If you are having trouble getting pregnant after you’ve been having unprotected sex for at least a year, doctors recommend that you and your partner get an assessment for fertility problems, according to the Health Communities website. About half the problems are because of male infertility. Some men have a temporary disorder that affects their sperm. The earlier your partner treats certain disorders, the easier they are to treat.
About Sperm
Male infertility has to do with sperm. If sperm production is low, if sperm is misshapen, if the sperm is immobile or if a man has a blockage, he has an infertility problem, according to MayoClinic.com. Illnesses, chronic health problems, injuries and lifestyle choices can all affect a man’s fertility.
Determine the Cause
Before your partner gets treatment for male infertility, the doctor needs to determine how long he has been infertile, how old he is and what his lifestyle choices are. The doctor also wants to check you. If the doctor can improve your fertility, your partner may not need treatments, according to MayoClinic.com.
Types of Treatment
Many treatment methods exist to enhance male fertility. Sometimes, surgery is the answer and can correct an obstruction, for example. If an infection is responsible, antibiotics can cure the infection, but this does not always restore fertility. Sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation, could be the problem. In those cases, medication or counseling can help. Hormones could be a factor. Your doctor may want to change or replace your partner’s hormone levels.
Laboratory Help
Another option for you to get pregnant if your partner has a blockage or other problems with his sperm is to have your doctor take the sperm from the testicle and inject it into your egg. This is assisted-reproductive technology. The most common type of ART is in-vitro fertilization. With IVF, the doctor also surgically removes an egg from your ovary and combines it with your partner’s sperm in a laboratory. The doctor then puts the fertilized egg back into your uterus.
Home Treatments
Timing of intercourse might help you get pregnant. Have sex every other day. Make sure your partner does not ejaculate more often than every 48 hours while you are trying to conceive. That may reduce his sperm count. Have sex when you are ovulating, which is usually in the middle of your menstrual cycle, between when you have you periods. Avoid all lubricants when you have sex. Some products, including saliva, can reduce sperm movement, according to MayoClinic.com.
Supplements
Supplements may help with male fertility enhancement. If your partner has a zinc deficiency, then taking zinc may help. Other supplements that may help are selenium, flaxseed oil, coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B-12 and Asian ginseng, according to the Health Communities website. Your partner should be careful and discuss taking supplements with his doctor. Taken in mega doses, supplements can be harmful, especially if he takes other medications.
Photo Credit
- young couple in love image by Galina Barskaya from Fotolia.com
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