When planning to have children, is there anything more fulfilling than conceiving by natural means? If you are able to maintain an erection, reach climax and emit semen during sexual intercourse, you and your partner should have a good chance of getting pregnant. One in eight people struggle with infertility. A woman’s age is the most critical factor predicting fertility.
A Semen Analysis is the First Step in Evaluation of a Man’s Fertility Potential
A man’s age is also an important factor predicting fertility. Men age 45 and older:
- Contribute to a greater risk of miscarriage.
- Have a larger proportion of sperm containing degenerating DNA called “DNA Fragmentation”.
- More likely to have metabolic disorders such as diabetes, hypertension cardiovascular disease and related obesity which can contribute to:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Abnormal ejaculation
- Decreased sperm production (concentration)
- Decreased sperm movement (motility)
- Abnormal formation of sperm (morphology)
Erectile Dysfunction in Men Under Age 50 Years Can be a Sign of Significant Cardiovascular Disease
When we think about the risk of heart attack, we think about narrowing and clogging of the coronary arteries, robbing the heart of its blood supply that provides priceless oxygen needed to function. The coronary arteries are pretty big in diameter and it usually takes many years to accumulate enough plaque inside the artery to the point of blockage. The arteries that supply blood to the penis are much smaller, but are vulnerable to the same process of plaque buildup to the point of near blockage. Being smaller in size, the penile arteries can become narrowed faster and at a younger age than the coronary arteries resulting in reduced blood flow to the penis and erectile dysfunction.
Men with erectile dysfunction younger than age 50 should have a complete cardiovascular evaluation.
Early prevention and care for cardiovascular disease is the best way not only to be a healthy father, but also to be a future healthy grandfather!
Other reasons to seek care from a fertility specialist right away is if you already know you have:
- Past trauma to the scrotum and testicles.
- Delay in puberty and abnormally scant facial hair.
- Past surgery as an infant or child for undescended testicle.
- Known first- or second-degree family member with cystic fibrosis.
- Symptoms of pain or sign of abnormal size of testicles.
And your female partner has is age 35 years or older. Please refer to Optimizing Fertility Health For Women.
It’s a good idea to consult with an urologist specializing in fertility for preconception counseling. This gives you an opportunity to explore what is necessary to improve fertility health and make all preparations necessary before you and your partner achieve pregnancy. This may require some changes in lifestyle choices. Depending on what is discovered, simple measures may be all that is needed. Sometimes, problems are discovered that require the expertise of a Board Certified Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) specialist. Your urologist and your female partner’s OB/GYN may refer you to this REI specialist or you may wish to consult directly with this REI specialist.
Here are a few things to optimize your chance of getting pregnant:
Lifestyle Factors: You have the power to take control and make a good difference.
Smoking
- Results in cardiovascular disease and had direct toxic effect, both of which may reduce male fertility.
- No one knows the minimum amount of smoking in years or amount that harms fertility. The sooner you quit, the better!
Diet and Exercise to Optimize Weight
- For men who are overweight, optimizing body weight will result in an amazing improvement in sexual function and your fertility.
- Are you a ‘CARBOVORE’? Our cultural food chain is loaded with carbohydrates. You need a PhD in organic chemistry to read and understand the contents listed on food labels at the grocery store. We are discovering that although carbohydrates are essential for us, the preparations and dosing of ‘carbs’ has a toxic effect on our health including fertility.
- Lower carbohydrate/higher protein diets such as a Mediterranean or South Beach diet are good for most everyone.
- Men with sugar metabolism disorders are particularly responsive to improvements in their diet. The disorder of insulin resistance can contribute to erectile and ejaculatory dysfunction.
- Read more about NUTRITION for FERTILITY and schedule a consultation with our Dietician Expert, Nancy Padilla, RD to develop a tasty and effective diet and exercise plan.
Reducing Stress
- What is the largest sex organ in a man? The brain of course!
- Stress can affect fertility indirectly through changes in behavior and lifestyle choices. It can affect eating habits, food choices, and mood with depression or high anxiety. Medications often prescribed to reduce anxiety and depression can affect fertility by reducing libido and the frequency of intercourse. It is not clear that it impairs fertility if intercourse is well timed with a woman’s ovulation.
- Exercise is a great stress reducer. Commit thirty minutes of continuous aerobic exercise with a sustained heart rate of about 140 beats per minute, four days per week. You will experience a big improvement.
- Discover the source of stress and seek to modify the conditions that cause stress as well as your reaction to the conditions. Our Patient led Support Group has been a great source of relief to so many of our patients. Being able to talk to others that are experiencing similar challenges with having children and listening to the stories of those who have succeeded shed the bright light of hope over the shadows of frustration and despair. Everyone who joins our Patient Support Group is glad they did. Learn more about our Patient Support Group here. One-on-one counseling with a psychologist expert in infertility is also available.
Integrative medicine with Reike therapy, massage and acupuncture has assisted many of our patients in reducing stress and enhancing fertility. Learn more about our Integrative Medicine services here.
Misconceptions About Conception
The following common assumptions about infertility are NOT TRUE:
- The position during sexual intercourse affects fertility.
- All the sperm leaked out of my vagina.
- Your female partner lying on her back with her hips up after intercourse improved her chance to become pregnant.
- Use of lubricants will reduce fertility. This is usually not the case, but try to avoid lubricants if possible.
