Debunking common male infertility myths

When a couple is trying to conceive and is having difficulty, it is common to assume the problems must be coming from the woman.  This is not always the case. This is just one of the common male infertility myths.

The first set myths

Infertility is a woman’s issue:

Most research shows that infertility is due to male factor infertility in approximately 18% of all cases.  Male and Female factors combined are common and contribute to approximately 19% of infertility cases.  Infertility is definitely not just a woman’s issue it is equally shared between both partners.

Boxers are better than brief’s when you are trying to conceive:  

How many times have you heard people say that it is important not to wear briefs when trying to get pregnant.  This simply is not true.  The myth arose from the idea that a man’s testicles are warmer when he wears tighter fitting clothing which in turn decreases the sperm count.  While it is true that it is best if the testicles are kept cool, there are far worse things that can contribute to an increase in the temperature.  Examples of things to avoid would be: hot tubs, saunas, laptop computers on the lap for long periods of time, and extended bike rides.

Debunking more common male infertility myths

The more time men abstain  from sex, the better sperm counts they will have:

Waiting longer periods of time does not help with the quality of the sperm.  Waiting longer than 2-3 days to have an ejaculation can decrease the sperm quality. If you have intercourse daily, it can greatly decrease the sperm counts and quality.  Therefore, it is best not to have intercourse every day either.  The best recommendation is to have intercourse every other day around the time of ovulation.  This helps to keep the sperm quantity adequate and will help to improve the chances of success.

Taking testosterone will help improve my sperm counts:

Many men think that they taking testosterone will help improve their sperm counts, when in reality the opposite is true.  Taking testosterone will stop a male’s ability to produce testosterone as the pituitary thinks that enough testosterone is already being made. This in turn will drastically decrease the sperm counts and the fertility potential of the male partner.

There is nothing that can be done if a man has a low sperm count:

The first thing to do is to have an evaluation by a fertility specialist.  They can help determine the best recommendation for treatment.  It is important to evaluate lifestyle choices that may be contributing factors to the low sperm count such as: smoking cigarettes or marijuana, excessive alcohol intake, and being over or underweight to name a few.  IUI and IVF with ICSI are treatment options that your physician may recommend to help increase your chances to conceive.

For more information about male infertility or answers to any other questions, contact us.