Male fertility tests are being used more than ever before. There is something not quite right with men’s sperm – sperm counts have been on a rapid decline since the 50s. Back in the 80s men, on average, had 85% normal sperm and 15% abnormal sperm. Today those figures have been reversed: 15% of sperm is normal and 85% or sperm is abnormal. And these numbers are getting worse.

The World Health Organization (WHO) have had to lower the ‘normal’ sperm reference ranges over the years to accommodate for these declining numbers, as otherwise most men would test as infertile. Today according to WHO <30% normal looking sperm is considered to be insufficient for a natural conception.

Could male infertility problems be linked to female urine?

The International Federation of Catholic Medical Association recently blamed the rise in male infertility problems on female urine containing residues of oral contraceptive - the pill.

This sparked a debate and was dismissed by a Contraceptive Research Association, claiming that the excess estrogen observed in men is due to plastic (xenoestrogens which behave in the body like the real estrogens) and meat and not due to the pill. And while the meat and plastic argument is also true, what’s interesting to note (the ongoing war between religion and science aside) is that there is some truth to the urine theory. This is despite the fact that the Contraceptive Research Association, would be expected to have a biased view on this as the contraceptive industry stands to lose a lot of money if women stopped using the pill.

Infertility affects more couples than ever. 1 out of 6 couples today experience difficulty falling pregnant. What was once seen as a woman’s problem is now known to affect men equally. But what are the causes of infertility and what can be done to address them naturally?

But isn’t there IVF to fall back on?

When we take a closer look at IVF it is far less safe and less effective than we are often led to believe. As well as being invasive and prohibitively expensive for many, IVF treatments carry a substantial health risk to both the mother and baby.

With male infertility on the rise – contributing to as much as 40% of infertility cases, many couples have started to wonder how to increase male fertility naturally. In this article we’ll look at one of the most important minerals for healthy sperm.

Selenium Deficiency Can lead to Infertility

Selenium is a major micro-mineral antioxidant important for immune and thyroid function, breast health in women and male fertility. Men loose selenium in semen and deficiency has been linked to low sperm count, poor motility and odd morphology (shape). In pregnancy it maintains a healthy blood pressure and deficiency has been linked to Down syndrome and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Selenium deficiency can not only lead to infertility, but can also increase the risk of cardiac failure, cancer, liver disease, hair loss and skin changes.

Sperm allergy is not something that springs to mind when you are unsuccessfully trying to conceive. When you contemplate having a baby the first thing that springs to mind for most people is the reproductive system. You may think of your hormones, egg and sperm quality and ponder some of your lifestyle habits. But the one thing that may never cross your mind is your immune system.

What has your immune system got to do with pregnancy?

Everything!

Sperm antibodies are becoming more common. 20% of all cases of infertility are due to mutual infertility, and 20% due to unexplained infertility. Combined, that’s nearly half of all the cases of infertility!

If the woman is ovulating, doesn’t have blocked tubes, hormonal imbalances or other reproductive system conditions, and, the man has normal sperm parameters, what’s the problem?

Why can’t they get pregnant?

1. Presence of sperm antibodies
2. Toxic mucus
3. Food intolerances

The first test you should consider is a post-coital test. This test will show how many sperm are still alive after intercourse in the woman’s reproductive system.

We briefly touched on the issue of overheating and infertility in one of the previous issues.

Today we’ll have a better look ways to increase sperm count and why seemingly trivial issues such as cotton vs. polyester underwear and electric blankets can be of great importance.

‘Unexplained infertility‘ – A mysterious diagnosis which leaves you in the dark. And you never know, something as simple as turning off your electric blanket at night may do the trick for you. Let have a look at why?

Men are more sensitive to heavy metal toxicity than women when it comes to reproductive health and fertility. This article introduces some strategies for boosting male fertility.

Numerous studies completed over the last decade have linked infertility in men to heavy metals and lead exposure in particular, because it’s so widely spread and extremely toxic. The studies have also found that the number of people diagnosed with infertility is constantly increasing as a direct result of environmental pollution.

Another heavy metal linked to infertility due to its strong negative effects on spermatogenesis (formation and maturation of sperm) is cadmium. Cadmium is toxic on cellular and systemic level. Cigarette smoke is an abundant source of cadmium!

The road from home to the uterus can be a very treacherous and arduous adventure for the sperm! Once in their new environment the last thing the sperm need is a hostile mucus.

Sperm tires easily and needs plenty of energy to be able to swim from the vagina to the uterus and then up the fallopian tubes where hopefully a princess egg will be waiting for her knight.

What Dangers Lurk in the Dark Waters of the Vagina?

• Hostile mucus. Firstly there is the pH of the mucus and the vagina. If it’s too acidic not only will the sperm be immobilized – unable to swim any further but they will die very soon.