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Be the rock your partner can lean on during your IVF treatment - just like she deserves.

Some men are raised to be some kind of soldier from childhood on. Hide your emotions! Be tough! They learn very early on that boys are not supposed to cry or complain. In fact, they grow a protective shield around them based on what everyone tells them, which makes it hard for them to express their emotions. Unfortunately, this can become a natural and permanent state of mind for them.

Other men grow up surrounded by the freedom to express their emotions. It is natural for them to talk about their feelings, which makes them considerably more empathetic and vulnerable at the same time. I belong to this group and, in my opinion, my kind of men need more support throughout their life, especially in relationships. That is why they often choose stronger women as their partners.

It does not matter which group you belong to. When undergoing fertility treatments, we all need to make some changes. If you have a stronger character you will need to become a bit more sensitive and learn how to respond to the challenges of your journey with sufficient subtlety. There is nothing wrong with determination or a healthy sense of reality. However, you will need to try to soften your character and become a little more compassionate. The sensitive souls, myself included, should put their hypersensitivity somewhat aside because your partner needs someone who can be strong and provide solid support during difficult days.

The reality of IVF is uncertain; either you succeed or you don’t. Your fertility treatment will be accompanied by constant doubts and question marks. The truth is that during your journey you will most probably experience some great victories, but many failures as well. All of these new experiences will greatly affect you both mentally and emotionally, and you will have to be her number one supporter during all of these ups and downs.

My strategy is to empathise with all of the emotions that she may feel at that moment. I accept the fact that her mood changes more frequently than it normally does. Every time I feel like she wants to talk about the fertility process or tell me how she is feeling, I put everything else aside because the most important thing for me is to be there for her. Sometimes I just listen, other times I tell her my point of view, even though I am definitely not trying to be a know-it-all. Typically, I don’t even initiate a conversation about IVF, unless I read or hear something interesting or beneficial that I would like to share with her.

Another useful trick I have learnt was to divert her attention, which was necessary more than just a few times. This came particularly handy when we were waiting for important news regarding test results or procedure outcomes, for example, after the oocyte (egg) retrieval, when we were waiting for information about how many of our oocytes had been fertilised.

I try to stay level headed at all times, even though my overly emotional self is trying to rebel against that from time to time. Believe me when I say that sometimes deep down inside there is more tension in me than in her. I experience the same uncertainties as she does, and I am scared and disappointed at times, too. But I really hope that she doesn’t know this.

And the conclusion? Make sure that your woman and her feelings are always the centre of attention. Don’t forget to be cooperative, supportive, and attentive.

When things finally start happening, you realise that the whole process is a true miracle.

Once your wife receives her hormonal stimulation, ideally more than 8 follicles begin to develop in her ovaries instead of just one. The hormone therapy is meant to increase the production of oocytes, however, your wife still needs her regular checkups during this process. The doctor will see what is happening inside of her ovaries using a simple ultrasound scan after five days of beginning hormonal stimulation. The most important question is how many healthy follicles will develop with the help of the stimulation.

One aspect I was curious about were the parameters of that particular sample compared to the previous one. Was this one better, worse or the same?

The number of follicles is important, but their size matters as well. The approximate diameter of a mature follicle is 18 millimetres, which actually surprised me at first - it is almost 2 centimetres! The oocyte that develops inside of the follicle is 0.1 to 0.2 mm, much smaller than the actual follicle. However, it is still large compared to a single sperm, which is approximately 45 micrometres from head to tail.

After the ovarian stimulation, my wife received another hormone therapy (called the “trigger shot”), which contains a human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to help the oocytes mature. Approximately 36 hours later our big day arrived: it was time for the oocyte retrieval and semen collection.

Oocyte retrieval is considered a minor surgery, but I was still a little bit concerned about it. I tried not to show it, of course, but I was worried about my wife. The procedure should take about 20 minutes, but it is still a surgery. Most of the time it is performed under general anaesthesia, especially if the woman has a greater number of available follicles. We only had five follicles after the ovarian stimulation, which is not ideal, but we were grateful to have at least some that were ready for the next step.

My wife was not under anaesthesia during the procedure, but the nurse gave her painkillers beforehand. According to her, she only felt some level of discomfort when the oocytes were suctioned out of her ovaries with a needle that went through her vaginal wall.

To clarify, during the oocyte retrieval process the doctor inserts a needle into each follicle and draws out all the fluid, including the matured oocytes. After just 10 minutes, she was done with this part.

During that same time, I came into the picture as well, or more precisely, my semen. The semen collection happens simultaneously with oocyte retrieval. By now I am used to not being the one at the centre of attention; most of the time I play the role of a supporting husband, but now it was my time to participate. Since I know my way around the clinic, I grabbed my cup and went to the collection room.

When the door closed behind me, I was left alone with thoughts and some porn magazines. Anyone who has ever been through this knows how awkward and uncomfortable this experience can be, but the staff at the clinic see many patients every day, so there is no need to feel embarrassed. Semen collection is an essential part of the IVF process, and it is just something that has to be done.

Semen quality is not about masculinity. Unfortunately, a lot of men struggle with low semen quality these days. So, what can we do to help improve semen quality naturally?

In addition to vitamins and minerals, there are many other substances that have fertility promoting effects. Some of them include fenugreek seeds; tribulus terrestris, which increases semen viability; astaxanthin; Indian ginseng, also known as Ashwagandh;, aloe vera; royal jelly; cinnamon; green tea; red wine; brown beer; or dark chocolate. I am testing the last three, however, strictly in the recommended quantities. I strongly believe in them!

When it comes to male fertility, we talk about a lot of things that we need to give up, such as cigarettes, alcohol, or caffeine, and that we need to develop a healthy relationship with physical activity. We also have to consider lifestyle changes that are not easy to make for everyone. But what about changing our diet and choosing the right foods? We can find plenty of articles about nutrition and how it affects male fertility. It is easy to get lost in the abundance of information, and find out which suggestions have scientific proof to support it.

Simply put, sperm develops and matures within three months. With certain lifestyle changes, we can often achieve improvements to semen quality. However, it must be emphasized that these changes can improve semen quality, but that does not guarantee that a couple's fertility will increase, too. There are many parameters evaluated in the spermiogram, among others: the sperm count, the sperm shape, and the sperm motility. Another essential factor for healthy sperm is the energy to achieve their goal.

The good news is that there are plenty of simple things we can do to help improve our fertility health. So what can we do?

Drink plenty of plain water every day - at least 2 liters. I filled up a one-liter bottle with water and kept it with me at all times. I drank the first bottle before 11am, the second bottle by 3pm, and the last one before 7pm. It was a struggle in the beginning, but I got used to it in just one week and was able to keep up my good habit.

To positively influence semen quality, I also started making changes to my diet. The only recommendation that can currently be made to the general male population is to adhere to a healthy dietary pattern rich in plant-based foods such as in a Mediterranean diet; to reduce dairy consumption; and to give up processed foods (including salami and sausages, which I love). However, the good news is that one can eat a lot of seafood and fish due to their high content of omega-3 fatty acids.

A balanced diet is one of the most important factors for a healthy lifestyle. Extreme diets should be avoided; both low carb and high protein diets can hurt the semen quality - right now is not the time to go to any extremes!

Research has shown that free radicals may cause a decrease in semen quality, so the consumption of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, coenzyme Q-10, or L-carnitine, may help as well. The optimal intake of the following vitamins and minerals is the key to semen quality improvement:

We can choose between natural sources that contain these minerals and vitamins but where exact quantities are unknown. Or we can opt for vitamin and mineral supplements that we can regularly consume in individual recommended quantities. Whichever route you choose, it's always a good idea to consult with your physician or fertility specialist to decide upon the right kinds and amounts. To make my (and my wife’s) life easier, I made a list of cooking ingredients to boost fertility and I tried to integrate as many of them into my daily diet as possible.

Even though we were rationally and emotionally prepared for hormonal stimulation, we were both stunned by some of the side effects.

Most couples who go through IVF for the first time, like us, are quite inexperienced and not very informed. Obviously, we asked a lot of questions and read as much information as possible about what to expect, however, actually experiencing this process first hand is fairly different. There are things that you just cannot fully prepare for. One of them is the amount of hormones your partner is going to receive and how she will react to it.

The main problem with hormonal stimulation is that the side effects are unpredictable. It affects everyone differently. Unfortunately, this part of the process cannot be avoided but you can get through it with a great deal of care.

The main question that came to me was: why does she need this huge amount of hormones? Well, hormones are used for many different things during the IVF treatment. Initially, the ovaries must be stimulated to grow as many follicles as possible. Then, the hormones help with maturation of the eggs before the actual egg retrieval. Also, certain hormones are used to improve the chances of embryo implantation. IVF is a precise process that requires exact doses of different hormones for each step, and that is why the final amount of hormones seems so excessive.

As it turned out, the stimulation process can be a little scary. My wife had to administer the hormone injections by herself. Do you understand? She has to poke herself with a needle every day for weeks. I still shudder as I write. And that is not all. Hormones can have two very perceptible side effects. One of them is that they can make your partner experience certain physical changes, the other can cause emotional tsunamis. Which one is worse? It is usually a tie, but both are definitely difficult issues.

I don’t know if we were lucky or we handled the situation well, but we only experienced one emotional side effect: my Love was able to laugh through her tears at practically anything, even in a completely neutral situation. The seven-headed dragon that I’ve read so much about was, fortunately, asleep.

On the contrary, dealing with the physical side effects was very difficult for her. Even though I tried to comfort her and reassure her that she is beautiful (which she truly is), it was hard for her to handle that her waist suddenly vanished and her belly doubled from bloating. Unfortunately, neither diet nor exercise helped, but after a few weeks it disappeared as it came. This is something that both of you should keep in mind.

Looking back, we can laugh at our experience now, but sadly, many women can have serious hormonal imbalances affecting them both physically and emotionally. This is one of the main reasons why many couples give up on IVF altogether, and that is completely understandable. Emotional support helps you both to be there for each other, to relieve the heavy pressure, which normally affects your partner more, and to handle the physical changes with ease.

The system of fertility programs, based on my own experience, takes men as side characters. No problem at all, bad systems are there to break them

Did you know what ‘infertility’ means? The definition is very simple: if a couple has unprotected sex for 12 months and they are not able to conceive, they are labelled as infertile. I was sincerely surprised by this simple definition.

Unfortunately, most people still identify infertility as a ‘woman problem’. Although if we check on the main causes of infertility, we can find it easily that nothing can be further from the truth. For me, the turning point definitely was, when it turned out that - based on my spermiogram - I was an active participant in our lack of success. Before that I supported actively my wife, but then it became a completely different story. Even though if you have award-winning sperm quality, you still need to participate in the program with the same dedication as if it were all up to you.

"Don’t wait to be asked for staring in the movie. This is not Hollywood. It’s simply one, if not the most important movie of your life."

When I found myself in the world of IVF, I had to face the fact that everything is apparently all about the woman. In this story I felt like a “supporting family member”. There are a lot more tests and examination on her, some of them can be painful (fallopian test), and she even has to undergo a surgery (egg retrieval). These are the physical parts of the fertility program. I can’t take the hormones, or go under a surgery instead of her, even though I would do it happily. But there are many situations where I can make my partner’s job easier with my presence and support.

I don’t want to be a passive character in the story. I would like to have a child with her, such as much as she wants it. I can never leave her alone under any circumstances. I always want to be there for her, and make her feel, she can count on me. It’s also true if I play a more active role, I can own the process much more as well. It already makes an enormous difference when instead of saying ‘we have to undergo fertility treatment because my wife cannot have a child naturally’, I take it as ‘we, as a couple’ have fertility problems.

Your partner will need a constant emotional support. She is going to go through so many challenges over the process. Don’t be surprised if she laughs when she supposed to feel sad, and the other way around, and it won’t be the weirdest situation believe me. During these difficult weeks, you will be her rock, because you have to be.

The system of fertility programs, based on my own experience, takes men as side characters. No problem at all, bad systems are there to break them, it doesn’t have to be, work this way. Feel free to be more active in the process, first of all it will make your partner happy, and secondly you will be proud of yourself. Believe me, this will be very much needed too.

During our first IVF attempt, we came across a lot of new terminology and information in a very short time, and it was quite challenging to take it all in. We were very familiar with some of the information that was given to us, and slightly less familiar with some of the more technical terms and procedures. By all means, a lot of material was completely new to me, even though I attended biology classes at school, but there may be a slight chance that I did not pay enough attention. Live and learn! There is no shame in having a little refreshment course.

It can be very beneficial to have a better understanding of what is happening in our bodies and reproductive system, so here are some basics that we all should be familiar with. Let’s start with the ladies!

Ovaries: they are small, almond shaped glands, and primary female reproductive organs. They are located on either side of the uterus, at the end of each fallopian tube. The ovaries have three main functions: they produce and store all the eggs a female is born with; they produce female hormones estrogen and progesterone; the ovaries release, usually, one egg during each menstrual cycle for fertilisation.

Follicle: a follicle is a small fluid-filled sac located in the ovaries that contains a developing egg. During each menstrual cycle, several follicles begin the maturation process. However, usually only one of the follicles reaches maturity and becomes dominant. Later on, this follicle is selected to grow until it is ready to release the egg, which is ready for fertilisation.

Egg: also called ovum, is the female reproductive cell. The eggs are located inside of the follicles in the ovaries. Interesting fact is that females are born with all of their eggs that they will have during their lifetime. Their initial number reaches hundreds of thousands, but drops to about 200,000 by adolescence, and continues to decrease with age. The egg is the largest human cell, and measures about 0.1 - 0.2 mm in diameter. During ovulation, the egg leaves the follicle and enters the fallopian tube where it awaits fertilisation.

Fallopian tubes: also called uterine tubes, are two narrow, 10-12 cm long ducts that connect the ovaries to the uterus. They have three main functions: they transport the male sperm cells towards the egg, which is waiting for fertilisation in the tube; they provide suitable environment for the process of fertilisation; they transport the egg from the ovary to the uterus. If the fallopian tubes are blocked, an egg cannot meet the sperm, fertilisation cannot take place and pregnancy will not occur.

Ovulation: when a follicle ruptures, the egg is released from one of the ovaries. It typically happens around day 14 of the menstrual cycle. The eggs have quite a short lifespan and are viable only for 12-24 hours. Sperm remain viable for several days inside of the female reproductive tract, therefore 3 days prior to ovulation and 2 days after ovulation are considered the most fertile days for females. This is also called a fertility window, which is a term used very often in the IVF community. During the actual IVF process, ovulation is regulated by hormones.

Menstrual cycle: it is a series of natural changes in hormone production and the structures of the uterus and ovaries. These hormonal changes make it possible for a pregnancy to occur. There are four phases of the menstrual cycle: menstruation, follicular phase, ovulation and the luteal phase. The average menstrual cycle is 24 to 38 days long, however, some women may experience irregular cycles that last shorter or longer amount of time. The first day of the menstrual cycle is the first day of menstrual bleeding, also called a period, which typically lasts 4 to 8 days.

Now that we have covered the ladies, let’s move on to the men!

Spermatogenesis: it is the process of producing and developing sperm. It is a 74 day long cycle during which germ cells, male reproductive cells, develop into sperm with the ability of independent movement and fertilisation. Male testicles produce several million sperm per day!

Sperm: sperm is the male reproductive cell. Some people may use these two words interchangeably, yet, sperm and semen are two different terms; semen is a fluid, which contains sperm, but it only makes up only 5% of the weight of the semen. Sperm cells are very tiny, measuring only 50 micrometers from head to tail. A sperm can travel about 3 mm per minute, and it is viable and capable of fertilisation for 30-50 hours after ejaculation. However, 90% of the sperm in a man’s ejaculate are deformed; they can be misshaped, have a small or large head, or no tail. Just a small percentage of sperm are actually able to fertilise an egg.

Sperm count: it is a measure of the number of sperm in each ejaculation. A normal sperm count ranges from 15 million to 200 million per millilitre of semen. Low sperm count is considered when there are less than 15 million sperm per millilitre, or less than 39 million sperm per ejaculate. This phenomenon is refer to as oligospermia and it affects one in every six couples. Unfortunately, it has been a very serious issue in many developed countries in the last few decades.

Sperm motility: this refers to the ability of sperm to move forward and progress for at least 25 micrometers per second. A sperm analysis examines how many of the sperm are motile. The higher the number, the better. It has been debated for many years that sperm with Y chromosomes, or the “boy” sperm, can swim faster than sperm with X chromosomes, known as the “girl” sperm. However, it has been proven to be a myth.

Sperm morphology: the semen analysis test examines sperm morphology, which refers to the size, shape and overall appearance of a man’s sperm. The results are shown as a percentage of sperm that appear normal. Sperm are examined in order to evaluate male fertility, because the egg can only be penetrated by sperm that have a “normal” shape. Interestingly enough, this will be a fairly low number since many sperm have an abnormal shape. The good news is that there are millions of them and only one is needed to fertilise the egg.

It’s time to take our part of the fertility journey: let’s boost the little guys.

There are very few men left on the planet who don't need any help to boost their fertility. I am not one of them, so I decided to do as much as possible to improve my sperms’ health. I am going to have very little to do during our IVF program compared to my wife, so this is the least I can do to increase our chance of success.

"With any positive changes, we can do a lot to consciously improve our fertility."

Let’s continue to learn more factors which can affect the health of our sperms and male fertility.

  1. Ideal weight: Both too much and too little fat have a negative effect on hormone production, and sperm health and count. Moreover, in overweight men, fat pads warm the testicles, and as we learned, sperms don’t like heat. Weight is something that we cannot change overnight. Making a significant and healthy change on it, can take months (sometimes even years). Losing or gaining weight should be part of a well-planned preparation. I have 4-5kg extra weight on me, and it is impossible to lose (in a healthy way) in 4 weeks (at least for me).
  1. Caffeine: The most popular stimulant. That's how I start the day every morning. But keep in mind that energy drinks and cola also contain caffeine. Funnily caffeine can be a double-sharp weapon. In a small amount it stimulates sperm production in small amounts. Great news! However, in larger quantities, it can be one of the causes of sperm deterioration, and also can reduce its quantity. Another important fact that is important to remember, that beverages that contain caffeine, have diuretic effects and may cause dehydration, which is not good at all when we try to conceive. I am a coffee lover but fortunately I am not a big fan of energy and soft drinks. So, it will be easy for me to be a good boy on this.
  1. Exercise: Sport is one of the best things in the world if you do it within normal limits. It relieves tension (so you can reduce stress), creates good conditions, and makes you balanced. It can help you reach your ideal weight as well. But you don't want to be Schwarzenegger for now. Do not touch anabolic steroids, muscle and weight gainers. Firstly, your testicle can get smaller (you will look stupid), secondly, you can even reset your sperm count with them.
  1. Toxins: Unfortunately, improper nutrition already delivers a lot of toxins into our bodies. We can come into contact with many toxins at work and home (solvents, cleaners, pesticides) as well. Try to avoid them if it is not possible, or at least use appropriate protective equipment.

Obviously, there are many things listed above that are difficult to change. These are just some important factors – at least - to be aware of. With any positive changes we can do a lot to consciously improve our fertility. And if we were “accidentally” keeping these lifestyle changes for the long term and living healthier by the way, we could hold not only our own child, but hopefully even our grandchildren in our hands. Is it enough motivation? Is there more motivation than that?

How you can improve sperm quality and quantity with some changes in your daily life and habits. Beware, you might notice positive changes in other areas of your life as well.

If you are like me, you never really paid attention to your sperms (I mean in a scientific way). It completely changed when I received my sperm analysis result, and it’s not too great a number. I felt like it’s time to learn more about them (especially when it comes to their parameters).

"Studies show that a smoker has 15% less sperms compared to a non-smoker, and more lazy sperms with abnormal shape."

I read about many factors which can cause sperms with abnormal shape, not enough quantity or pure concentration. BUT I also learned that actually there are many things that I can do, and make improvements on these parameters. These are mainly lifestyle changes, and most of them don't cost too much, I just need to pay a bit more attention and be willing to change.

  1. Smoking: I was a heavy smoker for 15 years, but I quit 15 years ago though. I know exactly how hard quitting is. (This is not the easiest lifestyle change, I know, but I wanted to start with the most difficult one.) BUT you have to know smoking has a huge negative impact on the quality and quantity of your sperms. The problem is mainly caused by the nicotine (so electric cigarettes are not really an option either). Studies show that a smoker has 15% less sperms compared to a non-smoker, and more lazy sperms with abnormal shape. SMOKING + ABNORMAL SHAPE + LAZY SPERM = NOT IDEAL!
  2. Alcohol: At this point I started to be worried a bit (I love red wine). Actually, I don’t have to be abstinent (a big release!), I just have to be careful with the quantity. 2-3 glasses of wine or beer weekly won’t do a huge harm on my sperms. A bigger dosage of alcohol would lower the chances of my boys, because they can have an abnormal shape and a smaller army in numbers. It sounds doable to me.
  3. Drugs: I cannot share any personal experience about this point, but what I learn for sure: they don’t do any good for our hormones. They can reduce our testosterone level, have a negative effect on the shape of sperm, and the sperms go nuts (as you do) if you are on drugs (I don’t know what does it mean exactly, they might move too fast?).
  4. Heat: It never even would cross my mind. Using my laptop on my laps, or enjoying the comfort of the seat heating in the car actually can overheat my sperms. They don’t need too much heat as they are super sensitive. If they get some extra, unwanted heat on their outer layer, it’s enough for them to die. Riding a bicycle, spending time in a sauna can also cause extra heat. It is also better to switch from hot baths to showers for the health of our sperms. I think here I am going to face some difficulties (laptop usage, love of hot baths and bicycling).
  5. Stress: I know, it’s easy to say, do not stress these days. At least be aware that too much stress has a huge negative impact on every area of your life. Speaking about sperms: it decreases the concentration, makes them lazy, and will affect the shape as well. So, just take it easy!

There are still a few possible lifestyle changes I would like to share with you in my next articles, but I find it easier to take these changes step by step.

More and more men are affected by fertility problems. Why is this topic not spoken more about?

To make it short, on the second consultation, we got the green light from the doctor to go for IVF, as our only one chance of having a baby. Actually, the plan was that in a week or so, we will start our fertility treatment.

"It never crossed my mind before how much I can do to improve my reproductive health. To be honest, it did not cross my mind either that I have to do anything for it."

As you could read in my previous article, I am going to face our first IVF cycle with my ‘not too tragic’ but ‘not great at all’ semen analysis result. After the stage of ‘Unbelievable’, I entered the phase of ‘Acceptance’, then I started to think about how I can improve my result.

I dived into the world of ART (Artificial Reproductive Treatments), and came across my new favorite word: fertility awareness. We hear about many different awareness and consciousness, but the term ‘fertility awareness’ was completely new for me. It never crossed my mind before how much I can do to improve my reproductive health. To be honest, it did not cross my mind either that I have to do anything for it.

Fortunately, the sperm production is continuous in our body, and takes approximately 3 months to create a completely new army. It means that with some changes in our diet, lifestyle, and habits, we can do a lot for sperm who will be formed in the future. Of course, this cannot happen overnight. It takes about 3 months to notice significant improvement on the result.

Unfortunately, in my case, I had too little information about this topic, and too little time left for big improvement or to correct my bad result. But, of course, it didn’t discourage me to start some changes, because – I believe - every journey starts with one step.

It would be great if this information wouldn’t reach only those couples who are already participating in IVF programs. It’s scary to read that there’s a tendency for men’s fertility to deteriorate from decade to decade, and moreover, typically, men don’t like to test and face it. How much easier it would be to avoid a lot of setbacks, stress and sometimes relationship problems that come with fertility failures. Fertility awareness is all about avoiding these above.

Edit: Our IVF cycle is postponed, because a little miracle happened. Who knows how, but we were able to conceive naturally. We had a chemical pregnancy, meaning that one of my sperm was able to fertilize an egg naturally, but unfortunately the implantation was not successful. This is proof: we can do it! ☺ We have to wait a month to start our fertility treatment, which also means that I gained an extra month to improve (even a bit) my sperm condition.

How I learned that sperm analysis isn’t about getting a certificate about my fertility superbness, but showing me there’s room for improvement.

On the next consultation with our doctor, unfortunately it became official, which was only my guess until then: the result of my semen analysis is – let’s say - not ’the best’. The doctor pronounced it clearly: I am involved in our fertility journey as much as my wife is. I am the other 50% in the formula, and the reason why IVF is our only way of having a child together. It didn’t break me, but it was not a comfortable feeling either. I needed some time to digest the situation. I read a few studies about the fact that male fertility has become a bigger problem these days than female fertility. Most of the studies say that minimum 30% (some of them say up to 50%) of infertility problems come from the male side. Studies also show that men’s sperm count dropped, and the capability of fertilization decreased drastically (to its half) over the last few decades in Europe. It surprises me, because if it’s really such a big, common problem, why don't we speak / know more about this?! Knowing that I am definitely not alone with this problem helps me put my mind to ease but it still bugs my ego.

Anyway, let's see what a sperm analysis is about, and my result?

"Most of the studies say that minimum 30% (some of them say up to 50%) of infertility problems come from the male side."

  1. During the test, they measure the volume of the semen. The normal parameter is 1.5-6 ml (I had 5 ml, so I was OK with this part). This factor is important to show us how big our army will be to start with.
  2. They also check on its pH. The ideal value is 7.2 (slightly alkaline), but it is considered normal between 7.2-7.8. (Mine was 8.)
  3. They also check on the motility of the sperms, which is significant because they have to take a long way to reach their goal. If we calculate from the total sperm count, at least half of the little fighters should have good movement. In my case, the progressive motility (when the sperms move in a straight line along a large-arc circle) was 50% (this is ideal). My non-progressive motility value (when sperm moves along a small-arc circle) was 5%. 50% + 5% = 55% in total (which is ok!). I’ve never been a great dancer, but at least my spears are moving well.
  4. Sperm concentration and sperm count are also determined. Sperm concentration shows how many sperm are present in 1 ml of semen, and sperm count shows the total number in the whole ejaculation. These indicators are changing so mournfully, that an acceptable normal minimum value is no longer even set. The WHO (World Health Organization) has recently given the normal values at 15 million / ml and 39 million / sample. I had 10 million / ml and 50 million / ejaculation, which are not particularly good values.
  5. They also examine the morphology of the sperms (if the sperm head is in the right shape or size). The sperm head, for example, plays an important role in breaking through the egg wall to be able to fertilize it. According to the WHO numbers, at least 4% of the sperms should be in formal order (unfortunately, this was only 2% for me). Interestingly, I also came across a study that showed that 29% of men with 0% normal-shaped sperm were able to fertilize an egg in the natural way (not with IVF). So, sperms with abnormal head shape doesn’t mean that there’s any genetic problem with them.

The official diagnosis of seeing all my numbers together was: oligo-teratozoospermia. Meaning I have reduced sperm count and low sperm motility.

However, there is a significant advantage for men over women. While the number of eggs is given at birth, and from then this number decreases and then runs out, in men the sperms are renewed cyclically. The process of sperm formation (spermatogenesis) takes 74 days. (Because we cannot know which part of this cycle we are in, it is better to calculate with 3 months). Meaning: in most cases, men have a chance to improve their ‘sperm situation’ in three months.

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