Your sperm health is important if you and your partner have plans to get pregnant in the future. It is essential that you find out if you are producing enough sperm or if your sperm cells have good structure and motility for pregnancy as soon as possible.
It is also crucial to be familiar with what male fertility is —including how to keep it in good condition and what factors can negatively affect it — to figure out what steps you should take to achieve your and your partner’s goal.
Common sperm and fertility problems in men
A lot of men deal with sexual health problems that concern their sperm and fertility. The following are examples of the most common issues that they encounter:
Low sperm count
Medical experts say that the ideal sperm count is at least 15 million sperm per milliliter of ejaculate. With that amount, fertilizing your partner’s egg successfully has a higher chance of happening. However, if your sperm count is less than that, pregnancy becomes more difficult, as you have fewer sperm available to make fertilization possible.
Poor sperm motility
Your sperm should be actively moving around, wriggling and squirming at all times to be able to pass through your partner’s cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes for the fertilization process. Ideally, at least 40% of the sperm that you produce should possess great motility to be considered fertile.
Sperm deformity
A normal sperm is made up of an oval-shaped head and a long, wiggly tail that aid in the travel from your testicles to your partner’s reproductive system. If you produce a high percentage of sperm with good structure and shape, your fertility should not be a concern, and getting to your pregnancy goal should come soon.
Causes of Sperm Problems
There are a variety of things that can bring about problems with your sperm. Below are some examples:
Varicocele
This is a condition in which the veins that drain your testicles get swollen. Among all the diseases that cause infertility in men, it is one of the most prevalent and is reversible. It is believed to trigger abnormal temperature regulation in the testicles, resulting to poor sperm quality.
Tumors
There are cancerous and nonmalignant tumors that can strike your male reproductive parts and impede your production of good quality sperm. They can prevent your pituitary gland and other glands from releasing important hormones that are vital to healthy sperm production.
Chromosome defects
In certain inherited disorders, like Klinefelter’s syndrome, a male is born with the wrong set of chromosomes. Instead of having the normal one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, he has two X chromosomes and one Y chromosome. As a result of this, there is an abnormality in the development of his male reproductive organs.
Surgical procedures
If you have a history of undergoing certain surgeries, there is a possibility that your sperm production is negatively affected. Testicular surgeries, vasectomy, prostate surgeries, and scrotal surgeries are only a few examples of these procedures that can put your sperm at risk.
Ways You Can Increase Your Sperm Count
Having a low sperm count is not good for your sexual health and reproductive functions. Therefore, it is urgent that you do something about it and find a solution to fix it before your life turns to worse. You can try the following tips to help boost your sperm count:
1. Get enough sleep
Sleeping at least 7 to 9 hours every day is recommended for good overall health and wellbeing. By doing so, your body is able to rest and recharge after working hard all day long. If you lack sleep, you become prone to various health problems that can affect different aspects of your health and leave you incapable of doing even the simplest tasks.
2. Be physically active
There are many benefits to being physically active. One, it works the heart, so blood circulation and flow in your body can occur without any issues. Two, it helps burn more calories, making losing weight and staying fit and in shape much easier. Three, it also facilitates production of sperm with higher sperm volume and motility.
3. Stop smoking
A study found that men who smoke a lot tend to have lower sperm count than men who do not. It attributes this finding to the nicotine and other chemicals contained in cigarettes that have debilitating effects to your body. So, for the sake of your fertility and reproductive functions, quit smoking right now. Your heart, lungs, brain, stomach, and other vital organs will also thank you for this decision.
4. Manage your stress levels better
Sometimes, it can be difficult to stay away from stress. Even if you try so hard to keep your life stress-free, there are many things out of your control that can happen, and just ruin the day. Every time you are under stress, your mood turns sour, your energy levels decline, your focus disappears, and everything just feels like a mess. Your body also has a hard time carrying out its functions properly, including efficient sperm production.
5. Avoid alcohol
Through the years, many studies have been conducted to explore the connection between alcohol and sperm health. And, they all found that excessive alcohol drinking can diminish a man’s sperm health. While drinking up to 2 drinks a day is fine, having more than that is considered heavy drinking, and can jeopardize your testicles’ ability to produce normal sperm, and put your heart, liver, kidneys, brain, and other organs in peril.
The Importance of Getting Medical Help
Protecting your sperm health should be a priority, most especially if you want to have children in the future. You should do your best to live a healthy lifestyle to help better your fertility. Moreover, you should regularly go to a doctor to get examined by a professional who can detect if there is anything wrong with your reproductive parts and give you the appropriate treatment solutions to improve your condition right away.
