Fertility help & advice for conception

Understanding fertility and infertility in men

Have you tried every position under the sun to get your partner pregnant? Are you worried about how long you've been trying? Read on to find out how to boost your chances of conception.

The definition of infertility is the failure to conceive after regular unprotected sex for 2 years. If you're a man who is having problems then read on to find out what could be causing the problem.

Of 100 couples trying to conceive naturally:
20 will have conceived after 1 month
70 after 6 months
85 after 1 year
90 after 18 months
95 after 2 years

Simple things that can affect men's fertility
• A bad diet can affect sperm production- you are what you eat, and so is your sperm, so eat your 5 portions of fruit and veg for the sake of your meat and 2 veg!
• Smoking reduces the quality of your sperm, and can cause you problems getting an erection because it reduces the blood supply to your penis. Your child’s health may also be affected by your smoking, so use that as an incentive to give up.
• Excessive alcohol consumption reduces sperm quality. It also damages your liver, makes you act like an idiot, gives you bad hangovers and costs a lot, so support your partner and join her in sobriety.
• Stress makes you less likely to want to have sex, and anxiety can affect your ability to get an erection and keep it. Forget about ovulation charts for a while- take time out to relax and have some fun with your partner.
• Being overweight- a BMI of over 29 decreases your fertility, so instead of watching the footy, have a go at playing it. Combined with a sperm-boosting healthy diet you'll see the results in no time. See your GP if you don’t know how to get started.
• Exposure to chemicals at work can affect fertility, but it’s a low risk. Rule out everything else before you think about quitting your job!
• The temperature of your scrotum (sac containing testicles) should be 2-3 degrees lower than body temperature to optimise fertility, so hang loose and avoid those skinny jeans (they’re just plain wrong on men anyway).

Medical factors affecting fertility in men:
• diabetes
• erectile dysfunction, which can be caused by some medications for high blood pressure, or a poor blood supply caused by coronary artery disease
• undescended testes (testicle/s have not moved down from the abdomen into the scrotum)
• blockage in the epididymus (tube felt at the back of a testicle) can be caused by previous infections or surgery, and can stop sperm being ejaculated
• chemotherapy
• radiotherapy to reproductive organs
• some medications (check with GP), as well as marijuana and cocaine

If you are having problems conceiving always see your GP, even if it's just for reassurance that everything is OK.