More than likely, the man has never had to think about his sperm quality in the past and has no way of knowing whether he has good quality sperm or not.

Simple guide to good sperm quality

Without going into too much detail and long winded medical terms sperm quality is judged on a series of conditions.

• there should be at least 2ml of semen per ejaculation.
• this ejaculation should contain 40 million sperm
• 75% of sperm should be alive
• 30% of the sperm should hold a normal form and shape.
• 25% should be swimming quickly forward
• 50% should be swimming forward, a bit slower is ok

Sperm quality differs from day to day, so it’s a good idea to have a couple of tests done over a few weeks to get a better picture of the quality.

Home sperm test kits can be a good way to do a few tests like this without having to visit a clinic each time.

Improving sperm quality and chances of conceiving

Get healthy, in most cases a healthy man produces healthy sperm. So if you’re trying for  baby and want to improve the odds, then you should these simple rules…

• Eat a balanced diet and take some regular exercise
• Avoid smoking and other recreational drugs
• Cut out alcohol or lower it to recommended limits
• Don’t risk catching any STDs (sexually transmitted diseases)

Healthy sperm, what’s the chances of conceiving?

The people in the white coats who are good at maths tell us that healthy couples have a 20% chance of conceiving every month.

With  the odds at 1 in 5 then it’s not unreasonable to expect to wait at least 6 months before asking your GP about fertility advice and sperm tests.

If you are curious about your sperm quality or perhaps past attempts have taken longer than you’d like, you can always use a home sperm test kit without the need to approach your GP.

Good luck and keep your sperm healthy.

Most of today’s IVF is ‘stimulated’ – drugs are used to prompt the ovaries to produce several eggs, rather than just one. Women take a course of ovarian-suppression hormones to shut down their menstrual cycle controlling ovulation. Followed by follicle-stimulating hormones to boost egg production.

During a natural menstrual cycle, usually only a single follicle grows to the ovulation stage to release an egg. Natural Cycle IVF works within the woman’s natural cycle, the naturally selected, single mature egg is collected from the ovary for fertilisation and a single embryo is transferred.

Doctors use ultrasound to check that the blood supply to the developing egg is healthy. As the egg is ready to ripen, it is removed and, as with conventional IVF, it is introduced to the sperm in a petri dish.

Once fertilised, it is implanted in the womb. Drugs are used only to block the egg ovulating before it is harvested.

A more natural approach is likely to yield better quality eggs and a healthier lining of the womb. Nearly half of all eggs collected in standard IVF cycles are chromosomally abnormal and so are less likely to result in a healthy, full-term baby. High stimulation affects the blood supply to the eggs and causes abnormalities, which can lead to embryos failing to implant, or to miscarriages.

Natural IVF means women can have treatments over consecutive months.

In some cases Modified Natural Cycle IVF may be needed, drugs are given to prevent spontaneous ovulation and patients are given the hormone hCG to time egg collection. Progesterone pessaries are taken to supplement the body’s progesterone levels. Progesterone aids implantation and supports pregnancy in its early stages.

Modified Natural Cycle IVF also results in the production of a single egg.

Many thanks to Create Health for the article, to find out more about their services and how they can help couples visit them at http://www.createhealth.org

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Both men and women can be prone to fertility problems, so it’s a good idea they seek help and solutions they can work on as a couple. For instance improving their general health through an improved diet, taking regular exercise and cutting down on alcohol and smoking.

Traditional Acupuncture for fertility

One treatment couples have both benefit from is traditional acupuncture, a tried a tested Chinese system for improving mental and physical health.

acupuncture is promoted to help improve fertility in men and women. A man’s sperm count can increase along with the mobility and quantity while the woman’s menstrual cycle can become more regular and hormonal imbalances can be smoothed out.

General health also benefits from a course of acupuncture. Problems associated with infertility such as stress, low libido and anxiety can all be addressed with acupuncture, bringing the couple together in a more relaxed and peaceful relationship.

Together these changes can help a couple conceive naturally removing the need to IVF treatments.

If you’d like to find out more about acupuncture and the benefits it can offer you contact the British Acupuncture Council at www.acupuncture.org.uk

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However, it’s not exactly romantic or sexy planning your love making around a calender, and if you’re stressed from trying to fall pregnant, then nature may need a little helping hand on the lubrication side to get things moving along smoothly.

Sperm Friendly Lubricants

Thankfully some clever people have created a range of lubricants that not only help smooth things out, but for people trying to conceive, they are also guaranteed sperm friendly.

Pre-seed lubricant is designed to be just like natures own lubricant in both pH balance and viscosity. This means the sperm won’t have trouble swimming through it and it won’t damage the sperm or the embryo.

For couples trying to conceive it offers a natural feel and promises not to interfere with the man’s sperm like other lubricants can.

Applicators are included in the box too, these help mimic the natural production and feel of cervical mucus.

Most Popular Fertility Aid with consistent 5 star reviews

Pre-seed sperm friendly lubricant is one of Amazons most popular fertility aids and consistently reveives 5 star reviews from couples trying to conceive.

Pre-Seed Fertility-Friendly Vaginal Lubricant Multi-Use Tube – 40 g with 9 Applicators

If you’re trying to conceive and want to improve your chances as much as you can then a healthy lifestyle and a good balanced diet should be first on your list.

Cutting out alcohol and cigarettes is common sense, and then eating a well balanced diet with plenty of fresh meat (unless your vegetarian), fruits and vegetables.

Folic Acid, Pregnancy Supplement

Pregnancy supplements have been created to give women who are trying for a baby extra nutrients, in particular folic aid. Pregnancy (including conceiving), may require extra dietary needs that even a well balanced diet can have trouble providing.

Women trying for a baby may want to consider a supplement to boost their diet and general levels of heath and well being.

400µg of Folic Acid

Pregnacare is a supplement containing 400µg of folic acid, the recommended daily dosage for women trying to conceive. Each daily dosage also contains 18 other vitamins and minerals to help improve your general health during this critical time.

Pregnacare original is supported by the Royal College of Midwives, suitable for vegetarians and gluten free.

To find out more about Pregnacare and it’s benefits click here.

Unless you happen to suffer from a low sperm count and have had difficulty conceiving then it’s probably best to avoid these types jibes, a lower than normal sperm count is a real concern to thousands of men at some point in their lives.

Proper advice to increase your sperm count without the jibes

Thankfully there’s a plenty of advice we can offer you to boost your sperm count and help your little swimmers do their job.

Most of the advice is ‘what not to do’ rather than what you should be doing.

Here’s a list of the types of things you be avoiding.

• Alcohol – you’ll need to cut back on the beer and spirits
• Smoking – smokers can boost their chances by cutting out, including marijuana too
• Heating them up – hot showers, baths, saunas and tight Y-fronts all lower sperm levels
• Wasting them – avoid ejaculating unless trying to conceive in your partners fertile days

And here’s a list of some things you can do to boost your swimmers.

• Eat healthily – goes without saying to get on a healthy balanced diet
• Supplements – take a look at the special range of supplements to help guys
• Relax – it’s impossible to be totally stress free, but do try to relax a little

Meet online and share tips and offer support to other like minded women with the same goals as you.

Meet up on facebook by following this link

Now it’s even easier to get a guide to your most fertile days, which should help make you aware of the best time to conceive based around your menstrual cycle.

The basic ovulation calculator works on the average number of days between your period, it gives a rough estimate but is good to use until you have a better idea of your cycle.

The advanced version takes into account the shortest and longest days between periods, this is best if you have around 6 months of menstrual cycle times.

Try them out and good luck conceiving.

Embarrassment is most likely the main cause of why men don’t have a male fertility test. Opting to place the responsibility in the hands the female to go to the doctors for fertility tests first.

Home male fertility test.

Thankfully the days of men burying their heads in the sand or sheepishly visiting their GP is over. Fertility tests for men to use at home have been created to give the guys peace of mind without any need to mutter the words ‘sperm test’.

Male fertility tests measure the man’s sperm concentration and mobility, all done in the convenience and privacy of your own home.  You can even order the fertility test kits on line to save having to ask at the local chemist.

Different test kits measure different factors relating to sperm and fertility and reviews of male fertility test kits are favourable, mentioning their ease of use and clear instructions.

A popular model on Amazon with good reviews sells for less than £25 – which considering a trip to the doctors or clinic to have a fertility test might require a day off work, means they’re really good value and their convenience can’t be beat.

FERTILITY SCORE Colour Test for Male Fertility – ONLY test to measure a man’s sperm concentration & sperm motility.

Benefits of a male fertility test.

From reading the reviews of the test kits and the manufactures description you can see a fertility kit to test the man’s sperm count at home are:

• Privacy – no embarrassing moments making and attending an appointment
• Convenience – at home means no time taken off work and making excuses to the boss
• Easy to use – reviews of the kit above all claim it was easy
• Peace of mind – testing and conceiving is the only way to know for sure if your fertile
• Low cost – there’ sno missing work or transport costs needed to attend a fertility clinic

Good idea to eliminate all possibilities

If you’re trying for a baby and you want to eliminate all possible obstacles, a male fertility test is definitely a good idea. Especially if you think his lifestyle or health could be having an impact on his sperm count.

It’s probably going to be a lot easier to order one on line and do the test at home than get him to agree to make an appointment at the doctors.

FERTILITY SCORE Colour Test for Male Fertility – ONLY test to measure a man’s sperm concentration & sperm motility.

Ovulation Kits and Sticks

With the approximate dates worked out, you can now fine tune your ovulation times using home ovulation kits and sticks. These test kits monitor the hormonal changes in your body and let you monitor your peak fertile days.

Makers of the clear blue kits claim a 99% detection accuracy and a 89% increase chance in conceiving.

There are many types of ovulations sticks available and prices range from just a few pounds and upwards. The sample of sticks looked at all measure your L.H. hormone which indicates the highest 24-48 hours of fertility.

The ovulation test kits are used at home, and detect the hormone changes in your urine. If you’re trying for a baby and want to do everything possible to help your chances to conceive it might be worth trying the kits to help narrow down your most fertile days.

Ovulation Kits and Sticks are available from Amazon and can give a clearer indication of your most fertile days