Sperm Health and Male Factor Fertility

Sperm health is a valuable piece of the puzzle for conceiving a child. It takes you and your spouse to be in good fertility health. Both you and your partner need to be aware of what goes into your individual fertility health and take steps to improve them. There are many factors that can affect sperm health and there are also several things you can do to improve upon those concerns you may have.

The issue with sperm health problems though often lies in the males ability to not blame themselves for any problems you may have. It is a sensitive subject. Good communication and working on your health together can help you feel like you’re not doing this alone. Diet, exercise, supplements, and healthy products will help improve many factors.

What are the factors that go into sperm health?

Motility

Motility is the movement of the sperm through the cervix, uterus and fallopian tube of a woman. Good motility is considered to be 40% or greater.

Morphology

The structure of healthy sperm is one that has an oval head long tails. This allows them to propel forward up to the fallopian tube. The more sperm that is of healthy morphology, the better your chances of being fertile and being able to conceive.

Quantity

The number of sperm available to fertilize an egg is important. In order for your sperm sample to be considered healthy and fertile, you need a minimum of 15 million per milliliter. 

Can you improve your sperm health?

Absolutely! There are several things you can do to improve your sperm health. 

• Have a healthy weight: being over- or underweight can cause hormone balance issues and issues with sperm quantity and mobility. 
• Eat a healthy diet: make sure you are eating whole foods, less processed junk, and focusing on fertility boosting foods.
• Exercise: moving more releases enzymes and helps to balance your hormones, such as testosterone. 
• Keep stress in check: when your cortisol levels are balanced, your testosterone can be produced effectively to support healthy sperm. 
• Vitamins and Supplements: there are several vitamins and supplements used for improving male health. Talk to your doctor about what you may be lacking from your diet and what could be useful for you. Everyone will have different needs but typically Vitamin C and D, as well as Zinc, are good ones to have in your multivitamin. Co-Q10 and herbs such as Maca Root,  Ashwagandha, and Fenugreek may have some impact on your testosterone levels also. 

What is causes Male Factor Infertility?

There can be many causes for a male to have fertility issues. There is no tried and true reason, and some men may have a combination of issues causing it. Some may be in seemingly normal health, with no explanation as to what is causing their fertility issues. Some contributing factors can include the following:

• Swelling within the veins of the testicles, called a varicocele. 
• An infection 
• Retrograde ejaculation: when the sperm enters the bladder instead of out of the penis during orgasm. 
• Hormone imbalance
• Tumors
• Defects in the tubes that carry sperm. This can be caused by injuries or blockages. 
• Certain health issues such as chromosome defects or celiacs disease can play a contributing factor.
• Environmental toxins
• Alcohol
• Smoking
• Weight concerns  
• Stress
• Overheating the testicles

Male infertility can contribute to about 30% of a couple’s fertility problems. Most often, a woman begins being tested long before it’s discussed to test a man’s sperm. Some doctors begin testing for both partners at the same time. If you and your spouse are having trouble conceiving, make sure to have your husband tested before you being costly tests on yourself. This is not to say that you both may not have an issue. Remember that you are a team and it is nobody’s “fault” for having difficulties conceiving a child. 

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