It’s a common myth these days that infertility is simply a woman’s problem. Because the woman is responsible for pregnancy, people often think that conception is completely her project as well. However, nothing could be further from the truth, and if you are a couple experiencing problems while trying to get pregnant, you owe it to yourselves to understand the truth about male infertility. After all, to ignore this issue is to waste valuable time that could be spent correcting it and addressing it properly.

How common is male infertility?

When a couple is having problems conceiving, it’s believed that the problem is usually 50/50, in other words, it’s equally likely that the problem is male infertility as it is the woman’s infertility. About 1 in 10 couples that try to conceive have difficulty, so you can understand just how common this issue is with men.

What are the common causes of male infertility?

Most people have heard that low sperm count is one of the common reasons for male infertility, but there are others; additionally, there are reasons why a man’s sperm count may be low. For example, smoking causes much damage to the reproductive system in a man, and can interfere with his sperm production. Trauma to the genital region or testicles, such as an injury or accident, can also interfere with his sperm productions.

Other common causes for male infertility include malformed sperm. In order to fertilize an egg, a sperm must be healthy, otherwise it will simply die before it even reaches the egg in the first place. Another common cause is low sperm motility. This is also called ‘lazy’ or ’slow’ sperm. From a human point of view, the distance that sperm need to travel in order to fertilize a woman’s egg is not that much ‘ only a matter of inches, really ‘ but to the microscopic sperm, it may as well be miles. And sperm are very fragile to begin with, so if they are not active and mWhen talking about reproductive issues, a couple does well to consider some male infertility treatments that they can easily try at home. This is because in most cases of reproductive issues, infertility can equally be caused by the man’s reproductive system as it can be the woman’s. It is a common misconception (no pun intended) that all reproductive issues are strictly the woman’s problem. In reality, most couples being treated for this by medical doctors are finding this it’s a 50/50 chance that the man may need treatment, or it’s a combination of problems with both the man and the woman. In any case, someone may immediately wonder about male infertility treatments that you can try at home, first, before looking into medical intervention, expensive drugs, invasive surgeries, and the like. The good news is that there are some such treatments that men can try that may very well increase his abilities to impregnate.

Diet May be the Best Male Infertility Treatment

In a new study cited in OBGYN News, a group of Harvard researchers found that 79% of infertile couples had a lower-than-average intake of foods high in antioxidants - like fruits and vegetables. In one study published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Medicine, doctors found that after one week of daily doses of 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C, sperm counts rose by some 140%. So, a multivitamin or a vitamin C supplement may be the first male infertility treatment that you would want to try.

More recently, a study published in the Archives of Andrology showed the antioxidants vitamin E and selenium improved the ability of sperm to swim - a skill necessary to reach the egg.

Exercise also improves muscle tone and good muscle tone helps every aspect of your system as well. Excessive body weight also puts undue pressure on the reproductive organs and doesn’t allow them to function optimally; obese persons often suffer from reproductive issues. Any male infertility treatment that you try at home should include regular physical activity and exercise.

Drugs and Smoking ‘ A Barrier to Any Effective Male Infertility Treatment

Some medications can interfere with a woman’s and a man’s reproductive systems. If you are taking any prescription drugs, be mindful of the side effects. Ask your doctor if you’re not sure. And this includes illegal drugs as well. Many narcotics interfere with the body’s fertility, as does tobacco. Excessive drinking (more than three alcoholic beverages per day) can too.

If you or your partner smoke, it’s time to quit. Smokers have been shown to have 17% less sperm count on average, not to mention that it disrupts the health of remaining sperm. If you’re taking illicit drugs, it’s time to quit those as well. And if necessary, make note of your drinking levels and cut back if needed.

So there you have it ‘ some natural, healthy male infertility treatments that any man or couple can try at home, before undergoing invasive surgery or doling out thousands on tests and medicines.

Blocked sperm ducts are another common cause of male infertility. When a man ejaculates, only about 1% of that fluid is actually sperm; if his sperm ducts are blocked, this means there will be even less sperm, if any at all.

A high sperm count and healthy sperm themselves are of course crucial for a man to be able to impregnate a woman. The more healthy sperm he has, the greater the chance of at least one of those sperm reaching that egg.

Male infertility can be treated!

The good news is that many of these conditions can be reversed, or helped along by your doctor; even if it means a medical intervention, most men with low sperm counts or malformed sperm can still help to conceive a healthy child. So if you’re experiencing problems conceiving, don’t waste another minute assuming that it’s just the woman. See your doctor today!



Thanks to Leokadia Angela for contributing this article to our Infertility blog:

Acupuncture Fertility Specialist

 

Most experts define unexplained infertility as not being able to become pregnant after a year or two of trying to have a baby. In order to become pregnant a woman must release an egg from one of her ovaries, and the egg must go through a fallopian tube towards the uterus. A man’s sperm must fertilize the egg along the way. And the fertilized egg must attach to the inside of the uterus. Infertility can result from problems that interfere with any of these steps.

Roughly about 1 in 6 of all couples seek specialist help because of difficulty conceiving.  Many couples who have been trying to conceive for only a year or two are normal, and will conceive without help. But there are some who will have a real cause and will need to be investigated.

Infertility in men is caused due to problems in producing sperm like producing too few sperm or none at all or even due to sluggish sperm movement.  In rare cases, infertility in men is caused by a genetic disease such as cystic fibrosis or a chromosomal abnormality. Sometimes problems start due to illness or injury.

The number and quality of a man’s sperm can be affected by his health and lifestyle, such as alcohol, drugs, toxins, smoking cigarettes, medication, radiation and chemotherapy and age.

There are many causes of infertility in women. Understanding the causes are obviously the key and there are a host of problems that can cause infertility in women. It is usually due to anovulation (the absence of ovulation), uterine abnormalities, blocked fallopian tubes, or immunological causes. Infertility in women has also been linked to aging, a history of pelvic inflammatory disease, and certain lifestyle behaviours as well as problems with intercourse and incompatibility between the sperm and the secretions at the neck of the womb (cervical hostility).

If you think you have fertility issues, the basic tests can be done by your GP, Doctors can also help you prepare your body for a healthy baby, and they can answer questions on fertility and give you advice on conceiving. If the tests given by your GP give no pointers to a specific cause, then it is sensible to ask to see a specialist

Infertility can be treated with surgery, medicine, assisted reproductive technology or artificial insemination. Quite often these are combined for effective treatment. Around 65% of couples who are treated for infertility are able to go on and have a baby. 

There are a number of reasons that can affect fertility in any couple’s attempt to have a successful pregnancy. If all health factors have been successfully ruled out, then stress can be the main contributor to an inability to conceive and have a successful birth. The stress of trying to become pregnant builds on the pre-existing stress of not getting pregnant, which often leads to guilt, self doubt and negative self talk.

Hypnotherapy for unexplained infertility is becoming one of the most sought after complementary approaches in fertility today. It’s a course of 4 sessions developed by the HypnoBirthing Practitioner Lynsi Eastburn in the US. This programme helps women to conceive naturally and provides hypnotherapeutic support to women who are finding it difficult to conceive, and also who are undergoing IVF and other medical procedures. Doctors have recommended this process. It is much more than just visualisation; it’s also a precise, powerful programme that supports the entire fertility process for excellent results.

Hypnotherapy for unexplained infertility is a specific form of hypnotherapy (HypnoFertility) originally developed in the USA which has become a very successful and popular method of helping couples conceive naturally. Studies have shown that HypnoFertility can increase your chances of achieving a natural conception by as much as 50%. It works by focusing on and addressing any emotional problems associated with being pregnant or becoming a parent, and deals with all the related stress.

The mind has great power over the body, which is constantly influenced by our emotions, thoughts and beliefs. Our thoughts and beliefs can affect our bodies even showing themselves physically. We are able to change physical symptoms by how we feel. There are many factors responsible for infertility, one being how our emotions can affect the hormonal system, which in turn controls ovulation and pregnancy. 

There are a number of very good complementary treatments that can help with unexplained infertility; Hypnotherapy, Acupuncture, Herbal Remedies and Homeopathic Medicine.

There you have it, some solutions for the problem of unexplained infertility that you may have never considered as solutions for getting pregnant. Breathe a little easier and use these tips to take action.

 



Thanks to Lyta Humphris for contributing this article to our Infertility blog:

Ways To Increase Fertility

If you’re trying to get pregnant and you’ve done everything you possibly can without medical intervention to try to get pregnant, then it’s time to consult the medical profession for help. Following are some common fertility treatments, side effects and their typical success rates.

Assisted Reproduction Fertility Treatments

“Assisted reproduction” is a term used in the medical community to describe medical interventions used for infertile couples. Among the most common fertility treatments are:

Intrauterine insemination or IUI. Also known as artificial insemination, this is also often used along with giving a woman hormone treatments that will boost egg production. It can also help couples with low sperm count, infertility that has no known cause, or if there are cervical mucus problems. In this case, semen is collected and then delivered by catheter inserted through the woman’s vagina and cervix directly into her uterus.

In vitro fertilization or IVF. In vitro fertilization has been one of the most stunning developments in reproductive assistance in the last 30 years. Today, it is the most common of all fertility treatments used. It is often used with women who have structural abnormalities such as blocked fallopian tubes, when a man’s sperm count is low and/or the cause of infertility remains undiagnosed; however, IVF has made women pregnant successfully even when there is no known cause of infertility.

With IVF, a woman takes drugs to stimulate egg production, and these eggs are then surgically removed. They are combined with sperm, usually in a petri dish, fertilized, and then implanted in the woman’s uterus. Babies conceived in this fashion are also often called “test tube babies.”

Sperm donation. In cases where a couple’s infertility stems from a man’s sterility or low sperm count or when no man is present and a woman wants to conceive a child, for example, sperm donation is an option for parenthood. Oftentimes, donors are anonymous, but the donor can also be a friend or acquaintance.

Using donated eggs. Donated eggs are often used when a woman wants to conceive a child but her own eggs are not viable or there has been some disruption of ovulation.

Surrogacy, either traditional or gestational. With traditional surrogacy, a woman called a “surrogate” carries a child to term; that child has been conceived with her own egg and the father-to-be’s sperm via artificial insemination. With gestational surrogacy, the surrogate carries a child to term that has been conceived with the mother to be’s egg and the father to be’s sperm via in vitro fertilization, wherein the fertilized egg is implanted in the surrogate’s womb.

Available Fertility Treatments

If you and your partner are trying to get pregnant, you should discuss all options available and decide the best method for you. Of course, you should do this with your doctor’s help. Many fertility treatments are quite expensive and only partially or not covered by insurance, so your own budgetary constraints will also have to come into consideration. In addition, your own religious or moral beliefs will have an effect on the fertility method you choose. Only you can make the final decision, so speak openly with your doctor and make the best choice for you, together.



Thanks to Allen James for contributing this article to our Infertility blog:

How To Increase Sperm Count

What is Infertility ?

Infertility is defined as the failure to become pregnant after one year of unprotected intercourse. There are two types of infertility; Primary infertility, which is infertility without any previous pregnancy; and secondary infertility, when there has been a previous pregnancy.

A couple can say that they have an infertility problem after they try to conceive for an year without a result. Lots of women panic if they can conceive after only three month of trying. If the infertility problem can’t be resolved with treatment then it is also called sterility. A woman who can get pregnant but has repeated miscarriages is also considered infertile.

It is the inability of a couple to become pregnant (regardless of cause) after 1 year of unprotected sexual intercourse (using no birth control methods).

Infertility affects about 6.1 million people in the United States, about 10% of men and women of reproductive age.

Infertility affects men and women equally.

What are the main causes of infertility?

The most common causes of male infertility include azoospermia (no sperm cells are produced) and oligospermia (few sperm cells are produced). Sometimes, sperm cells are malformed or they die before they can reach the egg. In rare cases, male infertility is caused by a genetic disease such as cystic fibrosis or a chromosomal abnormality.

The most common cause of female infertility is an ovulation disorder. Other causes of female infertility include blocked fallopian tubes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis. Repeated miscarriages may be caused by congenital anomalies (birth defects) involving the structure of the uterus and uterine fibroids.

There are many potential causes of both male and female infertility. Approximately 15% of couples are infertile. Of this 15%, male infertility counts for approximately 20% of the cases. Female infertility accounts for up to 70% of these cases, largely due to the very complex processes involved in the female reproductive system.

Most women are unaware that they may be infertile until they begin trying to get pregnant. Some signals of potential difficulties can be irregular menstrual periods or other conditions that cause pain during intercourse or menstruation.

Age is the single most important factor affecting a woman’s fertility. As she matures, the chance for pregnancy decreases and the odds for miscarriage increase. At 25, a woman has a 25% of becoming pregnant during unprotected sexual intercourse

Infertility can be caused by poor sexual or lifestyle habits that are easily remedied. For example, the couple may be using a sexual lubricant that interferes with the survival of the man’s sperm. Or, they may not be having sex often enough. Other easily treated illnesses or lifestyle habits that may contribute to infertility are:

Heavy use of alcohol, tobacco or drugs.

Starvation diets or anorexia in the woman.

Tight underwear or pants in the man, which raises the crotch temperature and reduces sperm count.

Weight: Women who are substantially heavier or lighter than their ideal body weight are more likely to be anovulatory, and consequently infertile, than women who are within their normal body weight range. It has been shown that in obese patients, weight loss of even 10% can significantly improve pregnancy outcomes.

Tobacco smoking. Men who smoke may have a lower sperm count than do those who don’t smoke.



Thanks to peterhutch for contributing this article to our Infertility blog:

Male Infertility Specialist

Couples facing the challenge of conceiving a baby is often daunted of having infertility problems. In fact, there are many ways to solve this physical issue. There are both conventional and unconventional ways to solve this problem.

First of all, one has to identify what causes infertility, is it internal or external. However, there is 1 unconventional way to solve this problem.

We may have heard of in-vitro fertilization, sperm donors, clomid and other medications as some routes taken for infertility treatment. Have you ever think of adoption?

Some people may argue that this is not exactly infertility treatment, but this is one of the ways to have a baby, right?

Yes, technically, this is not the usual kind of infertility treatment, but it does give a solution to a couple wanting to raise children.

It may seems like a last resort for those couples that had already undergone, cycle after cycle of infertility treatment, they may have thought that it is nature’s call of hinting them that they were destined to provide a loving home for children even if they are not biologically theirs.

Factors to consider when thinking of adoption.

#1 Yes, this way is not painful at all.

There are no needles and medications with side effects that a conventional infertility treatment may have, but adoption is not painless. However, there is this emotional strain of making this life-changing decision and choosing a child can take a toll on anyone’s health.

#2 Adoption is very expensive.

The costs of travelling, doing the paperwork, traveling expenses and stocking up on baby supplies can out-weigh the huge medical bills of their infertility treatment. For your information, there are virtually no insurance coverage for infertility treatment.

#3 It is not as simple as it seems.

There are traditions and culture to take note as the adopted child may have different culture and traditions from you. Holidays, names, food and dress are some areas adoptive parents might need to consider if they want to preserve their new baby’s heritage.

#4 There is no guaranteed to adoption.

The couple might not be qualified for an adoption due to financial reviews. Also, the child might not be physically healthy and able. With this, you might still be able to change your mind. Even, there is not guaranteed to infertility treatment that you might get pregnant.

#5 The problem to convincing yourself, other than your children and other family members. With an infertility treatment, sympathy is on your side. With adoption, your family might be very co-operative and encouraging.

#6 It is simply rewarding.

The advantages and disadvantages discussed, it out-weighed the realities of adoption accepted. The satisfaction feelings for the family who choose to go ahead with it are simple great.

The joy of adopt a child with a food, shelter and clothing and best of all, love that he or she might not have otherwise had is difficult to quantify.

There are also some irony that there are many case on how infertile couples have conceived soon after adopting because their minds and bodies were more at peace. Their bodies are more relax now that they know they have a child to share with them their joys and misery of life.

Therefore, Eddy has started a information guide on how to help people to deal with infertility and possibly offer good solutions.



Thanks to Eddy Kong for contributing this article to our Infertility blog:

Cost Of Fertility