Surprising Reasons for Male Infertility
February 03, 2012, By Jack Heffron 0 comments
For some reason, this is the time of year when many couples decide to start a family or add to the one they've already got going. Maybe it's the long winter nights or maybe it's a 'New Year, New Baby' mentality. We resolve that this year will bring us a precious bundle.
It's not always as easy as simply deciding to do it, however. Some couples struggle for a long time, having trouble getting pregnant, and some are never able to make it happen. Sometimes the stress and pressure of trying undermines their chances of success. Now, we'll assume you long ago mastered at least the basics of baby-making, so we can jump ahead to some tips for getting pregnant that you might not have considered.
Books, magazines and websites pour forth no end of information for women about how to get pregnant fast, but there's not nearly as much for guys. True, our role is simpler, but if you want to be a new papa this year, you need to keep some things in mind that you may not realize.
Web MD offers an excellent article on "7 Ways to Get Pregnant Faster" that includes advice you're likely to know already but also a few surprising tidbits, particularly for guys. If you talk on a hands-free cellphone, for example, avoid putting the phone in your lap, according to a report published in "Fertility and Sterility" magazine. It can affect your ability to impregnate. The article also cites a study by "Human Reproduction" journal (I'll assume you're not a subscriber) that suggests you should avoid eating soy while trying to conceive. It might affect your fertility.
The good docs at the Mayo Clinic provide their always valuable wisdom to guys in this article on their site. They advise you to be aware of your own health and fitness, taking a multi vitamin, watching your weight, eating lots of fruit and vegetables and getting plenty of exercise. But don't get too much of that exercise on your bike. The hard seat and tight bike shorts can harm your ability to make a baby.
Another surprising tip: avoid taking hot baths, and even saunas should be put on hold while you're trying to conceive. And while you're keeping your cell phone off your lap, do the same with your laptop computer. Keep things cool south of the border, say the docs, to be as fertile as possible.
If you and your wife find that you're not getting pregnant as fast as you hoped—experts usually say in six months of trying—maybe you are the problem. Head to your doctor and find out if you have a fertility issue, and if there is a problem, what you can do about it.
Most of all, don't put too much pressure on achieving your goal. Allow it to be a positive shared experience between you and your wife. Some experts think the more fun you make it, the better your chances of success. There aren't a whole lot of things you can say that about.
