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Helpful Tips
For Men and Women
- Limit caffeine: There are suggestions of associated risks of miscarriage when women consume more than 8 ounces of caffeinated drinks per day. Men can have caffeine but need to watch the dehydrating effects. Water is best for everyone.
- Alcohol consumption should be very limited, with research showing that anything over four alcoholic drinks per week to be detrimental. Implantation is diminished; sperm count and motility are negatively impacted. There are numerous studies linking alcohol to birth defects, low birth weight, and sexual dysfunction.
- Smoking is a documented detriment to sperm production and ovulation. The circulation is lessened creating blood flow issues to reproductive organs. Sperm are worsened because nicotine is excreted in semen; eggs are lesser quality and implantation is more difficult. Birth defects and miscarriage are increased. Marijuana has a significant negative impact on fertility as well.
- Laptop computers resting in your lap can increase the temperature of your pelvis. Keep that safe distance. (probably even more so for the men) Try to support each other through this hard time and communicate to reduce the stress level. Make your needs known to the medical staff.
- Come to the educational classes to help answer the unknown answers to your questions. An educated couple will require less intervention and make more informed decisions. Support Groups are beneficial, allowing you to talk with others going through the same struggles.
- Intercourse every other day between cycle days 10-20 or according to specific instructions. Counts will be improved by more frequent ejaculations-- long abstinence will increase the volume of semen, but also the number of nonmotile sperm and debris content.
- Do not use lubricant with intercourse as it can trap sperm; even saliva can introduce bacteria.
For Women
- No high impact exercise. Walking is the best for you! Excessive exercise will alter your cycle and increase the length of time required to become pregnant.
- This is not a good time to follow a low fat diet. The body needs fat to properly utilize estrogen, an important component to our cycle development.
Daily low-dose aspirin (81 mg.) has been suggested to improve the implantation process, unless you have medical problems preventing the use of aspirin.
- Prenatal vitamins
For Men
- Sperm do not like heat, so hot tubs, saunas, and overheating with exercise are to be avoided. Keep sperm specimens at body temperature: not too hot and not too cold.
- Protect your body during exercise; trauma to the testicles can increase the chance for inflammation.
- Boxer shorts possibly increase the count by keeping the temperature of the testicles lower--again that aversion to heat that sperm have.
- Daily multivitamin; sperm love zinc and selenium
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