Are you and your partner figuring out how to get pregnant? Although a woman will be the one who technically gets pregnant, and carries and delivers the baby, a man also has a crucial role. For fertilization to occur, his jizz must be healthy and strong to reach and penetrate the woman’s eggs.
To make fertilization happen, a man must be able to have and keep an erection, have enough sperm that are the right shape and move in the right way, and have enough semen to carry the sperm to the egg, according to the Mayo Infirmary (opens in new tab) . A problem in any step in this process, including male fertility, can prevent pregnancy.
A variety of factors, from genetics and lifestyle to environmental exposures and hormones, can affect a man’s fertility, so it’s difficult to isolate the exact cause for infertility, according to Dr. Jared Robins, chief of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Northwestern Medicine’s Fertility and Reproductive Medicine in Chicago. Nonetheless, doctors identify the cause of problems in about 80 percent of infertile couples, Robins noted. When there is a known cause of infertility, problems in the male partner tend to account for about 40 percent of infertile couples, he said. But there are many steps that men can take to enhance their health, lifestyle and relationship to increase a couple’s chances of conceiving. Here are 10 tips for men who want to improve their fertility.
step 1. Dump extra few pounds
Studies have suggested that couples in which the man is overweight or heavy take longer to conceive than couples with no weight problems. Research has also indicated that being overweight or obese affects a man’s sperm quality, reducing sperm counts and decreasing their ability to swim, as well as increasing damage to genetic material (DNA) in sperm, according to the American People getting Reproductive Treatments (opens in new tab) .
A 2012 study found that overweight and obese men were more likely to have low sperm counts or a lack of viable sperm compared with normal-weight men, possibly making it harder for these men to father a child. The researchers suspected escort service Indianapolis that too much body fat was linked with changes in testosterone and other reproductive hormone levels in men.
2. Rating illnesses down
Effectively managing chronic medical conditions, such as high blood circulation pressure and diabetes, may improve a man’s chances of getting his partner pregnant, suggests The Business Journal from Men’s room Fitness (opens in new tab) . Other medical conditions, such as cystic fibrosis or varicoceles (enlarged veins in the scrotum that cause overheating), may also affect male fertility, according to the Centers for State Manage and you may Avoidance (opens in new tab) . In addition, some medications used to treat high blood pressure (beta blockers), anxiety and anxiety (SSRIs), pain (long-term opiates), and an expanded prostate (finasteride), could have a negative influence on fertility, according to the Cleveland Clinic. (opens in new tab)
Supplemental testosterone can also decrease sperm production. Some radiation treatment drugs and radiation treatments for cancer can cause permanent infertility, according to the Mayo Clinic (opens in new tab) . A man should speak to his doctor about medication he is taking and whether it might interfere with his ability to father a child.
step 3. Eat well balanced meals
“The role of diet in male fertility is unclear,” Robins told Live Science. Even though the science may be inconclusive, it still makes sense for men to eat a variety of healthy foods, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are rich resources of anti-oxidants that may help to produce healthy sperm. Men should also consume fiber-rich meals, healthy monounsaturated fats, and moderate amounts of lean proteins.