7 Things Every Man Should Know About Fertility

Most of the media and social attention on conception and pregnancy is focused on women. The pregnancy occurs in her body, so it makes sense that most people would assume conception is (almost) all about the woman. They would be wrong. It takes two to make a baby, and male fertility is just as important. Here are seven things every man should know about fertility.

1. Your Diet, Health, and Work Environment Can Impact Your Fertility.

Your health habits matter when it comes to male fertility. Some health habits to watch out for include the following:

• Smoking: Smoking negatively affects sperm counts, sperm shape, and sperm movement, all important factors for conception. IVF treatment success has also been found to be poorer in male smokers, even when IVF with ICSI is used. (ICSI involves taking a single sperm and directly injecting it into an egg.) Smoking is also connected to erectile dysfunction, so dropping the habit may reverse some of the negative effects.
• Toxic workplace chemicals: Does your job involve close contact with toxic chemicals? If so, you may be at greater risk for infertility and decreased sperm health. Farmers, painters, varnishers, metal workers, and welders have all been found to be at risk for decreased fertility. If your job involves toxic chemical contact or high heat conditions, speak to your doctor. There may be more steps you can take to protect yourself.
• Sexually transmitted infections (or STDs/STIs): Sexually transmitted infections can lead to infertility if not treated promptly. Left untreated, an infection can lead to scar tissue within the male reproductive tract, making semen transfer ineffective or even impossible. If you have any symptoms of an STI, see your doctor right away, and if you're at risk for contracting an STI, get regular checks even if you are asymptomatic. You may unknowingly pass on an STI to your female partner, which can then damage her fertility.
• Weight: Being over or underweight can have a negative effect on semen health. Men with a BMI below 20 have been found to have lower sperm concentration and sperm counts, while obese men have been found to have lower levels of testosterone and lower sperm counts.
• Too many alcoholic drinks: Most studies have found that a few drinks a week won't cause any harm, but excessive drinking has been linked to lower sperm counts, poor sperm movements, and poor sperm shape. One study found that with every additional drink consumed per week, the IVF success rate decreased.

More on protecting or improving male fertility:

2. Paying Attention to Age Is Important for Men, Too.

You may already know that female fertility declines with age. A 30-year-old woman has a 20% chance of conceiving in any one month, while a 40-year-old woman has only a 5% chance. Male fertility is also affected by age, though not as drastically as in women. A 70-year-old woman cannot conceive naturally, but some 70-year-old men are still capable of fathering a child naturally. Still, age is something you should consider when planning your family.

Research has found that with increased age, male fertility and sperm health decreases, including an increase in DNA-damaged sperm. Male age has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage, the passing on of genetic problems, and some birth defects. Increased male age has also been linked to increased rates of autism and schizophrenia.

IVF treatment is also impacted by male age. One study found that for each additional year of paternal age, there was an 11% increased odds of not achieving pregnancy, and a 12% increase in the odds of not having a live birth.

3. Heat Is Bad for Sperm.

High temperatures are bad news for sperm. You've most likely heard of this in relation to the boxers vs. briefs argument. The thinking was that boxers, being less restrictive and having more air flow, would lead to cooler testicular temperatures and healthier levels of fertility. The research isn't really clear on whether boxers or briefs matter, although wearing extremely tight shorts or underwear, especially when made from a non-breathable fabric, may have an impact on sperm health.

More sources of sperm-troubling heat include:

• Hot tubbing or long hot baths
• Sitting for prolonged periods of time with your legs together (like at a desk job or while driving long distances)
• Sitting with a laptop on your lap
• Heated car seats

The heat damaging effects may have a longer lasting impact than you'd imagine, too. A very small study looked at men who attended a sauna twice a week, for 15 minutes, over a period of three months. When comparing to semen samples taken before the sauna visits, the researchers found decreases in sperm count and movement, as well as more DNA-damaged sperm. The men in the study were again evaluated three months and six months after they stopped attending the sauna. Sperm health wasn't completely regained until six months after the men stopped attending the sauna sessions.

4. Male Infertility Is More Common Than You Think.

Couples are advised to seek testing and treatment if they don't conceive after a year of unprotected sex (or six months, if the woman is age 35 or older). Usually, the female partner will see her gynecologist for an evaluation, but men need to be evaluated, too. Male-factor infertility is involved in up to half of all infertile couples. The break down is:

• About one-third of infertile couples have female factor infertility
• Another third have male factor infertility
• The remaining third have both male and female factor infertility, or the cause remains unexplained

A semen analysis, which is a non-invasive test that evaluates semen and sperm health, should be done before any treatments (even clomid) are tried. If male factors are involved, and you try treatments before evaluating male fertility, your female partner will go through the physical stress -- and both of you will go through the emotional stress -- for no reason.

Speak to your partner's gynecologist about having the semen analysis done, even if she doesn't bring it up herself. You may need to see a urologist or fertility specialist for the semen analysis, or the gynecologist may be able to order the test for you.

5. Male Infertility Is Usually -- But Not Always -- Symptomless.

Most of the time, male infertility shows no obvious outward signs. Being unable to conceive is usually the first sign of infertility in men. You can be in tip-top health and still have compromised fertility. (You can also, by the way, have a great sex life and have male infertility. Contrary to myth, fertility and sexual prowess are not related.)

There are, however, a few symptoms and risk factors to look out for. If any of these symptoms or risk factors apply to you, see a urologist before you start trying to conceive:

• If you have an undescended testicle
• If you have been treated for a sexually transmitted infection in the past
• If you have trouble having or maintaining an erection
• If you have low sex drive
• If you have pain, swelling, or a lump in the testicular area

There are also a number of commonly taken medications that may impact your fertility. Speak to your primary care doctor to find out if any of your medications may be compromising your fertility. You may be able to switch to something else.

6. Putting Off Testing and Treatment May Decrease Your Chances for Pregnancy Success.

Despite the recommendations to seek help after one year of trying, surveys have found that many couples don't. There are a number of reasons for this, including anxiety about fertility testing, concerns about the possible cost of treatments, and misunderstandings like thinking all infertility has obvious symptoms and causes, or thinking that once you've had a child, you can't be infertile. (You actually can have infertility after already having a child. This is called secondary infertility.)

Here's the thing: certain causes of infertility worsen with time. The sooner you get evaluated, the better your chances may be for pregnancy success. This applies to male testing as well as female testing. If only the woman is tested, time can be lost.

If you're worried about the costs, it may be helpful to know that the majority of infertile couples can be treated with low-tech, lower-cost treatments. IVF treatment, the most expensive fertility treatment, is not needed for the majority of couples.

7. At-Home Sperm Analysis Tests Aren't Good Enough to Rule Out Male Infertility.

The semen analysis can make many men nervous, and many turn to the internet in hopes of taking a more anonymous test. These mail-based semen analysis tests are not as accurate as the testing done in a lab with fresh semen. In fact, to get the best test results, the sample should get to the testing lab within an hour of collection.

The at-home sperm tests are limited in what they can evaluate: most of them measure sperm count and semen volume, but they can't evaluate sperm movement and they rarely look at sperm shape. You can have great sperm counts, but if the sperm are not moving properly, or they're all poorly shaped, you may still be infertile.

If you're concerned about your fertility, see your doctor and get an accurate test done.

Research and Facts on Dealing with Infertility

If you're having a hard time coping with infertility, you're not alone. Research has shown that the psychological stress experienced by women with infertility is similar to that of women coping with illnesses like cancer, HIV, and chronic pain. Yes there is lots of Infertility treatment center but it's not an easy disease to cope with.

To make things worse, you may hear from friends or family that your anxiety is causing the infertility. But this is not true. While researchers once thought that stress caused infertility, more recent studies do not make this connection.

Emotional Impact of Infertility

The whirlwind of emotions that infertility brings can feel overwhelming. Sometimes knowing that your feelings are normal can help.


Some of the feelings you may experience include:

Loss: You may feel a sense of loss for the child or children you imagined having one day. You may also feel that you're missing out on the experience of parenthood or the act of having a biological child.

• Anger and jealousy: You may feel angry at life in general. You may also feel angry or jealous that parenthood seems to come easily to others.
• Denial: You might tell yourself that you just know next month will bring a positive pregnancy test, and then, when it doesn't, feel a huge sense of sadness and shock.
• Shame: Women may feel that a diagnosis of infertility makes them less feminine, while men may feel that a diagnosis makes them less masculine. You may also feel that you are somehow less of a person if you can't have a child on your own.
• Lack of Control: You may feel a lack of control, knowing that there is nothing you can do to guarantee or know if treatments will work.

Marital or Relationship Stress

Infertility can also put stress on your relationship, with studies showing that couples dealing with infertility are more likely to feel unhappy with themselves and their marriages.

Infertility may affect your relationship in a number of ways, including:

• Sexual tension: Especially around ovulation, sex may feel more like a chore than an enjoyable way to express love for each other. Men may experience performance anxiety, leading to feelings of guilt or shame.
• Financial stress: Fertility treatment costs can quickly add up. Everything from deciding how much you're willing to pay, to coping with the financial strain or debt, can create a great deal of stress between couples.
• Fear of abandonment: Especially for the partner with the infertility diagnosis, he or she may be afraid that their partner will want to leave them to have children with someone else.
• Arguments about treatments: Deciding which treatments or options to try, when to stop seeking treatment, or when to take a break can put tremendous strain on a couple.

Ways to Cope

With the myriad of feelings surrounding infertility, good coping skills are essential. Here are a few tips to help manage and lower the stress of infertility:

• Acknowledge your feelings: Holding everything inside does not help. It actually takes more mental energy to hold your feelings back than to express them. Allow yourself time to feel the sadness, anger, and frustration
• Seek support: Whether through friends, professional counselling, groups, or online forums, finding somewhere to talk with people who understand can help you feel less alone.
• Practice relaxation: Learning how to relax and calm yourself can help when feelings get intense and during treatments. Acupuncture, yoga, and relaxation techniques are all possible ways to cope.
• Talk to your partner: Talk about your feelings together. Keep in mind, though, that men and women cope with stress in different ways. Women are more likely to express their sadness, while men tend to hold things inside. Neither way is wrong, just different.
• Learn as much as you can: The more you know about infertility, including alternatives like adoption or living child-free, the more in control you will feel.
• Don't let infertility take over your life: Make sure you fill your life and your relationship with other things. If it seems like infertility is all you talk about together, set a specified time each day for the topic, and use the rest of the day to talk about other things.
• Keep sex fun: As mentioned above, sex can quickly become more like a chore, than a fun way to express love for each other. Try to keep things loving and exciting. Light candles, play fun music, or watch romantic movies, whatever makes you both feel good.
• Consider professional help: Many couples find that professional individual or couples counselling can help them cope with the emotional stress of infertility, and some fertility clinics insist that their patients seek counselling before and during treatment. 

Understanding the Causes, Signs, and Treatment of Depression Related Infertility | Infertility and Depression

Infertility and depression frequently go together. While you may not be surprised to learn that infertility can lead to depression, you might not know that people who experience depression are more likely to have fertility problems. You may also be surprised to learn that depression during pregnancy and after pregnancy (postpartum depression) is more common in women who have struggled with trying to conceive.

But just because depression is common among the fertility challenged, this doesn't mean you should ignore it or fail to treat it.

What Is the Difference Between Depression and Regular Sadness?

It's completely normal to feel sadness when dealing with infertility. You may get hit with the blues when your period comes, when a fertility test comes back with bad news, when treatments fail, or upon diagnosis of infertility. You may also feel sadness when reminded of your fertility struggles, like when a friend throws a baby shower or your sister has her fourth child.

One difference between sadness and depression is sadness lifts after some time, while depression lingers, involves other symptoms, and interferes with your life. How serious the depression is depends on how much it affects your daily life.

Signs of depression include:

Sadness that lasts for weeks or months.

• Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.
• Frequent crying or tearing up.
• Frequently irritated or intolerant of others around you, specifically people who you used to enjoy being around.
• Lack of motivation, struggling to get work done at the office or around the home.
• Difficulty sleeping, either sleeping too much or unable to sleep well (insomnia).
• Difficulty with eating, either overeating or experiencing low appetite.
• Struggling with experiencing pleasure in life, including a low interest in sex.
• Frequent feelings of anxiety or worry.
• Thoughts of dying, self-harm, or suicide.

What Causes Infertility-Related Depression?

Infertility is a stressful condition, having a strong impact on your sex life, relationship, sense of self-worth, and daily life. In the midst of testing and treatments, infertility may literally feel like it has become your entire life, as you go to and from doctor appointments. All of this stress can potentially contribute to the development of depression.

Depression is more common among the fertility challenged who have a family history of depression, who experienced depression before their fertility struggles, or those who lack a support network. Infertility frequently causes feelings of shame, which may make it more difficult to talk to friends and family about your struggles. This isolation makes depression more likely.

Some hormonal imbalances that cause infertility may also contribute to mood symptoms and vulnerability to depression. Be sure to mention to your doctors if you're experiencing any feelings of a low mood, as it may help them diagnose your infertility and manage your overall care.

Can Depression Cause Infertility?

No one definitively knows whether depression itself can cause infertility, though some studies have found a correlation between depression and increased rates of IVF treatment. Some theorize that this may be due to an overlap in some of the hormonal issues involved in both conditions.

Also, depression may lead to lifestyle habits that can negatively impact your fertility. For example, depression often causes overeating or lack of appetite, and being overweight or underweight can cause infertility. People who are depressed are more likely to smoke or drink, which can also hurt your fertility.

Will Pregnancy Cure the Depression?

If not getting pregnant is contributing to depression, it seems logical to assume that finally achieving pregnancy will cure depression. However, this isn't always the case. In fact, those who have experienced infertility are more likely to feel depression during pregnancy and are at an increased risk for postpartum depression.