It takes two to make a baby...
In our clinic we LOVE helping couples (or single ladies!) have babies. While we are very passionate about helping women with their health & fertility, it takes two to make a baby.
Gentlemen, it's time to get on board!
We see a lot of ladies coming forward to help resolve issues related to their fertility but unfortunately not enough men. It certainly takes two to tango.
Males contribute to 50% of fertility issues and are solely responsible for up to 20% of infertility cases.
The New Normal
Over the last forty years, the parameters for what is 'normal' sperm has taken a massive plunge. It's still being debated whether its chronic stress, more fast & processed foods in the diet, being more sedentary or something else that's the cause. This, coupled with the advances in reproductive technology has meant that a MUCH lower pass rate is considered ok. It's really not though!
In our clinic we use the World Health Organisation levels of men who fathered a child within 12 months as our baseline levels for men's fertility.
Just forty years ago it was considered normal and adequate if 80% of your sperm had good Morphology (shape/form = good healthy DNA thats being passed on). Now just having just 4% is considered within range. (thats a pass rate of 96% abnormal sperm!)
For easy natural conception, Morphology above 10% normal forms is recommended.
The parameters for Motility (sperm swimming in the right direction) used to be at >60%. Nowadays >40% is considered 'fine'.
For easy natural conception, Motility above 45% is recommended.
If that isn't scary enough, the Concentration of sperm (sperm count in the seminal fluid) used to be considered normal between 20-200 million sperm per ml. Now above 15 million/ml is considered adequate.
For easy natural conception, Counts above 100 million/ml is recommended.
So the decline has been fast and is no doubt a contributor to the struggles with fertility that are becoming more prevalent.
What does Healthy Sperm need to do?
Healthy sperm needs to be plentiful (Concentration), be the right shape (Morphology) and be swimming in the right direction (Motility). It also needs to have a clear passageway from the testes to the urethra.
The Good News
The good news for men is that the process of spermatogenesis (the production of new sperm) takes about 100 days. This means there is every chance that sperm quality can be improved upon with a little work and commitment to health.
3 Actions You Can Take
Book an appointment
Start by booking an appointment with us. We can help you understand your semen analysis or prescribe one for you. We will then chat about your health in general discussing all your signs and symptoms to obtain a Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis. Herbs will be prescribed to fit your diagnosis along with supplements such as good multivitamin and antioxidants. Acupuncture will also be performed to help with stress levels which in turn assists balanced hormonal production.
If stress is high, pelvic blood flow is reduced and your body makes more stress hormones instead of fertility hormones. Acupuncture is wonderful for lowering stress and restoring normal body functions.
(please note Acupuncture is gentle & not done anywhere the groin region!)
Keep the area cool
The testicles need to be 4 degrees cooler than the rest of your body to make healthy sperm. Hence why they reside on the outside of the body.
Spas, Saunas, Laptops on laps, lots of cycling, tight fitting close and running a low grade fever/long term inflammation are all contributors to heat in the area.
Keep the area cool by wearing loose fitting cotton underwear.
Avoid putting your laptop on your lap and having your phone in your front pockets.
Not only do the devices get hot but the wireless connection can also damage the DNA of the sperm.
Keep your weight in check
Watching what you eat and exercising regularly may seem like common sense advice but it’s so important for not only sperm health but also being a dad!
Colourful fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, quality meat in moderation and plenty of fish…Steering clear of processed food, sugars, the 2nd coffee, and those 10% alcohol volume hipster beers (well have the odd one)…
Eating when you are hungry and eating mindfully AWAY from your computer will help with smooth digestion.
