Helping Your Guy Become Fertility Fit
By Fertility specialist Dr Lynn Burmeister
When you are ready to take the plunge to becoming a parent it is important to make sure you are Fertility Fit. Healthy eggs and sperm make healthy embryos and babies. Making changes to your lifestyle can improve your chances to conceive. We know that poor eating habits and an unhealthy lifestyle will impact eggs and sperm quality.
In general about half of couples will be pregnant in the first six months of trying then about 85 per cent of couples will be pregnant after one year. The couples who are not pregnant after a year of regular intercourse at the time of ovulation are considered infertile.
It is often thought that infertility is all to do with the female but in actual fact males count for about 40 per cent of infertility cases. Causes of male infertility are mostly linked to poor sperm quality. It is interesting to note that over the last four decades the average sperm count has dropped by 60 per cent - the causes of this is unclear but may be related to environmental toxins and lifestyle.
Sperm quality is affected by a man’s overall health. Poor lifestyle habits can result in increased damage to the DNA in the head of the sperm which can ultimately affect the chance of you getting pregnant or the health of your baby. In fact we know that babies born from men who smoke have a higher incidence of heart conditions.
So how can you get your guy in tip top shape to achieve a healthy and viable pregnancy. Here are some tips to becoming Fertility Fit:
· Being overweight will cause increased DNA damage to the sperm which lowers your chance of getting pregnant. Men should exercise regularly and eat healthy to improve their swimmers.
· Definitely stop smoking and stop any illicit drug use and any body building steroids.
· Avoid excessive alcohol.
· If your partner is on medication make sure he checks with his doctor if it is safe to conceive on. Do not take testosterone as it suppresses sperm production for many months.
· Limit exposure to environmental and occupational contaminants.
· Avoid plastics/metal containers lined with BPA which can cause DNA damage in the sperm.
· Eat organic wherever possible.
· Avoid overheating the testicles –long bike rides, sitting down for extended periods of time, avoid lap top computers on laps and mobile phones in pockets.
· Drink 2 litres of water a day.
· Reduce stress and get plenty of sleep.
· Foods that can aid sperm quality are high in Vitamin C, lycopene and zinc such as oysters, cooked tomatoes, onions and garlic and lots of green/red and yellow vegetables.
· And remember have intercourse every second day in your “Fertile Window”.
Becoming Fertility Fit is important, remember your baby will be made up of 50 per cent DNA from the sperm and 50 per cent of the egg and it take three months to make a sperm and an egg. So start looking after your best investment and start becoming Fertility Fit.
Good luck and Best wishes,
Dr Lynn
For more information: Number1fertility.com
