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Preconception for males


Information for Men | Preconception Care

When most people hear the term preconception health, they think about women. However, preconception health is important for men, too. There are things men can do for their health, as well as for the health of any children they may have.

1. Make a Plan and Take Action

Whether or not you’ve written them down, you’ve probably thought about your goals for having or not having children and how to achieve those goals. This is called a reproductive life plan. It’s really important to have a plan and take action. Every woman, man, and couple can benefit from having a reproductive life plan based on her, his, or their own personal values, goals, and resources.

Preventive health care can help you stay healthier throughout your life.

2. Prevent and Treat Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

Get screened and treated for any sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Continue to protect yourself and your partner from STDs during pregnancy. Pregnancy does not provide a woman or the baby she is carrying any protection against STDs. The consequences of an STD can be significantly more serious, even life threatening, for a woman and her unborn baby if the woman becomes infected with an STD while pregnant. In addition, some STDs can cause infertility (not being able to get pregnant) in a woman.

Learn about STDs »

Learn about STDs and Pregnancy »

3. Stop Smoking, Using Certain Drugs, and Drinking Excessive Amounts of Alcohol

Smoking, using certain drugs, and drinking too much alcohol is harmful to your health.

Secondhand smoke can cause early death and disease among children and adults who do not smoke. A pregnant woman who is exposed to secondhand smoke has a 20% higher chance of giving birth to a baby with low birth weight than women who are not exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy.

In addition, drinking too much alcohol and using certain drugs can cause infertility among men. If you cannot stop drinking, smoking, or using drugs, contact your healthcare provider, local Alcoholics Anonymous, or local alcohol treatment center.

Alcohol and Drug Resources:

Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a treatment facility locator. This locator helps people find drug and alcohol treatment programs in their area.

Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.)
Alcoholics Anonymous® is a fellowship of men and women who share their experiences, strengths, and hopes with each other so that they can solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. Locate an A.A. program near you.

Learn about alcohol use »

Smoking Resources:

1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)

Learn how to quit smoking »

Smoking and pregnancy »

4. Be Careful Around Toxic Substances

Exposure to toxic substances and other harmful materials at work or at home, such as synthetic chemicals, metals, fertilizer, bug spray, and cat or rodent feces, can hurt your reproductive system. Toxic substances might affect your ability to have children. Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from toxic substances and other harmful materials at work and at home.

The effects of toxic substances on male reproductive health »

The effects of toxic substances on female reproductive health »

5. Prevent Infertility

Sometimes a man is born with problems that affect his sperm. Other times, problems start later in life due to illness or injury. A man’s sperm can be changed by his overall health and lifestyle. Some things that can reduce the health or number of sperm include:

  • Type 1 diabetes
  • Heavy alcohol use
  • Some drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, and anabolic steroids
  • Smoking cigarettes
  • Age
  • Obesity
  • Hazardous substances, including bug spray and metals, such as lead
  • Diseases such as mumps, serious conditions like kidney disease, or hormone problems
  • Medicines (prescription, nonprescription, and herbal products)
  • Radiation treatment and chemotherapy for cancer

If you are concerned about fertility, talk with your doctor or another health professional.

Learn more about infertility »

6. Reach and Maintain a Healthy Weigh

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People who are overweight or obese have a higher risk for many serious conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.1 In addition, obesity among men is associated directly with increasing male infertility.2,3 People who are underweight also are at risk for serious health problems.4

The key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight isn’t about short-term dietary changes. It’s about a lifestyle that includes healthy eating and regular physical activity. Staying in control of your weight contributes to good health now and as you age.

If you are underweight, overweight, or obese, talk with your doctor or another health professional about ways to reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Learn about healthy weight »

7. Learn Your Family History

Collecting your family’s health history can be important for your child’s health. You might not realize that your sister’s heart defect or your cousin’s sickle cell disease could affect your child, but sharing this family history information with your doctor can be important.

Based on your family history, your doctor might refer you for genetic counseling. Other reasons people go for genetic counseling include having had several miscarriages, infant deaths, or trouble getting pregnant (infertility) or a genetic condition or birth defect that occurred during a previous pregnancy.

Learn more about family history »

Learn more about genetic counseling »

8. Get Mentally Healthy

Mental health is how we think, feel, and act as we cope with life. To be at your best, you need to feel good about your life and value yourself. Everyone feels worried, anxious, sad, or stressed sometimes. However, if these feelings do not go away and they interfere with your daily life, get help. Talk with your doctor or another health care professional about your feelings and treatment options.

Learn about mental health »

Learn about depression »

9. Support Your Partner

As partners, men can encourage and support the health of women. For example, if your partner is trying to eat healthier to get ready for pregnancy you can join her and eat healthier, too. Or if your partner has a medical condition, you can encourage her to see her doctor and remind her to follow her treatment plan.

References

  1. NIH, NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative. Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. Available online:
    http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/ob_gdlns.pdf (PDF-1.25Mb)
  2. Sallmen M, Sandler DP, Hoppin JA, Blair A, Baird DD. Reduced fertility among overweight and obese men. Epidemiology. 2006;17:520–523
  3. Frey, Keith A., et al. The clinical content of preconception care: preconception care for men. AJOG. Volume 199, Issue 6, Supplement B , Pages S389-S395, December 2
  4. Moos, Merry-K, et al. Healthier women, healthier reproductive outcomes: recommendations for the routine care of all women of reproductive age. AJOG Volume 199, Issue 6, Supplement B , Pages S280-S289, December 2008.

Preconception health for men | Pregnancy Birth and Baby

Preconception health for men | Pregnancy Birth and Baby beginning of content

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A father-to-be’s health and age can affect his partner’s chances of falling pregnant, as well as the future health of the baby. There are simple steps you can take to help ensure you’re as healthy and fit as possible to be a dad.

If you want to conceive a baby, it is important to:

  • start trying to fall pregnant before you are 40, if possible
  • be in a healthy weight range
  • quit smoking
  • cut back on alcohol
  • avoid exposure to some chemicals

About your age

Men can make sperm into their 70s and beyond, but the quality of the sperm declines as they get older. Men over 40 have fewer healthy sperm than younger men. If you are 45 or older, your partner may take longer to fall pregnant and is at greater risk of miscarriage. Older dads are at slightly higher risk of having a baby with autism or a mental health condition such as schizophrenia, compared with younger fathers.

Of course, you can’t control your age – but if you are older and thinking about conceiving, start trying as soon as possible.

Your health matters

About half of infertility cases are due to a problem that the man has, so it’s a good idea to have a general medical check-up before you try for a baby. Talk to your doctor about any tests you might need, and whether you should avoid any medicines you might already be taking.

You have a better chance of conceiving if you have healthy sperm. The best way to ensure you have plenty of healthy sperm is to keep your testicles cool, as heat affects the testicles’ ability to make sperm. For a few months before you want to conceive, you can help keep your testicles cool by avoiding very hot baths or spas, not putting your laptop on your lap, and wearing loose-fitting underwear.

If you are planning on a baby, check if you have any sexually transmitted infection (STIs), as they can lead to infertility. Having a test before conception reduces the risk of passing on an infection to your partner or the child.

If you have a medical condition such as cancer, talk to your doctor if you think you’ll want a baby in the future. There are ways to preserve your fertility, such as extracting and freezing sperm or tiny parts of the tissue from your testicles. Your doctor needs to know about your wishes before cancer treatment starts.

Complementary or alternative medicines

Complementary or alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, herbal medicines and massage, might improve your general wellbeing, but there is no evidence they can boost your fertility. It’s always best to talk to your doctor before embarking on any complementary or alternative treatments.

Preconception and your lifestyle

Being a healthy weight increases your chance of conceiving a healthy baby. Being overweight affects the quality of your sperm, reduces your sex drive and can make it more difficult to keep an erection. Being underweight can also make it harder for you to conceive.

The best way of achieving a healthy weight is to eat a nutritious diet and exercise regularly. If you are overweight or obese, even losing just a few kilos will help. You and your partner should encourage each other to lead a healthy lifestyle. Follow the Australian Dietary Guidelines and aim for a variety of healthy foods every day and fewer foods containing added salt, sugar and fat.

Each week try to do 2½ to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity or 1¼ to 2½ hours of vigorous intensity physical activity. Simply sitting less and moving more will help. Find easy ways to build physical activity into your lifestyle from the Department of Health’s website.

Things to avoid

Smoking: There is no safe limit for smoking. If you are trying to have a baby, it’s important to quit at least 3 months before you start trying for a baby. Smoking can affect your erections, it damages the DNA in your sperm and smoking more than 1 pack of cigarettes a day increases the risk of the baby developing leukaemia.

For help quitting, contact Quitline on 13 7848.

Drinking: Heavy drinking affects your sex drive, makes it difficult to keep an erection, and affects the quality of your sperm. You don’t have to give up alcohol – just cut down and keep your intake within safe limits. There’s no evidence that consuming caffeine (e.g. coffee) will affect a man’s chance of conceiving.

Medicines: Your doctor will let you know if it’s OK to keep taking your medicines and any vitamins or supplements. Medicines that can impact your fertility include pain relief medication that contains opiates, as well as medicines to treat depression and anxiety. Cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy can also affect your fertility.

Steroids: Taking anabolic steroids can stop you from producing sperm. They can shrink your testicles, while affecting your erection and your sex drive. It can take up to 2 years after stopping anabolic steroids for a person’s sperm to be healthy again.

Drugs: Avoid all recreational drugs such as cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and marijuana as these can cause permanent fertility problems.

Chemicals: Toxins and pollutants both at work and in daily life can affect your sperm. These include pesticides, heavy metals, some chemicals and plastics, and radiation. Try to limit your exposure to these and wear protective clothing if you are trying for a baby.

Where to get help

You can find more information from:

  • speak to your doctor
  • Your Fertility for information about male and female fertility
  • Healthy Male for information on men's health and fertility
  • call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436 to talk to a maternal child health nurse

Sources:
National Health and Medical Research Council (Eat for Health Australian Dietary Guidelines), Your Fertility (Lifestyle), Your Fertility (Health and medical), Healthy Male (Male infertility)

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: May 2021


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Related pages

  • Preconception health for women
  • Genetic counselling
  • Fertility tests and treatments
  • Planning for pregnancy
  • Understanding fertility

Need more information?

Male infertility: Symptoms, causes & diagnosis | Healthy Male

As a male, your fertility generally depends on the quantity and quality of your sperm. If the number of sperm you ejaculate is low, or if the sperm are of a poor quality, it will be difficult, and in some cases impossible, to get pregnant. In most cases, there are no obvious signs of infertility.