40 Weeks Pregnancy
The reason for this is not because he is necessarily the problem, but because testing the man is much less invasive and less expensive. Not to mention it is a great deal less time consuming.
There can be various things done that can improve the health of a man’s sperm, as well as his count and fertility, without having to consult a doctor. Many of these things are natural and simple, and can, amazingly, get you the results that you may have been searching for, or in some cases, even help to prevent a problem that hasn’t even arisen.
This is a list of things that can help to put his sperm in optimal condition. They include:
Contents
Avoid lubricants during sex
What many people are unaware of, is that lubricants such as K-Y jelly, (along with products that are similar) most skin lotions and surprisingly, even saliva, can actually interfere with a sperm’s motility, often making it difficult for the sperm to reach the egg. If you feel you need to use something, however, the best choices are vegetable, peanut or safflower oil. You may also want to consider using a lubricant like, Pre-Seed, which is much less likely to cause harm to the sperm.
Don’t just try drugs prescribed by a doctor
Also try supplements, herbs, etc.-Things such as L-carnitine, folic acid and L-arginine, can also be helpful in addition to others, with increasing sperm production.
Exercise
Though any exercise is good, doing something like Kegel exercises will be particularly helpful in getting what is called your PC muscle into shape. This muscle, also known as the Pubococcygeus muscle, appears in both sexes and has a few jobs, but one that is very important when it comes to a man trying to get a woman pregnant, is that it contracts during orgasm. What this basically means, is that if a man has his PC muscle in tip-top shape, it can help him shoot his sperm up into his partner further than he ever has before, which creates a much better shot at getting the sperm exactly where they need to go.
Remove the heat from the testicles
What some people may not know is that the testicles actually hang from the rest of a man’s body, because they need to be a few degrees cooler than his regular temperature of 98.6 degrees. This is why it is usually advised for men who are trying to have children, to wear boxer shorts or something similar, instead of briefs or some sort of tight underwear, as having an increased scrotal temperature can tend to inhibit their sperm production. Other ways to keep this problem from occurring as well as protecting his fertility at the same time, would be to refrain from things like hot baths, (except for occasionally) saunas, placing his laptop computer directly onto his lap area or biking for long periods of time without taking a break. The same would apply if he stayed seated for a long period of time without taking a break at some place such as a job for many hours as well.
Quit smoking
Although this may not sound like the most inviting of prospects to your guy, it may help to not only increase his sperm count but it will help with his sperm’s motility also. The reason quitting smoking is so important is because men who smoke tend to have not only lower sperm counts, (an average of 22% less than men who do not smoke) but a decrease in their motility as well. One more fact about men who smoke, it also causes sperm to be misshapen, which does not sound like a big deal, however, if you understand why sperm are the shape that they are, it makes more sense. Normal sperm are oval shaped with a long tail and because of this shape have the ability to reach the egg easier and faster. Sperm that have defects (misshapen head, crooked or double tail) may have greater difficulty with their ability to be able to reach and then penetrate the egg, than sperm without.
Stay away from toxins
If a man is exposed to environmental hazards such as pesticides, radiation, a large amount of different toxins, lead or other dangerous chemicals, etc., his sperm count can definitely be affected. It can affect both his sperm count’s quality and their quantity, so if he has to work or be near any of these types of things, tell him to do so with caution. Avoid any skin contact, and wear protective clothing and equipment.
Masturbate and have sex less often
True, most men will not be thrilled with this idea, but if the two of you are trying to conceive a child, he will surely understand. Did you ever notice that sometimes a man’s sperm is thick, but that other times it’s somewhat runny and rather transparent? The reason for this has a lot to do with how often a man ejaculates. The more times a man ejaculates, the less thick his semen will be and the lower his sperm count will become. Don’t stop having sex, just do it a little less often so you will be able to get a better chance at having a higher sperm count.
Try to stay at a healthy weight
Men who are either very underweight or very overweight, tend to have difficulties with fertility issues. The reason for this is due to a person’s weight having an effect on their estrogen or testosterone levels. Making this an important tip for both men and women.
Cut down on alcohol and avoid the use of street drugs completely
It is fine to drink alcohol in moderation, but heavy or prolonged periods of drinking can cause a reduction in both the quantity and the quality of a man’s sperm. Also stay away from any street drugs (cocaine, marijuana, heroin, etc.) as they can cause a myriad of infertility problems. Also, stay away from anabolic steroids. This is a good choice if one is trying to have a baby, as the use of anabolic steroids can often cause testicular shrinkage.
Insomnia and stress levels
Not sleeping well and high levels of stress can both cause a problem with low sperm counts in men. Try some relaxation techniques, this could help you not just bring your stress level down, but could also help you to get a decent night’s rest.
Understand semen
While this sound a little bit ridiculous, it actually is a helpful fact. What most people don’t realize is that the word sperm and the word “semen” are not interchangeable terms. Sperm are the sex cells, but semen is the fluid that actually surrounds the sperm. Both parts are a necessity when trying to conceive a child. But when there is more semen than there is sperm, getting past the cervix can be a very difficult problem, as most of the man’s sperm comes out with the first several drops of ejaculate. If a man does have a low sperm count or viscosity, one suggestion would be to withdraw from the vagina soon after he begins ejaculating, so as to cut down on the amount of semen but still get the sperm inside.
Another option is to collect the semen in something, take it to a lab and have artificial insemination performed.
Diet
Eat a healthy diet that can help increase your sperm count-These types of foods include:
- Watermelon: This fruit contains an antioxidant called Lycopene, which is an amazing new find in the fertility world because it can help to improve the number of a man’s sperm that are in shape. Eating just one simple piece of this a day can increase the number by a whopping 37.5%.
- Oysters: These have been found to help boost the quality of sperm in men who are both fertile and less-than-fertile, as well. Oysters are incredibly high in zinc which is where the boost comes from. When you mix this with folic acid, it increases sperm counts by an amazing 74%.
- Beef: Eating this favorite of meats can be very helpful with both sperm quality and production.
- Black-Eyed Peas: Eating these will help to increase the amount of folic acid in the body which will definitely help with fertility issues in both men and women alike.
- Pumpkin Seeds: This is a little known bonus for men who are having infertility issues, as one single serving pack can give you more than 100% of your required daily value of phosphorous, zinc, manganese, copper, iron and magnesium.
- Asparagus: This is another great source of folic acid and has an ORAC score (a measure of antioxidant content) of 1,500. This is a great food to help improve the quality of your sperm.
- Walnuts: They include a large supply of vitamin B6, copper, omega-3 fatty acids, manganese, protein, thiamin and folate, all of which are helpful to a man’s sperm. One study done by UCLA showed that men who ate 2.5 ounces of walnuts per day for a total of 12 weeks improved their sperm’s anatomy, motility and vitality.
- Dark Chocolate: This sweet treat is responsible for aiding in the increase of blood flow to your lower regions, which is vital for both erections and sperm production. It also may assist with mediating negative effects of stress on sperm quality and production.
- Bananas: This fruit contains an all-important anti-inflammatory enzyme called, Bromelain, which is thought to greatly increase testosterone production. By increasing testosterone production, it can improve sperm production, and as an added bonus a man’s sex drive.
- Maca: This veggie root has the ability to increase sperm production and has been used for decades in Peru. Men, who have actually taken a daily dose of 1.500 to 3,000 mg of this black Maca extract, have amazingly shown an increase in their sperm production after only one day.
