How to get pregnant with a man
How can I improve my chances of becoming a dad – NHS
It may seem obvious, but you need to have regular sex (2 or 3 times a week) if you want to become a dad.
Having sex around the time your partner ovulates (when an egg is released from the ovary) will increase your chances of conceiving.
Read more about the best time to get pregnant.
There are also a number of lifestyle changes you can make to improve your chances of becoming a dad.
Sperm temperature
Your testicles are outside your body because, to produce the best quality sperm, they need to be kept cooler than the rest of you (slightly below body temperature).
If you're planning a pregnancy, taking a few simple measures to keep your testicles cool may help. For example, if your job involves working in a hot environment, take regular breaks outside. If you sit still for long periods, get up and move around regularly.
Wearing tight underwear is also thought to increase testicle temperature by up to 1C. Although research has shown that tight underwear does not seem to affect sperm quality, you may want to wear loose-fitting underwear, such as boxer shorts, while trying for a baby.
Smoking
Smoking can reduce fertility, so you should give up smoking if you want to become a dad.
Smoking around a newborn baby also significantly increases their chances of respiratory disease and cot death (sudden infant death syndrome).
A GP will be able to give you advice and treatment to help you quit smoking.
You can also visit the NHS Smokefree website for more help and advice about quitting smoking, or you can call the helpline on 0300 123 1044 (9am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 11am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday).
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol excessively can affect the quality of sperm. The UK Chief Medical Officers' recommendation is to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, which should be spread evenly over 3 days or more.
One unit of alcohol is the equivalent of half a pint of beer or lager, or a single pub measure (25ml) of spirits. A small glass of wine (125ml) contains 1.5 units of alcohol.
Read more about alcohol support and alcohol units.
Recreational drugs
Some recreational drugs are known to damage sperm quality and reduce male fertility. These include:
- cannabis
- cocaine
- anabolic steroids
You should avoid taking these types of drugs if you're trying for a baby.
Medicines
Some prescription medicines and medicines you buy from a pharmacy can also affect male fertility.
For example, some chemotherapy medicines can affect fertility, either temporarily or permanently.
Long-term use of some antibiotics can also affect both sperm quality and quantity. But these effects are usually reversed 3 months after stopping the medicine.
Speak to a GP, pharmacist or other healthcare professional if you're taking a medicine and you're unsure whether it could affect your fertility.
Diet, weight and exercise
Eating a healthy, balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight is essential for keeping your sperm in good condition.
The Eatwell Guide shows that to have a healthy diet you should:
- eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day (see 5 A Day)
- base meals on higher fibre starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta
- include some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks and yoghurts)
- eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein
Being overweight (having a body mass index above 25) may affect the quality and quantity of your sperm.
If you're overweight and trying for a baby, you should try to lose weight by combining healthy eating with regular exercise.
Stress
Stress can affect your relationship. It can also lower your or your partner's sex drive (libido), which may reduce how often you have sex.
Severe stress may also limit sperm production. So when trying to have a baby, learning to relax and taking steps to reduce the amount of stress in your life will help.
Read more about loss of libido, mental health and wellbeing and breathing exercise for stress.
Getting help
Some people get pregnant quickly, but for others it can take longer. It's a good idea to see a GP if your partner is not pregnant after a year of trying.
Further information
- How can I increase my chances of getting pregnant
- What is preconception care?
- Infertility
Page last reviewed: 15 May 2020
Next review due: 15 May 2023
Male fertility: 10 tips for men trying to conceive
(Image credit: Getty Images)Are you and your partner figuring out how to get pregnant? Although a woman will be the one who technically gets pregnant, and carries and delivers the baby, a man also has a crucial role.
For fertilization to occur, his sperm must be healthy and strong to reach and penetrate the woman's egg.
To make fertilization happen, a man must be able to have and keep an erection, have enough sperm that are the right shape and move in the right way, and have enough semen to carry the sperm to the egg, according to the Mayo Clinic . A problem in any step in this process, including male fertility, can prevent pregnancy.
A variety of factors, from genetics and lifestyle to environmental exposures and hormones, can affect a man's fertility, so it's difficult to isolate the exact cause for infertility, according to Dr. Jared Robins, chief of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Northwestern Medicine's Fertility and Reproductive Medicine in Chicago. Nonetheless, doctors identify the cause of problems in about 80 percent of infertile couples, Robins noted. When there is a known cause of infertility, problems in the male partner tend to account for about 40 percent of infertile couples, he said.
But there are many steps that men can take to enhance their health, lifestyle and relationship to increase a couple's chances of conceiving. Here are 10 tips for men who want to improve their fertility.
1. Lose extra pounds
Losing weight can improve sperm quality. (Image credit: Getty Images)Studies have suggested that couples in which the man is overweight or obese take longer to conceive than couples with no weight problems. Research has also indicated that being overweight or obese affects a man's sperm quality, reducing sperm counts and decreasing their ability to swim, as well as increasing damage to genetic material (DNA) in sperm, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine .
A 2012 study found that overweight and obese men were more likely to have low sperm counts or a lack of viable sperm compared with normal-weight men, possibly making it harder for these men to father a child. The researchers suspected that too much body fat was linked with changes in testosterone and other reproductive hormone levels in men.
2. Get health conditions under control
Effectively managing chronic medical conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, may improve a man's chances of getting his partner pregnant, suggests The World Journal of Men’s Health . Other medical conditions, such as cystic fibrosis or varicoceles (enlarged veins in the scrotum that cause overheating), may also affect male fertility, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . In addition, some medications used to treat high blood pressure (beta blockers), depression and anxiety (SSRIs), pain (long-term opiates), and an enlarged prostate (finasteride), could have a negative influence on fertility, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Supplemental testosterone can also decrease sperm production. Some chemotherapy drugs and radiation treatments for cancer can cause permanent infertility, according to the Mayo Clinic . A man should speak to his doctor about medication he is taking and whether it might interfere with his ability to father a child.
3. Eat healthy foods
Antioxidants and fiber can improve male fertility. (Image credit: Getty Images)"The role of diet in male fertility is unclear," Robins told Live Science. Even though the science may be inconclusive, it still makes sense for men to eat a variety of healthy foods, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are rich sources of antioxidants that may help to produce healthy sperm. Men should also consume fiber-rich foods, healthy monounsaturated fats, and moderate amounts of lean protein.
Robins said men frequently ask him whether drinking soda can decrease their sperm counts. He tells them there's no good evidence that caffeine in soda affects men's fertility, and there's little evidence that caffeine in coffee, tea and energy drinks is linked with fertility problems in men.
4. Get regular physical activity
Robins said he encourages men to get regular exercise because it helps reduce stress, makes men feel better about themselves and benefits their long-term health.
While being physically active is beneficial, according to a 2014 study, published in the journal Wilderness and Environmental Medicine , those who have a strenuous training schedule and regularly participate in endurance events may impact their levels of luteinising hormone and testosterone, impacting fertility.
Related articles
Researchers have also looked at whether bike riding can affect sperm because the sport involves long periods of sitting in a position that increases scrotal temperatures as well as bouncing and vibrations that could cause trauma to the testicles. A few studies have suggested that long-distance truck drivers may also have more fertility problems for similar reasons as avid male cyclists.
One study, published in the journal Fertility and Sterility , found that men who attended fertility clinics and who reported they cycled for at least five hours a week were more likely to have low sperm counts and poor sperm motility compared to men who did other forms of exercise.
However, there's little data on whether or not cycling actually impacts sperm function, Robins said.
5. Increase vitamin intake
Some vitamins may improve sperm quality. (Image credit: Getty Images)Robins tends to recommend that men take a daily multivitamin. "There is little likelihood of harm and some potential benefits," he said. Many multivitamin formulations for men might include antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, and the minerals selenium and zinc. Some research has found that antioxidants may cause a slight increase in sperm count and movement, according to The American Society for Reproductive Medicine. It makes sense that antioxidants may improve sperm quality because they can protect against free radicals, which can cause damage to DNA within sperm cells, Robins said.
6. Be conscious of age-related fertility changes
Similarly to women, men have a ticking biological clock, but they experience fertility declines later in life than women do, according to a 2020 article by the BBC .
Research shows that as a man gets older, both the volume and quality of his semen tend to diminish. As men get older, there is also a falloff in the number of healthy sperm and their movement, and they can also have more DNA damage in their sperm.
These changes could mean it might take longer for a couple to conceive. With age, there is also a greater risk for genetic abnormalities in their sperm. Random mutations in a man's sperm can pile up as the years go by, making older fathers more likely to pass on more genetic mutations to a child.
7. Stop smoking
Smoking can impact sperm quality. (Image credit: Getty Images)Smoking is linked with reduced sperm quality: Male smokers are more likely to have low sperm counts and decreased sperm movement, and they have higher numbers of abnormally-shaped sperm, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine .
Marijuana and other recreational drug use, including anabolic steroids for bodybuilding, should also be avoided because some studies suggest they may also negatively impact sperm production, Robins said.
8. Boxers or briefs?
"This is everyone's favorite question," Robins said. But there's not a lot of science to suggest that switching from briefs to boxers improves a couple's chances of getting pregnant. Although a man's underwear choice may affect his scrotal temperature and reduce sperm quality, most studies have demonstrated no real difference between boxers and briefs in terms of their impact on male fertility, Robins said.
A 2016 study found that it really didn't make much difference whether men wore boxers or briefs or went commando on a couple's ability to conceive or on a man's semen quality, suggesting that it's best for men to wear whatever feels most comfortable to them when a couple wants to have a baby.
9. Beware of the heat
Heat can temporarily lower sperm numbers (Image credit: Getty Images)Frequent visits to and long stays in hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms could increase scrotal temperatures, which may decrease sperm counts and sperm quality.
But this heat exposure does not have a permanent impact on sperm, Robins said. Reduced sperm counts may only be temporary and could return to normal in a few months once a man stops going into a hot tub or sauna.
A 2011 study about men using laptops received plenty of media coverage when it reported that men who placed the computers on their laps may be more likely to have damaged sperm and decreased sperm motility. But these conclusions were "jumping the gun," Robins said. It's unclear how much time the men spent with the laptop in close proximity to their testicles, he explained, and it's also unclear whether the effects may have been caused by heat or if they resulted from radiation due to the use of a wireless connection.
10. Know when to get help
Infertility is defined as the inability of a sexually active couple who are not using birth control to get pregnant after one year of trying, according to The American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Robins said he tells couples that a woman who is under the age of 35 and her partner should try to become pregnant for one year without success before seeking an infertility evaluation. For women who are 35 or older, the time before seeing an infertility specialist shortens to 6 months in couples who are having sex regularly without using birth control, he noted.
Additional resources
For more information about how to improve male fertility and how to get help, head to the U.K. National Health Service website . You can read about male reproduction in more detail in the Encyclopedia of Reproduction .
Bibliography
"Hypertension and Male Fertility". The World Journal of Men's Health (2017). https://synapse.koreamed.org/articles/1088840
"The Impact of an Ultramarathon on Hormonal and Biochemical Parameters in Men". Wilderness & Environmental Medicine (2014). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1080603214001021
"Physical activity and semen quality among men attending an infertility clinic".
Fertility and Sterility (2011). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0015028210027767
"Smoking and Infertility". The American Society for Reproductive Medicine. https://www.reproductivefacts.org/globalassets/asrm/asrm-content/learning--resources/patient-resources/protect-your-fertility3/smoking_infertility.pdf
This article is for informational purposes only, and is not meant to offer medical advice.
Ailsa is a staff writer for How It Works magazine, where she writes science, technology, history, space and environment features. Based in the U.K., she graduated from the University of Stirling with a BA (Hons) journalism degree. Previously, Ailsa has written for Cardiff Times magazine, Psychology Now and numerous science bookazines. Ailsa's interest in the environment also lies outside of writing, as she has worked alongside Operation Wallacea conducting rainforest and ocean conservation research.
How to get pregnant the first time
You think you know how conception happens: a man meets a woman, they make love, and after 9 months, a baby is born! But do you know exactly where sperm and eggs come from? Or how they meet and create a new life? Read about the amazing biological processes behind conception.
What happens inside the female body? Release of the egg.
The ability to get pregnant depends on the ovaries. They are oval in shape, small in size and located on the sides of the uterus. The ovaries contain eggs that are formed before a woman is born. The ovaries of each newborn girl contain up to 450,000 eggs. A large number of eggs die almost immediately. The number of the remaining gradually decreases as the girl grows older. During the entire childbearing period, about 400 eggs are released from the ovaries. This process begins with your first menstrual cycle and ends with menopause between the ages of 45 and 50. nine0003
Each month, usually around the middle of the menstrual cycle, one to three eggs begin to mature in the ovary. The most mature egg is then released and quickly enters the nearest fallopian tube through the tulip-shaped opening. Two fallopian tubes lead from the ovaries to the uterus, each about 10 cm long. This release of an egg is called ovulation.
The exact time of ovulation depends on the length of your menstrual cycle. With a 28 day cycle, ovulation occurs between the 12th and 15th days. The first day of a new cycle is considered the first day of menstruation. The length of your cycle, egg maturation, and ovulation time are all controlled by different hormones working together. Read the article about the menstrual cycle, learn more about hormones. On average, the egg is viable and can be fertilized within 12-24 hours after leaving the ovary. For conception to occur, she needs to meet the sperm as soon as possible. If your egg can meet a healthy sperm on its way to the uterus, they can fuse and start creating a new life. When this does not happen, the egg is destroyed in the uterus. If conception does not occur, the ovary stops producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone that support the pregnancy. Following the drop in the level of these hormones, the thickened lining of the walls of the uterus is torn away from the walls and comes out along with the destroyed egg during menstruation.
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What happens inside the male body? Sperm path.
While a single egg slowly matures in a woman's body over the course of a month, millions of microscopic spermatozoa are being formed almost continuously in a man's body. The sole purpose of the existence of the spermatozoon is to move forward and penetrate the egg. If women are already born with the required number of eggs for life, then in the male body, sperm begins to be produced only with the onset of puberty. The entire process of creating a sperm takes 64 to 72 days. Considering the fact that a sperm cell lasts only a few weeks in a man's body on average, and about 300 million sperm cells are released with each ejaculation, you can imagine how intensively the sperm factory in a man's body works. nine0003
The male hormone testosterone is responsible for the production of sperm. Sperm is produced in the testicles. They are two glands that are located in the scrotum under the penis. The testicles are located outside, as they are very sensitive to temperature.
To produce healthy sperm, the temperature of the testicles must be about 4 degrees below normal body temperature. The new sperm cell is stored in a spiral tube about 12 m long, called the epididymis or epididymis. Before ejaculation, the sperm moves up and mixes with the liquid part of the semen. nine0003
Despite the fact that during the process of ejaculation a huge number of spermatozoa are released, only one of them is able to fertilize the egg. The sex of the unborn child depends on the type of sperm that first enters the egg. If it is a sperm with an X chromosome, a girl will be born, with a Y chromosome - a boy. There are many myths about how to conceive a boy or a girl. Some of them have a scientific basis, but in general, the sex of the child is determined by chance. nine0003
What happens during sex?
In addition to pleasure, your bodies experience tension, which in the end is relieved by orgasm. This surprisingly pleasant process also has an important biological function.
In men, during orgasm, semen is released into the vagina. Sperm moves towards the cervix at an approximate speed of 18 km/h. Ejaculation gives the sperm a good start on its way to the egg. But the female orgasm is also of great importance for conception. Some studies have shown that wave-like contractions help the sperm to move further into the cervix. So relax and enjoy to the fullest. This will only increase your chances of conceiving a child. nine0003
Many couples wonder if there are special positions for conception. It is not known exactly, however, some experts argue that the optimal postures are:
- Missionary with the man on top
- Knee-elbow with the man behind the woman
Both of these positions contribute to better penetration. The most important thing is to make love with pleasure and quite often, so that viable spermatozoa are present in the reproductive system of a woman during the period of ovulation. Not all women ovulate in the middle of their menstrual cycle or at the same time each cycle.
You relax and the sperm starts working
So cross your fingers and hope for a happy conception. Some experts advise a woman to lie on her back after intercourse with a pillow under her buttocks for at least 20-30 minutes, so that under the influence of gravity the sperm will move to the site of fertilization.
While you and your other half are resting in each other's arms, a lot of work is going on in your bodies. Millions of sperm have begun searching for your egg. This journey is not easy. On its way, the sperm can meet several obstacles: nine0003
- Vaginal acidity. It can be harmful to sperm
- Cervical mucus. It can be an insurmountable barrier, except for a couple of days when you are most fertile. During this period, the slime magically changes its consistency and allows some of the strongest swimmers to move on
The surviving sperm still has a long way to go.
He will have to overcome almost 18 cm from the cervix through the uterus to the fallopian tubes. Imagine what kind of journey it is if it moves at an approximate speed of 2.5 cm every 15 minutes. The fastest can reach the egg in 45 minutes. For the leisurely, it can take up to 12 hours. If the sperm does not immediately meet the egg in the fallopian tube, it can stay there for 12 to 24 hours. If you ovulate during this period, you have a chance of getting pregnant. nine0003
Spermatozoa die in such quantities that only a few dozen approach the egg. Some get trapped, get lost, heading for another fallopian tube, or die along the way. But even for the lucky ones who find themselves next to the egg, the race is not over. They have to work hard to get through the shell into the egg before the rest. When the most stubborn sperm cell breaks in, the egg instantly changes in such a way that others can no longer penetrate it. Something like a protective layer begins to protect the egg from other sperm when the first is already inside.
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The beginning of true miracles
The egg will be fertilized within 24 hours of its release. The genetic material of the sperm is mixed with the genetic material of the egg. A new cell is formed, which begins to divide rapidly. In fact, you are not pregnant until that moment when this bunch of cells, this embryo, does not overcome the rest of the way through the fallopian tube to the uterus and attaches itself to its wall.
In the event that the embryo is fixed not in the uterus, but, for example, in the fallopian tube, an ectopic pregnancy develops. An ectopic pregnancy is not viable. The embryo is removed surgically to avoid rupture of the fallopian tube. The final leg of the journey from the fallopian tube to the uterus can take about 6 more days. But before the moment when you have a delay in menstruation and you suspect a possible pregnancy, it will take another couple of weeks. If you have a delay, or notice other signs of pregnancy, you can use a home pregnancy test to allay your doubts.
If conception has occurred, congratulations - you are at the beginning of a new amazing journey! nine0003
How to get pregnant without a partner Encyclopedia of IVF Clinics
What should women without a partner who want to have a baby do? Is it better to invite a friend to become a sperm donor or go to a sperm bank? And how will fertilization take place? We answer these and other difficult questions.
How to choose a sperm donor
Each woman, of course, has her own ideas about what a sperm donor should be like and how relations with him will develop in the future. It is, of course, good to choose among familiar men whom you know as healthy, outwardly and spiritually pleasant people. However, all candidates for the post of pope must be sent for examination. The list of tests that need to be passed has been defined for a long time. The presence of hereditary diseases is checked, and they may turn out to be those that the man himself did not suspect until he was questioned and examined.
For example, a predisposition to diabetes mellitus, blood diseases, pathologies of internal organs, schizophrenia, etc. The absence of hidden infections in the sperm itself is checked - no one wants to get a disease with pregnancy that is unsafe for the unborn child. nine0003
Unfortunately, with this choice of a woman, the lack of anonymity has a big disadvantage: nothing protects you from the fact that one day the biological father of the child will not lay claim to him. But with the anonymity of the donor, the absence of any claims and "sharing" of the child is guaranteed.
In the MAMA clinic, all donors do not drink, do not smoke, they are young professionals with higher education or students, they have passed medical and genetic tests, they do not have hidden infections, they have more than one child and donate sperm not for the sake of money, but because want to help people. The future father will forever remain anonymous for the child, will not make claims and generally appear in his life, all this is described in the contract that he signs when donating his sperm.
It is also important that frozen sperm can be used no earlier than 6 months after the delivery by a man, since it is during this period that AIDS tests can give a positive answer, with a recent infection, the infection does not appear in the tests. nine0003
If a woman plans to give birth to a second child, then it makes sense to think about buying more portions of the donor's sperm at once, then the children will be related to both the father and the mother. It is better to take care of this in advance, because by the next time the sperm may run out - it is used by other women who need donor sperm.
How fertilization takes place
Usually a woman makes an appointment, comes to a doctor's appointment and after a short examination the doctor prescribes artificial insemination of the prepared sperm into the uterus. It's the same as regular insemination, only without sex. The sperm of your chosen donor enters the vagina, and then in the usual way - the sperm through the fallopian tubes get to the egg and fertilize it.
You can’t do the procedure at home - you risk causing infectious diseases. In addition, the effectiveness in this case will be lower: after ejaculation, the viability of spermatozoa remains for about 2 hours, and even then, under conditions close in temperature, humidity and acidity to the human body. But this is if there is no temperature difference and other harmful factors, for example, in an acidic environment, spermatozoa lose their mobility. In addition, a woman's ability to conceive depends both on her general health and on the day of her menstrual cycle. Only the days in the middle of the cycle, when the egg matures and leaves the ovary, differ in a high probability of conception. nine0003
Artificial insemination is usually only performed on healthy women. But if a woman does not have children and has never tried to conceive, it is not always possible to suspect her infertility, since its main symptom is a year of unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant. If any health problems are detected immediately, then usually the woman is offered to undergo treatment and only after that use artificial insemination.
Or the doctor will suggest that you immediately perform in vitro fertilization (IVF). This often happens if a woman over 35 consults a doctor: with age, reproductive function worsens, ovarian reserve decreases (fewer eggs mature), and artificial insemination is rarely effective. nine0003
The scheme of standard IVF is simple: a female egg is fertilized with the donor's sperm in the laboratory, when the fertilized egg starts growing and dividing, it is transferred back to the woman's body, this time directly to the uterus. Everything is quite clear and natural, but we must prepare for the fact that the transfer of the embryo will be preceded by medical treatment (drugs in the form of injections, a mini-operation to obtain cells, for example). The probability of pregnancy in a single cycle, unfortunately, is not 100%, but as in a normal menstrual cycle - about 30% per attempt. nine0003
Absolutely unjustified is the rumor that there is no natural selection inherent in all wildlife in IVF.
