility treatments, they found that when the infertility had been attributed to male factor infertility, men's responses to infertility closely approximated women's. They experienced their diagnosis as a loss, both of their potency and of their ability to father. They felt role failure because of their inability to procreate. And lastly, they reported a loss of self-esteem.
Men are more vulnerable than women in terms of their isolation from others.
Husbands don't ask their wives for support because they believe their role is to support their wives. Men are not likely to tell other men or women about their infertility because they fear others will link their infertility with impotence and lack of masculinity. Psychologist and sex therapist Bernie Zilbergeld Ph.D. has written brilliantly about the masculine sexual stereotypes in American society. Contrary to stereotype, many men cannot function like sexual machines. They need to feel tenderness and connection to their wives, if not to get erections, then to feel sexual and emotional pleasure.