These tips for improving male fertility are from American physician and author Dr Jacob Teitelbaum. Here, he shares his advice on getting pregnant for men and women.
First, a quip about pregnancy from actress Debra Messing:
“I’d get out of the bath, and my husband and I would stand in front of the bathroom mirror and look at my reflection like I was a science experiment — like, Wow, look at that! Look what’s happening over here!” said Messing.
Before you can see what your body looks like with a baby inside, you have to get pregnant first! For info for couples coping with infertility, click on Male Fertility and Infertility by T.D. Glover and C.L.R. Barratt. And, read on for Dr Teitelbaum’s tips for improving male fertility…
Tips for Improving Male Fertility
“These are important things to avoid from now until after your wife gets pregnant, as they can cause infertility,” says Dr Teitelbaum. “Just do the best you can with these guidelines – it’s okay to not be perfect with them.”
1. When convenient, avoid meat with estrogen (i.e., get your meat from a natural foods store).
2. Avoid soy-based foods (e.g., tofu, tempeh, soy cheese and milk, etc). Even modest intakes drop sperm counts by 40%.
3. Avoid Melatonin, Testosterone, Verapamil and Nifedipine (the latter two are heart/blood pressure medications) which can cause reversible infertility.
4. Avoid alcohol when convenient and tobacco.
5. Sperm do poorly at temperatures over 96 degrees (which is why the testes hang below the rest of the body to stay cooler). Avoid elevated scrotal temperatures by wearing boxer shorts. Do NOT wear briefs, tight fitting underwear or jeans. Avoid hot tubs. Avoid rowing/ski machines, treadmills or jogging unless the testes can hang free.
6. Avoid aspirin, Motrin or similar medications, which block the hormone prostaglandin (Prostaglandins in the seminal fluid may assist sperm). Tylenol is OK in moderation (if you need high doses regularly, let’s discuss).
7. Increase liquid vegetable oils and avoid cottonseed oil (may contain gossypol which inhibit sperm function), palm or coconut oils, or trans, hydrogenated or saturated fats as comfortably able.
If you have any questions or tips for improving male fertility, I welcome your comments below…
And — Early Pregnancy Tests.com has a wide variety of products to improve male fertility.
~ Resources for Getting Pregnant & Fertility ~
If you're trying to conceive a baby, learn about getting pregnant easily and naturally.
Are you or your partner coping with low fertility levels? Try FertilAid for Women or FertilAid for Men.
And don't forget about vitamins and minerals, which are essential to a healthy pregnancy! Make sure you're taking the right Pregnancy Plus Prenatal Vitamins.
My fiance recently had a semen analysis done. He has been told he had abnormal sperm morphology. What will this mean? How will it be treated?
Hi Courtney,
I’m sorry to hear that your fiance’s semen analysis didn’t go well…that can be really disappointing to a man. And to his partner, if she wants to get pregnant!
Talking to a fertility specialist or doctor is his best option. Improving male fertility can depend on the cause of the abnormal sperm, and I can’t tell you what the root of his problems are. Sometimes doctors can’t treat abnormal sperm or increase sperm production….and other times, they’re very successful in improving male fertility!
So, I encourage you and your fiance to talk directly to your doctor about what the abnormal sperm morphology means and how it will be treated.
Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful…
Laurie