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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

TTC - how do you know if your partner has low sperm count?

5 replies

Shoegal30 · 16/03/2013 13:08

Hi guys

I'm a newbie to the boards although like many have been a lurker for the past few months.

Me and my DH are TTC #1. We have been trying for about 3 months.

I was just interested to know if there are any obvious ways of telling if your partner has low sperm count and/or when people visited their GP to get tested?

Thanks in advance...xx

OP posts:
highlove · 16/03/2013 14:13

There's absolutely no way you can tell with out a semen analysis. Volume/colour/consistency varies from man to man and has no bearing whatsoever on quality or quantity. NICE guidelines say you should see you're GP if you've been trying for 12 months without success (or six months if you're over 35). So unless you've got a particular concern that there's something else health-wise that might be affecting things, you're a way off that yet.

It's totally normal for it to take healthy, fertile couples 6-12 months to concieve and you only have something like 25% chance of concieving in any given month even if you're having plenty of sex. Three months really is not long at all - try not to worry. Best of luck.

NieuB · 16/03/2013 14:19

Hi, hope this helps.
To actually find out if your husband has a low sperm count he needs to go to his GP - they need to send a sperm sample to the labs...
We have 4 children, but my husband had a varicocil. enlargement of his testicals, so they were to hot. He had to have a operation for his condition so we have had a great deal of experience in this field.

Things to help sperm count in men are: 1. not wearing thight underwear - let it loose. The body heat affects sperm, that s why their organs are on the outside of their bodies.

  1. He has to take cool showers for the same reason.
  2. It is also said that men uses an enourmous amout of minirals in the sperm making process. A good reputable multivit/mineral can be very beneficial to both of you. We use Lamberts
It is good to remember that the sperm he has now has been made 3 months prior. Excessive excersize can also affect sperm. I have recently read - in my search for alleviating my me/cfs - about amino acids, and how they can also help sperm to be more active:

Arginine, or L-arginine, is an amino acid that is needed to keep the keep the liver, skin, joints, and muscles healthy. Arginine helps strengthen the body?s immune system, regulates hormones and blood sugar, and promotes male fertility. In addition, research has shown that this amino acid may improve circulation and treat impotence and heart disease.

Arginine is considered a semi-essential amino acid because, although the body manufactures its own supply, there are times when dietary supplementation may be required, such as in the case of severe wounds or illness.
Arginine stimulates the immune system by increasing the output of T lymphocytes (T- cells) from the thymus gland. Recent studies have focused on the potential of arginine as a treatment for AIDS, cancer, and other diseases linked to a depressed immune system.
Arginine is involved in a variety of hormonal processes in the body. It stimulates the pancreas to release insulin, is used to make the pituitary hormone vasopressin, and regulates the production of growth hormone. In fact, the FDA has approved the use of intravenous arginine to evaluate those with suspected growth hormone deficiency. Some researchers theorize that delayed sexual maturity may be the result of arginine deficiency. It is also thought that arginine may help treat sterility in men?seminal fluid of healthy men normally contains large amounts of arginine. Boosting arginine levels may help boost the activity of sperm as well.

You may wish to investigate the amino acids - i found it facinating and the use of them has helped me

Im a therapist myself and my husband is a medical doctor. My husband does chinese medicine / Acupuncture and has helped many people to get pregnant. Its a big mouth full of information and i hope it helps you.

Shoegal30 · 17/03/2013 11:06

Ah thanks ladies. This really is useful information. I know deep down that 3 months is no time at all.

I have been taking the Wellbeing Vitabiotics for the last few months and last night hubby started taking too. I will read more into the amino acids too.

Can alcohol affect sperm quality? DH has a couple of cans of lager every night but he is now taking 2-3 nights off the booze. I drink very infrequently .

OP posts:
HavingALittleFaithBaby · 17/03/2013 19:09

My DH had a low sperm count. We only found out when he had a sperm analysis along with other testing after we'd been TTC for a year. We suspected I had PCOS actually but it turned out he had an underlying health problem causing low testosterone and poor swimmers as a result. They treated the problem, his swimmers improved and I got pregnant (8 months after the treatment started).

Alcohol can affect sperm count and him cutting down and starting a multivitamin will definitely help - do bear in mind it's 3 months from sperm being manufactured to being (ahem) delivered so it may take time to have the effect.

Out of curiosity why did you wonder if its his sperm?

wrighty2010 · 17/03/2013 19:27

Hi, Im not sure if you know but there is a male fertility sperm test kit that you can buy to do at home yourself, it is supposed to be quite accurate (97% the write up says) and easy to use, it might be a quick fix for you if its peace of mind you are looking for before you go down the doctors route?! I will put link to the page at end of post for to have a look at. ometimes, testing can be quite stressful so may be worth a try, wishing you well!! prideangel.com/p14/shop.aspx Good luck xx

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