When planning for parenthood, it is sometimes too easy to focus solely on a woman’s health and her ability to conceive and carry a healthy pregnancy.<\/p>\n
Male partners are often excluded from conversations about fertility, with common myths about infertility being a “woman’s issue” leading to many men finding it very difficult to open up about their fertility problems.<\/p>\n
In recent years, there’s been a positive shift within our society towards raising awareness about male infertility and the damage it can have on the mental and emotional health of men. Did you know there is plenty that men can do to maximise their potential to conceive, which can make a big difference when preparing to have a child?<\/p>\n
In this article, we’ll take a look at preconception health for men. <\/strong>We’ll cover a few simple dos and don\u2019ts<\/strong>, as well as offer some fertility-boosting tips for men<\/strong> and answer frequently asked questions about protecting the quality and quantity of sperm<\/strong>. We’ll also look at the impact of lifestyle choices<\/strong>, and where to get help<\/strong> if low fertility, or even infertility, becomes an issue.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Did you know that men face fertility problems just as often as women? At IVI, we estimate that, out of all the couples who seek our help when struggling to conceive, 30% are experiencing issues relating to male fertility<\/strong>. This is equal to the number of couples experiencing issues relating to female fertility<\/strong> (30%). The other 40% experience problems due to a combination of both partners, or unknown causes. It\u2019s clear from these statistics that the male fertility<\/strong>, including men’s<\/strong> preconception health<\/strong> is every bit as important as that of women. The only difference is that a woman\u2019s reproductive health may affect the pregnancy, while the part played by the sperm is more time-limited. Both are equally crucial.<\/p>\n Aside from a few specific medical conditions, it is most commonly the quality and quantity of the sperm<\/strong> that have the biggest impact on male fertility. The quantity of sperm<\/strong> is defined as low when there are fewer than 15 million sperm per millilitre of semen. A low sperm count can make conception more difficult. The quality of sperm<\/strong> is also important: decreased sperm mobility (the ability to move efficiently) or abnormal morphology (size and shape) can make it more difficult for the sperm to reach the egg in order for fertilisation to take place.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here are some positive measures that men can take to protect the quality of their sperm and prepare for conception:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The preconception period is an exciting time in any relationship and one where mutual support can be a significant benefit. For the best chance of getting pregnant, both you and your partner need to be in good health and so in general, the advice about not smoking, keeping a healthy weight and regularly exercising applies equally to both partners.<\/p>\n Likewise, it is important for both partners to have sexual health check-up<\/strong> to make sure there are no sexually-transmitted infections present which could affect your ability to conceive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the world of assisted reproduction, there is lots of help available for men who experience low fertility (also known as subfertility<\/strong>) or infertility, and techniques are advancing all the time. For example, for those facing infertility for medical reasons such as cancer patients undergoing a treatment like radiotherapy or chemotherapy, it is now very possible to freeze sperm and still be able to have a child in the future.<\/p>\n For men with a low sperm count who may be struggling to conceive spontaneously, there are advanced IVF procedures such as Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI<\/a>), which significantly increase the chances of conception and, in some cases, make possible what otherwise would have been impossible. During an ICSI procedure, embryologists select the best individual sperm from a semen sample and this sperm is then injected directly into the egg as part of the IVF process, facilitating fertilisation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For many couples, a bit of extra help is needed to help them achieve their dream of becoming parents. If you would like to find out more about the help available, you can look at the range of treatments and services<\/a> offered in cases of low male fertility.<\/p>\nWhy does preconception health matter for men?<\/h3>\n
What are the do’s and don\u2019ts of preconception preparation for men?<\/h3>\n
Do: <\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Don\u2019t:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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What are the differences in preconception health for men and women?<\/h3>\n
What can I do if I need help?<\/h3>\n
Getting in touch with IVI<\/strong><\/h3>\n