Women have always been very good at taking care of their health and priming their bodies before trying to get pregnant. Medical care has also always focused on the woman. The men have always been mostly ignored.
When a couple struggles to get pregnant, it is usually again the woman who gets the attention and tests. We know that it takes 2 hands to clap. For the optimal chance of pregnancy, the man has to be fertile too.
This is all about the sperm. Various factors in our environment affect the number of sperm produced, how fast they swim and how normal they look.
Some of these factors are:
Health conditions
- Testis problems like varicocoele or undescended testis
- Chronic diseases like diabetes
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Hormone imbalance
Medication
- Certain blood pressure medicines
- Steroids
- Hormones such as Testosterone
- Certain antibiotics
- Medicines for gastric problems
- Anti-depressants
Drugs
- Alcohol
- Smoking
- Marijuana
- Cocaine
Environmental Hazards
- Radiation
- Heat
- Pollutants
- Lead
- Mercury
Hobby Related Chemicals
- Woodworking
- Painting
- Pottery
- Stained Glass
- Gun Cleaning
Stress / Obesity
- Every 10kg a man is above his ideal weight can decrease his fertility by 10%
Age
- Certain diseases like Autism have been found to be more likely in children born to father above the age of 40
Testing for Fertility in men is also really simple. Again it is all about the sperm.
By looking at the sperm, how many there are, how well they swim and how normal they look, we can get a fair idea about a man’s fertility. Of course there are other more complex tests like looking at the health of the DNA in each sperm but very few men require this. Some men require a blood hormone test but this is also nor common. Read more: Infertility in Male
To prepare for a Sperm Test (Seminal Analysis) you just need to refrain from ejaculating for 3 days. Sample collection has to be done in the lab because the Semen has to be analyzed within 2 hours of collection.
For more questions, please email them at hello@dtapclinic.com.sg to make an appointment today or visit them at www.dtapclinic.com