Similar to the female’s egg quality, the male’s sperm count and production are also important for a healthy and happy pregnancy journey.
If your male partner or as a man, you’re dealing with low sperm count, don’t worry. This blog will provide helpful and practical tips to increase the ways of conceiving even with low sperm count.
Guess what? Following these tips can effectively improve the quality and production of sperm and the chances of pregnancy.
Top tips for planning a pregnancy for men with low sperm count
We have come up with the top 5 tips that a man with low sperm count must follow to enter the happy and healthy parenthood journey
Tip 1: Lifestyle Modifications
Lifestyle adjustment is an obvious tip to improve conception rates and overall reproductive health.
- Maintain a healthy weight and BMI.
- Add fruits, vegetables, and antioxidants rich foods that help to increase sperm count.
- Women can add these items for a successful conception: peas, beans, lentils, soya milk, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, watermelons, avocados, nuts, pomegranates, raspberries, blueberries, and full-fat dairy products.
- Men with low sperm count can add these items for better motility and fertilization: Eggs, fatty fish, brown rice, oats, leafy greens, beans, walnuts, blueberries, pomegranate juice, ghee, clarified butter, garlic, avocados, and fenugreek.
- Quit smoking and at least limit your alcohol intake.
- Ensure to have unprotected sex every day or for 2 to 3 days. Avoid using lubricants during sex.
- Maintain your testicles cool, avoid wearing tight clothes, and hot showers or sitting in hot baths.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes thrice a week.
- Consult your doctor if there is any medical history and get immediate treatment that might interfere with your conception journey.
- Men should avoid eating soy and estrogen-rich foods.
Tip 2: Stress Management
According to recent studies, stress in men can contribute to infertility by leading to a low sperm count, decreased sperm motility, and decreased sperm production.
So, make time for yourself and get involved in the activities that make you happy and relaxed. You can also practice aerobics, deep breathing exercises, yoga, and walking to manage your daily stress.
Tip 3: Hormonal Optimization
Hormonal imbalances are one of the most important and common reasons for low sperm count. If this is your case, then you can consider hormonal treatments. You can identify the hormonal imbalance through symptoms like,
- Decrease or loss of body hair.
- Erectile dysfunction and gynecomastia (enlarged breast tissues).
- Low libido and muscle loss.
Pergonal and Humagon are the two frequently used hormonal medications to stimulate the FSH and LH that are essential for sperm production. These two medications can effectively improve sperm count and increase the chances of conception.
Hence, consult your healthcare provider to know about this treatment and improve your sperm health.
Tip 4: Supplements and Vitamins
Along with fruits and vegetables, you can add vitamins and supplements prescribed by a doctor to your diet. Generally, doctors recommend CoQ10, Zinc, Omega-3, folate, Lycopene, vitamin E, selenium, vitamin D, and vitamin C.
Fix an appointment with your doctor to be aware of the right supplement your body lacks and consume it accordingly to improve sperm count.
Tip 5: Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)
Assisted Reproductive technologies are the last ray of hope that every couple with a dream of parenthood hold to. Whether it is poor egg quality, low sperm count, or unexplained infertility,IVF is considered the best treatment.
Fertility experts will test men’s semen quality and sperm motility before beginning the fertility treatment. The optimal sperm required for successful In vitro fertilization is a minimum of 10 million sperm per millilitre with 20% normal morphology, 15% progressive motility, and 30% motility.
Thus, if your sperm fulfils these criteria, you can expect successful pregnancy outcomes. In vitro fertilization is conceiving a baby only by fertilizing the egg and sperm in a laboratory. You and your partner can expect a 25 to 30% success rate in the first IVF cycle.
Timing Intercourse for Optimal Conception
Is it possible to fill a pond on sunny days with a small glass? No, right. Similarly, you can’t expect a successful fertilization without knowing the right time for intercourse.
Here is a common myth and fact about the timings of intercourse and conception.
Myth: Women can conceive at any time of the month after having intercourse.
Fact: No. It is not possible. Even though the ejaculated sperm remains feasible for several days within the reproductive tract, fertilization is possible until sperm stays alive in a woman’s fallopian tube, which is up to 5 days.
That’s why timing is important for successful pregnancy outcomes, whether naturally or through any insemination techniques.
How do we know the optimal time for conception?
What can you do to find the optimal time? Track your partner’s monthly calendar to determine the appropriate ovulation period. Ovulation or egg rupture indicates the time when a woman’s body releases an egg and stays in the fallopian tube for 12 to 24 Hours.
In that case, planning sex or intercourse around your lady’s ovulation phase can improve the chances of egg and sperm fertilization. So, plan intercourse to enhance the optimal chances of conception.
Conclusion
A low sperm count may make conceiving challenging, but it is not insurmountable. By adopting healthy lifestyle habits, exploring medical interventions, and remaining proactive, couples can significantly improve their chances of conception.
Always seek advice from a fertility specialist to find the best approach for your situation. Their assistance will help you achieve the dream of parenthood.
FAQs
Many factors can contribute to the low sperm count in men. It includes poor lifestyle habits, improper sleep patterns and hormone levels, environmental toxins, excessive heat on the scrotum, and usage of tobacco, drugs, and alcohol.
Medical conditions like tumours, blockage of tubes, and genetic conditions, such as Kallmann syndrome and Kartegener’s syndrome, are also the causes of low sperm count.
Men can easily identify low sperm count through these alarming signs; they are
- Decreased facial and body hair.
- Difficulties during erection.
- Swelling, pain, or a lump development around the testicle area.
- Low sexual drive.
Ensure you follow the mentioned food items and lifestyle habits without fail. So that you can make your sperm stronger and healthy for a healthy pregnancy. In common, following a balanced diet, including fertility-friendly foods, regular exercise, and quitting alcohol effectively make sperm stronger.
