Male Fertility
In couples with fertility problems, around 25% is due to male infertility and in 40-50% of cases, it is the main or contributing cause. No amount of focus on fertility will be successful unless male factors for infertility are considered. The evaluation of male fertility is simpler and less invasive than the evaluation for female fertility, it makes sense to evaluate men before an extensive or expensive work-up is done to determine why a couple isn’t getting pregnant.
Sperm are formed in the testes and once the formation is complete, the sperm enter the epididymis, a comma-like structure on the outside of the testicle, where it finishes maturation. The maturation period is 2-3 months. This means that when attempting to influence sperm health, a program must focus on changes that affect sperm 2-3 months prior to intercourse.
For successful conception to occur, sperm must overcome many obstacles- ensuring that only the strongest, healthiest sperm penetrates the egg leading to fertility. This is survival of the fittest at its best. The seminal fluid protects the sperm in multiple ways including buffering the acidic environment of the vagina, assisting with motility through cervical mucus and suppressing an overzealous female immune system that can destroy sperm. Because of the complexity of survival, many millions of sperm are required at the time of intercourse for fertilization to occur.
If you have tried to become pregnant without success, Dr. Ruthie Harper opens her practice doors to you with compassion, and more than twenty years of natural fertility experience. Discover your personal path to total health, wellness and balance, and learn how the science of personalized functional medicine can help you become pregnant and achieve your dream of growing your family.