If you’ve been trying to conceive for over 3 months or have a history of miscarriage these steps are for you. Sperm need a minimum of 90 days to mature, & sperm quality isn’t often talked about outside of the fertility space, so it may feel like new & unfamiliar terrain. I have yet to see a “perfect” sperm test in person which should indicate how prevalent this issue can be. Just like cycle regulation often needs some support and optimisation to help with egg quality, sperm health often needs help with regulation too.
Test your sperm.
It’s a quick, simple test that provides a wealth of information, and allows for targeted advice to optimise quality. For those who are using donor sperm, if known to you, testing has the potential to save you heart break down the line in cases of miscarriage resulting from sperm factors.
We’re sticklers for quality & lab ranges don’t factor in facilitating easy pregnancy, so
make sure you see a fertility focused practitioner to understand how to optimise your results.
Quit smoking.
It’s been shown to decrease sperm count, impacts morphology (the structure of sperm’s head and tail), and motility (how they move). The more you smoke, the more they’re impacted.
Start some supps.
While we love food as medicine, we also want to be strategic and fast track consistent and measurable dosing of things that are productive for improving sperm quality. COQ10, zinc and magnesium & a paternal multi are common starting points, but being able to assess and tailor advice is best once sperm test results are available. It makes sense to make sure you’re taking supps that are relevant specifically to you to get targeted improvements. Also! You get what you pay for. Invest in good quality practitioner supps.
Don’t fry your balls.
As crude as that sounds, it’s important to avoid overheating your testes to ensure good sperm count. No hot tubs, move your phone from always living in your pocket, avoid tight underwear or regular marathon cycle sessions.
Start Acupuncture.
Studies indicate productive improvements on sperm quality. Not only that, it’s supporting global factors that impact sperm health, such as stress & inflammation.
Laelia is in clinic on Friday’s and Saturdays at NBIP & loves seeing people improve their health. You can book in with her to have a chat here.
