How to Improve Sperm Quality Before IVF Share Tips?

Male factors have been a significant cause in most cases of infertility. Many couples experience difficulty due to underlying issues in male reproductive health, such as sperm quality. Often, it creates disruptions in procedures like IVF to achieve a successful pregnancy. Sperm quality can affect the stages of infertility treatment like IVF, eventually leading to failed pregnancies. 

Certain lifestyle habits affect sperm health, which has a large significance in a healthy pregnancy. However, those habits can be improved before the IVF treatment begins with expert guidance. Consult with an infertility specialist in Siliguri to get insights into infertility treatments and the precautions. There are several reasons for male infertility, including structural issues, genetic disorders, infections and lifestyle factors that affect the sperm quality.

An Insight into Sperm Health 

For conceiving successfully, sperm needs to contain the ability to fertilise an egg that develops into an embryo. For couples struggling to get pregnant naturally, they undergo IVF, where the same procedure takes place under a controlled environment. In this treatment, the quality of sperm plays a crucial role and impacts the success rate. Despite everything being good with female factors, if pregnancy does not occur, the reason might be the sperm quality. It is crucial to identify the sperm quality that largely depends on sperm quantity, movement and shape :

• Quantity: In a single ejaculation, semen contains at least 25million sperm per millilitre. It is considered normal. Lesser than this amount indicates a low reserve of sperm to fertilise an egg. It reduces the chance of pregnancy with fewer sperm. Take the expert’s advice on increasing sperm count through nutritious food.

• Motility or Movement: For successful conception, the movement or motility of sperm is a significant factor. To reach and fertilise an egg, sperm must be able to move easily through the cervix, uterus and fallopian tubes, and this is called motility. Ideally, 40% of sperm need to be able to sail to achieve a successful pregnancy. Although with a lower level of sperm movement, pregnancy is still possible.

• Morphology or Shape: Normally, sperm have oval heads and long tails that help sperm move together. Typically, sperm shape does not determine fertility as much as quantity or movement. According to some studies, sperm below 4% of normal shapes pose an infertility risk. More sperm have perfect morphology, and pregnancy is more likely to occur.

Ways to Improve Sperm Health Before IVF 

To begin the journey of parenthood with IVF, the quality of sperm is equally significant as female factors. Often, pregnancy fails even after having intercourse multiple times with the partner and results in unsuccessful IVF procedures. The underlying cause behind this can be sperm health.

However, sperm health is disrupted due to many factors such as unhealthy lifestyle, exposure to heat, coming in contact with toxins or chemicals, certain health conditions, surgery of the testicles and prostate cancer. To ensure a successful pregnancy through IVF, certain practices can help in improving sperm health before the treatment, such as : 

Quit Smoking:  Not only does smoking affect sperm quality, but it also affects the overall reproductive health. Before beginning the IVF treatment, you must stop smoking if you are a long-term smoker. Smoking causes damage to the sperm quality, quantity and reduces the potential to make pregnancy happen. Quitting smoking can improve the overall quality of sperm, increasing the chances of a successful pregnancy.

Exercise Regularly: It has been noted that doing regular physical activity has been helpful in sperm health. Exercising helps in increasing testosterone levels, which eventually improves sperm quality. Avoid overdoing and hyperactivity. Include moderate physical activities like jogging, running, and lifting weights in your daily lifestyle to support sperm health for a successful IVF journey.

Stop Consuming Alcohol:  When it comes to conceiving, alcohol consumption can be harmful for reproductive health. Occasional drinking habits may not affect sperm counts, but long-term heavy drinking can harm your fertility, leading to reduced sperm counts, lower testosterone and disruption in hormonal balance. It is important to limit alcohol consumption before the IVF procedure.

Manage Healthy Weight: To make parenthood possible, check on a healthy weight. Being overweight can influence the quality of sperm and interrupt the hormonal balance. Some studies suggest that increasing BMI (Body Mass Index) is linked to reduced sperm count and motility. If you are considering conception with IVF in Siliguri, keep your weight on track, which can improve sperm health.

Understand Some Medicinal Effects:  Some medicines can have effects that reduce the chance of fertility. Recognise some medicines that are used to control blood pressure, some antidepressants, antiandrogens, opioids and anabolic steroids. Many kinds of illegal drugs also affect sperm health and fertility. If you are trying for pregnancy with IVF, refrain from using such medicines as per a healthcare expert’s

advice to improve sperm health and overall reproductive functionality.

Maintain Nutrition: When you are considering IVF, focus on your diet and daily nutrition before the treatment to boost sperm health. Maintaining nutrition with a balanced diet can help improve fertility. As per some research, eating a portion of walnuts has been effective in improving sperm motility or movement. Avoid ultra-processed junk food, sugary foods, and beverages high in sucrose, trans-fats that can harm reproductive health. Including healthy foods, such as vegetables, protein, nuts, and citrus foods, in the daily diet can be beneficial in improving fertility with sperm health.

Manage Stress: If you are about to begin the IVF journey, make sure your stress level is managed. Having an excessive amount of stress increases the levels of stress hormones like cortisol in the body, which affects reproductive and overall health. Regular stress can have adverse effects on sperm health. Stress hormones directly impact sexual performance and libido and interfere with testosterone production. This can lead to erectile dysfunction, which can result in anxiety about the inability to perform and a failed pregnancy. Minimise stress to maintain sperm health.

Limit Caffeine: To support sperm health, limit the consumption of caffeine, which is found in tea, coffee, some soft drinks, energy drinks and in some chocolates. Some medical evidence suggests that high intake of caffeine can impact sperm quality, reduce concentration, sperm count and normal morphology, while moderate intake may not have any significant effect. Limit the intake of caffeine to maintain sperm quality to ensure successful IVF treatment.

Avoid Toxins: Stay away from exposure to pesticides, lead and other toxins that can affect sperm quality and quantity. If you must work with chemicals and toxins, do it safely. Wear protective clothes and use protective equipment like safety goggles. Refrain from skin contact with chemicals. These will help in managing and improving sperm health and overall reproductive health.

Manage Temperature: Some research finds that if the scrotum gets too warm, it can reduce the body’s ability to produce sperm effectively. Avoid tight-fitting underwear, long-term sitting, saunas, and hot tubs to ensure better sperm health. Make sure you wear loose-fitting underwear, stay in a cool temperature, and spend less time sitting. This will ensure the quality of sperm and the overall possibility of a successful pregnancy. 

Final Remarks

Other than lifestyle habits, sperm health can be affected by radiation and chemotherapy of cancer treatment, and to manage them, take an expert’s guidance on sperm health. By embracing these lifestyle habits, you can improve sperm health and overall fertility experience before undergoing IVF treatment. Understand the lifestyle management and improving sperm health from a healthcare expert in a fertility clinic like Newlife Fertility Centre, in Siliguri.