It's a common myth these days that infertility is simply a woman's problem. Because the woman is responsible for pregnancy, people often think that conception is completely her project as well. However, nothing could be further from the truth, and if you are a couple experiencing problems while trying to get pregnant, you owe it to yourselves to understand the truth about male infertility. After all, to ignore this issue is to waste valuable time that could be spent correcting it and addressing it properly.



How common is male infertility?

When a couple is having problems conceiving, it's believed that the problem is usually 50/50, in other words, it's equally likely that the problem is male infertility as it is the woman's infertility. About 1 in 10 couples that try to conceive have difficulty, so you can understand just how common this issue is with men.

What are the common causes of male infertility?

Most people have heard that low sperm count is one of the common reasons for male infertility, but there are others; additionally, there are reasons why a man's sperm count may be low. For example, smoking causes much damage to the reproductive system in a man, and can interfere with his sperm production. Trauma to the genital region or testicles, such as an injury or accident, can also interfere with his sperm productions.

Other common causes for male infertility include malformed sperm. In order to fertilize an egg, a sperm must be healthy, otherwise it will simply die before it even reaches the egg in the first place. Another common cause is low sperm motility. This is also called 'lazy' or 'slow' sperm. From a human point of view, the distance that sperm need to travel in order to fertilize a woman's egg is not that much ' only a matter of inches, really ' but to the microscopic sperm, it may as well be miles. And sperm are very fragile to begin with, so if they are not active and mWhen talking about reproductive issues, a couple does well to consider some male infertility treatments that they can easily try at home. This is because in most cases of reproductive issues, infertility can equally be caused by the man's reproductive system as it can be the woman's. It is a common misconception (no pun intended) that all reproductive issues are strictly the woman's problem. In reality, most couples being treated for this by medical doctors are finding this it's a 50/50 chance that the man may need treatment, or it's a combination of problems with both the man and the woman. In any case, someone may immediately wonder about male infertility treatments that you can try at home, first, before looking into medical intervention, expensive drugs, invasive surgeries, and the like. The good news is that there are some such treatments that men can try that may very well increase his abilities to impregnate.

Diet May be the Best Male Infertility Treatment

In a new study cited in OBGYN News, a group of Harvard researchers found that 79% of infertile couples had a lower-than-average intake of foods high in antioxidants - like fruits and vegetables. In one study published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Medicine, doctors found that after one week of daily doses of 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C, sperm counts rose by some 140%. So, a multivitamin or a vitamin C supplement may be the first male infertility treatment that you would want to try.

More recently, a study published in the Archives of Andrology showed the antioxidants vitamin E and selenium improved the ability of sperm to swim - a skill necessary to reach the egg.

Exercise also improves muscle tone and good muscle tone helps every aspect of your system as well. Excessive body weight also puts undue pressure on the reproductive organs and doesn't allow them to function optimally; obese persons often suffer from reproductive issues. Any male infertility treatment that you try at home should include regular physical activity and exercise.

Drugs and Smoking ' A Barrier to Any Effective Male Infertility Treatment

Some medications can interfere with a woman's and a man's reproductive systems. If you are taking any prescription drugs, be mindful of the side effects. Ask your doctor if you're not sure. And this includes illegal drugs as well. Many narcotics interfere with the body's fertility, as does tobacco. Excessive drinking (more than three alcoholic beverages per day) can too.

If you or your partner smoke, it's time to quit. Smokers have been shown to have 17% less sperm count on average, not to mention that it disrupts the health of remaining sperm. If you're taking illicit drugs, it's time to quit those as well. And if necessary, make note of your drinking levels and cut back if needed.

So there you have it ' some natural, healthy male infertility treatments that any man or couple can try at home, before undergoing invasive surgery or doling out thousands on tests and medicines.

Blocked sperm ducts are another common cause of male infertility. When a man ejaculates, only about 1% of that fluid is actually sperm; if his sperm ducts are blocked, this means there will be even less sperm, if any at all.

A high sperm count and healthy sperm themselves are of course crucial for a man to be able to impregnate a woman. The more healthy sperm he has, the greater the chance of at least one of those sperm reaching that egg.

Male infertility can be treated!

The good news is that many of these conditions can be reversed, or helped along by your doctor; even if it means a medical intervention, most men with low sperm counts or malformed sperm can still help to conceive a healthy child. So if you're experiencing problems conceiving, don't waste another minute assuming that it's just the woman. See your doctor today!