Although a woman will do the most by getting pregnant, carrying the baby, and delivering the baby, a man also plays a vital role in the whole journey. It takes a man and a woman to make a baby. For a man to facilitate fertilization, they must be able to have and maintain an erection, have enough sperm count, and enough semen to transfer the sperm to the female egg. A problem in either of these steps can make conception or fertilization difficult.
According to fertility experts at Procrea, there are several things a man can do to boost their reproductive health and increase the chances of conceiving. They include:
Maintain a healthy weight
Couples in which the man is obese take longer to conceive than couples without weight issues. Being obese or overweight negatively impacts a man’s sperm quality, reduces the sperm count, and decreases their ability to swim to the female egg. Being obese also increases the chances of damage to the genetic material in sperm.
Compared to normal weighted men, obese men are more likely to lack viable sperm making it hard to conceive. Too much body fat is also associated with changes in reproductive hormones like testosterone, and therefore you should cut extra pounds if you are trying to conceive.
Effectively manage chronic health conditions.
You should effectively manage chronic health conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, especially if you are trying to get your partner pregnant. Medical conditions such as varicoceles and cystic fibrosis can cause male infertility. Other than that, medications used to treat these conditions, such as beta-blockers, long-term opiates, antidepressants, and finasteride, can negatively impact fertility. Another study suggests that some chemotherapy drugs can cause infertility. Therefore you should speak to your fertility specialist about any chronic health conditions or medications you are taking to determine if they can impact your ability to conceive.
Be aware of age-related fertility changes.
Men also have a ticking biological clock, just like women. The quality and quantity of sperm diminish as a man gets older. With age, men experience a fall-off in the number of healthy sperm and have increased chances of DNA damage of the sperm. That means it might take longer for a couple to conceive if the man is beyond the fertility age. There is also a greater risk of genetic abnormalities; therefore, older fathers are more likely to pass genetic mutations to a child.
Be aware of the heat.
Frequent and extended stays in the hot tub and saunas can increase scrotal temperatures, which in turn affects sperm quality and decreases sperm count. Although the effect may be temporary, it is not a good thing when trying to get your partner pregnant. Also, avoid placing your laptop on your laps as that may cause increased radiation from the heat.
Know when to seek help
If you cannot get your partner pregnant in more than six months and you are not using any birth control, you should visit a fertility specialist. If the woman is under 35years of age, you should try for at least a year before seeking help, but if she’s above 35years, you should see a doctor if you have been attempting conceiving for six months with no success.
