In my last posting I mainly talked about a short-term booster to improve his and her fertility. Weight loss and increased physical activity will make a super-big difference. And while most fertility issues seem to be related to “her”, you would be surprised that often “his” fertility is a big factor when it comes to becoming pregnant. There is still this pride issue where most men refuse to accept that their sperm might be at fault.
After all – as long as “he” gets an erection and can make love, everything must be just fine. Well, I am willing to tell you different and if you start researching you will find plenty of support that male infertility is a very big issue. For men it mostly comes down to lifestyle and diet. Accordingly I am going to talk about the “boys” today. After all – it takes two to get pregnant and who knows how much you have been trying to improve your fertility even though you are just fine and it has been him.
I mentioned lifestyle and diet as the biggest known reasons for male infertility. Being overweight and not eating healthy has a direct impact on sperm count and sperm motility. Only smaller numbers of men have genetically reasons that explain their infertility. Knowing this is actually really good because it provides a fairly simple fix. Improve his sperm count and the sperm motility and you are “back in business”.
I mentioned an increase in physical activity and a healthier diet (including weight loss), but there is more he can do – especially if his lifestyle and eating habits have left visible proof (excess weight). Combine better fitness and better diet with alternative treatments such as acupuncture and the quality of his sperm might improve dramatically in a very short time. I highly recommend trying this before actually turning to a more expensive normal medical treatment. While doctors often shake their head and do not trust these alternative methods, is it really just co-incidence that you can get pregnant more easily after trying something like acupuncture?! The consensus is that everyone is different and responds differently to a specific treatment and acupuncture is a very affordable and well accepted treatment for many medical conditions. So, why should it not be able to help improving his fertility?
Especially women in East-Asian countries have been using acupuncture and other traditional Asian methods to improve their fertility for quite some time already. It is no surprise that the majority of alternative fertility treatments come from that geographical region. The knowledge about an improved fertility rate after Acupuncture treatments has made its way into the United States and other Western countries too, but you may be surprised to learn that this natural treatment may also be helpful in improving male sperm count and sperm motility.
Male infertility is often defined from low sperm count, poor sperm quality, poor sperm mobility, etc. Scientific studies have also shown that acupuncture may be helpful in improving male infertility – especially when combined with a healthier diet and an increased level of physical activity. HBO recently showed a TV series “The weight of our nation” where they showed how our lifestyle and eating habits have changed a lot and that in certain parts of our country being obese is the new normal. Well, let me assure you that being obese is not normal and that it not only affects your overall health, but that it can dramatically impact the ability to have babies. As mentioned before, infertility is usually associated with the woman, but men play a major role in this whole scenario and overweight men definitely have lower quality sperm.
A recent medical fertility study used a group of men that were considered as possibly infertile to test the impact of acupuncture on the sperm quality of these men. The men were put through several acupuncture sessions for two times per week for a minimum of six weeks. In these infertile men, the sperm motility and the overall percentage of healthy sperm increased a lot. Sperm tests were done every week to compare the before and after results. Those scientists and doctors conducting the research concluded that the men who were treated with Acupuncture had improved their sperm quality dramatically. Increased levels of sperm quality and a higher sperm motility let to the conclusion that sperm quality can be improved through acupuncture treatments. Additional studies need to be done with those individuals to confirm that the sperm quality remained on those higher levels, but overall the results were very promising and the affected men certainly gained confidence that their sperm was now up to levels to get their partners pregnant.
Acupuncture also has another advantage – it is a much cheaper alternative compared to many fertility drugs that most doctors would prescribe otherwise. Normal fertility drugs and related procedures have also shown to be effective, but in our current healthcare system these options have become very expensive. Some procedures may run as high as $10,000 to $15,000 in some extreme cases. Compare that to the price for an Acupuncture session which (depending on the acupuncturists and your geographical location) can range from $40 to $120 in most cases. Depending on your health insurance plan acupuncture sessions for fertility reasons could even be covered by your policy. Check with your provider before making an appointment for him. But even if your insurance does not cover this kind of treatment, no prescription is needed for Acupuncture treatments. Please keep in mind that there may be several causes and reasons for infertility and acupuncture may not be helpful in every situation.
Couples experiencing problems conceiving a baby and suspect infertility to be the reason are encouraged to discuss their options with an OB GYN or a fertility specialist before making any uneducated guesses. When talking to “him” about male infertility many women can expect some denial and hurt feelings. Some guys are just not ready to accept that their sperm quality is the reason why you are not pregnant yet. A sensitive approach to discuss this is the best way of going forward and sometimes it is better to have the OB Gyn help to involve the man into the fertility discussion.
Disclaimer: This article is not to be considered medical advice. Please consult with your doctor and discuss any suspected fertility issues in detail.
