Sub-Fertility
Your problem may be environmental.
Did you know that average sperm density has decreased from 113 million/ml to 66million/ml and seminal fluid volume has also decreased leading to a 50% fall in male fertility worldwide since 1940!
This combined with an increase in genital abnormalities, a fourfold rise worldwide in testicular cancer and the tendency to have children later in life means that more and more couples are finding they have fertility problems.
Also men seem to become less fertile as they get older, just like women. Although, of course, some men are still fathering children into their 70's. But this overall lower fertility means that younger women who have partners over 50 are up to 38% less likely to get pregnant that those with partners under 30.
Environment
The main cause of this lower male fertility seems to be environmental. For example due to the pollution of rivers with estrogenic substances from sewage effluent, male fish are being caught with female characteristics, as well as there being fish that are inter-sexed. So if fish are having problems imagine how these environmental factors are affecting male fertility!
What Can You Do?
If you don't have any serious medical problems but are just what they call "sub-fertile" you can do a lot to increase your sperm count and sperm motility.
· Only drink bottled water - because of river pollution, the regular water from the tap, although perfectly safe to drink for most people, may be affecting your fertility. So to be on the safe side, switch to bottled water from aquifers.
· Give up smoking and drugs (and alcohol for the duration)
· Switch to boxers - sperm are very sensitive to heat so anything that makes you hot and sweaty should be avoided. Keep away from hot tubs, cycling, wearing tight jeans, using laptops on your lap, standing in front of hot ovens, etc.
· Take a daily vitamin supplement. A daily dose of 1000mg Vitamin C tablet with added calcium, manganese and magnesium is particularly beneficial for men who suffer from sperm agglutination (sperm clumping). 50mg of zinc a day also helps low sperm counts and has the added bonus of putting "lead in your pencil". Other studies show that 4gm of pure powdered arginine dissolved in water, daily, can also help raise your sperm count.
· Have intercourse less often and don't masturbate. If you have a low sperm count, have sex only every other day, at the most, leading up to ovulation. And make sure to have intercourse on the day of ovulation itself i.e. when your partner's cervical fluid is at its maximum. By ejaculating less often you are allowing your sperm to build up, thereby giving you a greater chance of making your partner pregnant.
· Avoid lubricants during sex. Many lubricants, even saliva, can kill sperm. However there is one thing that you can use as a lubricant- raw egg-white. This, at room temperature of course, is very similar to cervical fluid in consistency and if your partner doesn't produce much cervical fluid may be just what you need to help those sperm on their way!
· Check your medications. Some medications can affect your fertility, especially steroids and ulcer medications so ask your GP for advice.
· Use the "missionary position". This position enables you to penetrate the furthest and ejaculate as near to the cervix as possible.
