Saturday, August 15, 2015

What men need to know about making babies - the guy's guide to fertility



From having sex every day to avoiding donning tight pants, there are a number of misconceptions about what men should do to enhance their fertility. One would think that when it came to sex and having babies, men (and women) would know enough to actually be able to have one easily. But the truth is that a surprising number of couples that walk into our clinic surely know “how” babies are made, but are unsure about a number of other related conception concepts.

And so if  you and your wife or partner are trying  to conceive or even planning to add to your family in the future, it’s important that you know the facts about the manner in which the male reproductive system  functions; many men are also curious to know what their chances of  conception are.

Sperm Production

Unlike women who’re born with all the eggs they will ever have; men produce sperm right through their lifetime. The production of sperm starts in the testes, which is also where testosterone (the male hormone) is produced. The entire process of the production of sperm and maturation takes a little less than 3 months.

Even in fertile, healthy men there is a constant fluctuation in the sperm count and it can fluctuate in the 15 million/ml- 80million/ml range. Since sperm is constantly being produced, in case the man suffers a major illness, it can impact the quality of the sperm negatively. This is also why we typically repeat the semen analysis after 2 months, to confirm its result.  Some of the men whose semen analysis test results show up as abnormal the first time around, may actually find they have normal sperm in the second test.

Don’t Worry About Having Sex

Many couples are under the  impression that making love everyday will reduce the man’s sperm count, while others are more focused on having sex only when the wife is ovulating. In many cases, this can actually act against your efforts  of conceiving; it’s not uncommon for  couples  to miss  the very important fertile window if they  have sex only when  they think the woman is ovulating.

The best time to conceive is before ovulation – what is called the fertile time.  You can calculate this using the free fertility calculator at www.myfertiletime.in or downloading our free MyFertilityDiary android app at www.myfertilitydiary.com

Since sperm is able to survive in the woman’s fallopian tubes for a duration of  48- 72 hours, we recommend that  you have sex as frequently as you like and enjoy making a baby  in your bedroom. Of course, you  can pay extra attention to those few days before ovulation as it will increase your  chances  of conception.

Lifestyle and Health- Both of Them Matter

Reduce Alcohol Intake- While there is nothing  to prove that moderate alcohol  consumption has an adverse effect on sperm quality, excessive alcohol consumption can have long-term effects such as reduced libido, erectile dysfunction or even subnormal sperm production. Just as with most other things in life, moderation is important in this too

Quit smoking- There are a number of studies which suggest that smoking has a negative impact on sperm production, morphology (shape) and motility (ability to swim).  If  you are a smoker and a heavy one at that, it’s best  to quit; it will do wonders  for your  fertility and your health will thank you for it too

Recreational Drugs- It goes without saying that you should avoid steroids and recreational drugs. Certain drugs like marijuana can impact sperm motility and density; it can also increase abnormal sperm count. Cocaine can impact erectile function as it suppresses the production of testosterone and causes impotence. So if you’re a recreational user, you need to stop right away.

Please don’t worry about stuff like the length of your penis or sexual problems such as premature ejaculation. These do not affect your fertility !

Many men also worry that if their semen is “thin”, this means it’s not strong. This is a misconception, because semen is meant to liquefy, so that the sperm can swim into the cervix !

Need more information? Please send me your medical details by filling in the form at www.drmalpani.com/free-second-opinion so that I can guide you better!




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