Male fertility is on the rise and is the cause of 30% of problems in infertile couples so
there is a real need for men to take the plunge and check the health of their sperm.
What is the first step? If you have been trying to get pregnant for a few months, it is a good idea to get some basic tests done.
The basic male fertility test looks to see if
- Are there are enough sperm (sperm count)
- Can they swim well and get to the egg (sperm motility)
- Are they the right shape to be able to fertilize the egg (sperm morphology)
A sperm test involves a man giving a fresh sample of his sperm, which the lab then analyses.
What should normal results look like?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines from 2010, normal results should be
- Sperm count: minimum of 15 million per mL
- Motility: at least 40% of the sperm should be swimming
- Morphology: a minimum of 3% of the sperm should be normal in shape
There is now a home test that can test for sperm count only and can be done in the comfort of your own home. However, this test only looks at the sperm count and not the other factors so while it can be a useful test if you are just starting out and want to get an idea about your sperm, it is recommended that you see a fertility doctor if you have been trying for 6 months to a year or longer to get pregnant.
So what happens if you take a test and the results show a low sperm count? Sperm quality is something that can be improved because new sperm take up to 3 months to fully mature and develop. Changing your diet, adding in supplements or nutrients and other lifestyle changes can have a big impact on sperm count.
The thing to remember is that men are incredibly sensitive about this issue but react differently to women. When women find out there is a fertility problem, our first reaction is to jump online and see what we can do about it. We take action. Men bury their head in the sand. All men assume they are fertile so when they find out their little swimmers are not Olympians; it’s a blow to their ego.
It's probably not a good idea to give them long list of things they need to do immediately but instead, introduce things slowly. And remember, healthy changes that you make together also improve your fertilty.
Stop Smoking.
If they are smokers, talk to them about reducing the number of cigarettes they have each day. Quitting is best, of course, but greatly reducing the number a day will help too. Marijuana and other drugs can also have a negative impact on sperm. There are lots of things that can help someone to stop smoking from patches to e cigarettes to acupuncture.
Clean Up Your Diet:
A heavy meat-based diet with processed food can affect sperm quality. Moving towards a more whole-foods diet with lots more vegetables can help to improve sperm quality.
Get your Laptop off your Lap
Laptops generate a lot of heat and sitting for hours with a laptop directly on your can heat up the testicles. If the testicles get too hot, it can damage sperm.
Supplements
There are lots of supplements that have been shown to improve sperm health but the list can be overwhelming. A good place to start is with a multi-vitamin that is targeted towards male fertility.
Look for the following things inside the product:
Vitamin B6 & 12
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Zinc
L-Carnitine and L-Arginine (these are two really common things that they now know help sperm quality so any good male fertility vitamin should contain at least one of these two)
