It is estimated that 1 in 8 couples (or 12% of married women) have trouble getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy. And while often it is thought of as a women’s issue – it takes two to tango! Men have equal roles in the baby-planning process.
In fact, a study, which was conducted by the CDC, found that about 9 percent of men aged 15 through 44 had some form of infertility or non-surgical sterility.
There are many factors can affect a man’s fertility. There are also a lot of things men can do to promote good reproductive health.
Sperm health and sperm quality begins to decline around the age of 25. Smoking, drinking, drugs, stress, poor nutrition, and lack of exercise can all contribute to poor sperm quality. So what is on your Honey-Do list?
If you are planning to have a baby here are some tips to boost your chances!
- Visit the doctor – Your first stop should be your doctor’s office to get a full physical exam. They can also do a sperm and semen analysis to check your sperm count, their shape, movement, and other variables.
- Quit smoking – Studies of non-infertile male smokers and nonsmokers reported an average 23 percent decrease in sperm concentration and 13 percent decrease in sperm motility among the smokers.
- Cut down on caffeine – According to the researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, caffeine may harm sperm and fertility at a molecular level.
- Skip the fast food! – Foods rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants have been found to help prevent sperm defects and boost motility (movement) and fertility, while foods that are high in folic acid help produce healthier sperm!
- Get to the gym – Men engaging in exercise for seven hours or more per week, essentially one hour a day, had 48 percent higher concentrations and fertility than men who were engaging in less than one hour per week, a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found.
- Be happy! – Stress has been known to affect erectile function so it is possible it can affect your fertility. Making a baby is supposed to be fun! So go with it and enjoy your partner.
Source: Growing your Baby