So much of the talk around fertility focuses on women. But did you know that male infertility is equally common? One third of infertility cases is male, another third is female, and the third is a combination of both partners. You can read more about the study that uncovered this here.
It’s time to shift the conversation around fertility.
Women often have this underlying sense of responsibility if she and her partner are struggling to conceive. (In reality, nobody is really responsible, regardless of gender. It’s simply our bodies, but you probably can relate to this feeling if you are struggling to or have ever struggled to conceive.) When we look at articles online or scroll through social media, we see endless advice for getting pregnant that almost always targets women. It’s important for couples to know that men are an equal part of the infertility picture—not only for the emotional health of women who are TTC, but it’s also for their partners, so that they don’t miss the opportunity to focus on their fertility.
Let’s Talk About Male Fertility
Here are male fertility factors women should know about if they’re trying to conceive.
- Men also have a biological clock. Their sperm count and quality decreases with age. It is usually not until they’re into their 50s (lucky guys), but for some, it is sooner.
- There are usually no signs of male infertility. Even if he is otherwise healthy and his, ahem, equipment is working well, he may be struggling with infertility.
- Getting his semen checked is easy peasy. Unlike getting our eggs checked, it’s much simpler (and cheaper!) to get his semen checked out. So if you’re struggling, why not try?
- His fertility is impacted by his lifestyle. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, quitting smoking, and limiting or avoiding alcohol can increase his fertility
- Heat is not good for his testicles. He should avoid tight boxers, placing his laptop on his lap, hot baths, etc. to keep his guys cool. Icing his testicles may even boost his sperm count and quality. (He’ll probably think that’s a prank, so send him this article about icing testicles for fertility and grab the man an ice pack.)
- Fertility Support for Him is an easy boost for his fertility. It has vital nutrients to improve sperm quality, motility, morphology, and function. Check it out here.
- Sperm counts are declining in Western countries. They’ve dropped over 50% over the past 38 years. Read more about what this means for male fertility here.
- Abstaining from sex/ejaculation will not increase semen’s potency or sperm count. This is a myth! The next ejaculate will contain dead sperm cells, so withholding from sex is counterproductive. For those concerned about low sperm count, it’s recommended to have sex every other day during your fertile window.
- Make sure to check his sperm health. You can do this from the comfort of home with our At-Home Male Fertility Pack.
We hope this helps!
