Are you and your partner planning for a pregnancy? Worried about your sperm health and sperm count? Well, a semen analysis should help you get answers for your questions. On the other hand it is equally important for you to understand how your lifestyle can affect the quality of the sperms and your fertility.
Criteria of sperm health:
Sperm health totally depends on these three parameters.
• Quantity: A single semen ejaculate should consist of more than twenty million sperms per milliliter. Less ten million is termed as oligospermia and absence of sperms in the semen is termed as azoospermia by health professionals.
• Quality: Normal sperm structure should have an oval head and a long tail which enables them to propel forward. More sperms with normal structures and shapes increase the chances of pregnancy.
• Movement: A minimum of forty five percent of sperms from the total count should be active in movement and should be able to swim through the woman's cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes and penetrate the egg.
Improve the health of sperms:
• Stick to healthy diets: Include lot of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. The antioxidants present in these foods helps in improving sperm health.
• Maintain ideal body weight: Studies suggest that obesity has a negative effect on sperm health and sperm movement.
• Control Stress: Stress tends to reduce sexual function and interferes with hormones that are responsible for sperm production.
• Increase physical activity: Make sure to include physical activity in your daily routine to keep your weight under check.
• Stay cool: Increased scrotal temperature reduces sperm production. Avoid tight clothing. If your work demands sitting for long hours, take frequent breaks to move about. Do not keep a place a computer laptop directly on your lap. Avoid steam baths, hot bath and sauna.
Seek help without delay.
Adopting healthy life style changes can improve your chances of conception. If you and your partner haven't been successful in conceiving even after a period of one of unprotected sex, check with your doctor for semen analysis. A fertility specialist should be able to identify the cause and give appropriate treatment guiding you to the journey of parenthood.
