Does this week's choice of topic surprise you? Well… Don’t be. For the sake of the women in our community who are trying to conceive, we every now and then, feature men’s reproductive health. Shout-out to our super user Esther Dwamena for requesting this topic. We see you.
Reproductive health when trying to conceive is not only a woman’s issue and we can’t discuss this without looking into the men’s health too. There are many activities and habits that a man may keep that affect his reproductive health and by extension, sperm health. In this article, we will navigate how to help your partner maintain good sperm health.
What Determines Sperm Health
What makes your partner or spouse’s sperm healthy is determined by the quantity he produces, the movement of the sperm cell and the structure of the sperm cell.
Quantity: Fertility is likely to occur if the semen discharged in a single ejaculation contains at least 15 million sperm per millilitre. A shortage of sperm cells might make it more difficult to conceive. In such a case, there may be underlying problems with the male reproductive system especially if he is below 40 years.
Movement: The sperm must swim through your cervix, the uterus, and the fallopian tubes and reach the egg to fertilize it. This is called the motility of sperm. It is essential that your partner has about 50% of his sperm as very good 'swimmers' for fertilization purposes.
Structure: Healthy sperms usually have oval heads and long strong tails, which help them move. This is not as important as the movement and quantity of the sperm. but good to note.
Some Causes of Male Fertility Problems
Male fertility causes can be categorized into two main causes:
a) Medical conditions
Testicular diseases such as testicular cancer, testicular torsion etc.
Sperm transport disorder- It is an obstruction or blockage of sperm transportation to the urethra. it can be caused by a surgical obstruction such as vasectomy or STIs
A problem in the hypothalamus or the pituitary gland, which are parts of the brain that tell the testicles to make testosterone and sperm (secondary hypogonadism)
b) Age.
What Contributes to Healthy Sperm
Healthy diet- Encourage your partner to consistently eat foods rich in vegetables and fruits.
Maintaining healthy weight-Some research shows that a higher body mass index (BMI) is linked to a lower number of sperm and less movement of those sperm.
Stress Management- Stress can make it harder to be sexually active and interfere with the hormones that are needed to make sperm. As much as possible, encourage your partner to limit stressful activities, especially before sexual intercourse.
We know that it is very hard to identify the number of sperms per ejaculation and also check with the naked eye for the strength of sperms ejaculated. But because Sperms are part and parcel of every woman's fertility journey, take a keen interest in making sure your partner adheres to a healthy lifestyle and may help him to be able to effectively produce healthy sperms.
Stay informed and stay in control!
Don't forget to chat with Grace for tips to maximize fertility!
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