Troubled with low sperm count, viability, motility or morphology?

Recently, a 90 day blind study was conducted to determine if treatment with FertilAid improved sperm quality in men. Funded (only in part) by the makers of FertilAid for Men, 14 subjects who met the parameters of low sperm count, low percentage of motility or low percentage of normal morphology as well as those who had not taken any vitamins for at least one month were chosen to participate.

Initially, these subjects provided 2 baseline semen samples before being randomly selected to either receive the vitamin, FertilAid or be given a placebo for the following 90 days.

Under the World Health Organization guidelines, routine semen analysis was performed by the same lab at the on-set of the study and then again at the conclusion of the 90 day analysis.

After 90 days the randomly selected 8 recipients of the vitamin showed an improvement in sperm quality; specifically with the number of normally-shaped motile sperm produced; versus the 6 who consumed the placebo and showed no signs of improvement.

The conclusion is that in spite of the small size of the study, significant improvements were found in men taking FertilAid and that larger studies should be conducted to confirm the results seen within this study.

An expert in the field of optimizing reproductive health for couples trying to conceive, Cindy Ferda offers conception solutions to those experiencing fertility issues. She is the author of How to Get Pregnant Quickly & Naturally and CEO of GetPregnant.org

Yin Yang Huo aka Horny Goat Weed

Albeit a funny name; don’t let the name dissuade you. Horny Goat Weed has been used medicinally for thousands of years. A traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the all natural botanical has been used to remedy kidney and liver disorders and joint issues to its use and reputation as an all-natural aphrodisiac and natural alternative to Viagra. It has garnered many accolades from users and non-traditional health care practitioners.

Known to stimulate sexual interest and activity in men, the testosterone-like effects will increase sperm production, sperm count and semen density as well as desire, thus leading to more frequent intercourse. Women benefit from the supplement with an increased libido due to the expansion of the circulatory systems blood vessels, allowing for improved blood flow to the female organs.

The legend of Horny Goat Weed’s origination is that it was discovered by a Chinese goat herder who noticed an increase in sexual activity among his herd after repeated consumption of the plant (also called Yin Yang Huo and Inyokaku), and then he used it himself with stellar results.

In studies with mice, after being fed Horny Goat Weed, they showed a marked improvement in testosterone levels, sperm count and frequency of intercourse. The herb’s main function is its physiological effect on the dilation of blood vessels which trigger hormones to enhance blood allowing it to reach responsive tissues. It stimulates the supra renal glands, and triggers increased hormonal secretions.

Still today, considered one of the most valued herbs in TCM, this plant with long and wide heart-shaped leaves thrives in China and Japan, but can be grown almost anywhere. It can be purchased in the form of a supplement at most health food and vitamin stores for about $20.

The main ingredient, icariin, is known to help with erectile dysfunction and is an all-natural alternative to Viagra which is made up of synthetic chemicals.

If you or your partner are looking to spice things up in the bedroom; or improve issues like low sperm count or mobility, low libido, erection dysfunction, menstrual pains, renal failure, high blood pressure, premature ejaculation and even asthma and bronchitis, then Horny Goat Weed supplements may be just what you are looking for.

An expert in the field of optimizing reproductive health for couples trying to conceive, Cindy Ferda offers conception solutions to those experiencing fertility issues. She is the author of How to Get Pregnant Quickly & Naturally and CEO of GetPregnant.org

According to the Mayo Clinic, less than half the men with sperm counts between 12.5 and 25 million sperm per milliliter are able to get their partner pregnant and less than one-quarter with sperm counts less than 12.5 end up impregnating their partners.

The good news however is, there are treatments available to remedy low sperm count.

If you and your partner have been trying to get pregnant for 6 months (for those over 35) to one year (for those under 35), consider scheduling an appointment with your doctor, urologist, reproductive endocrinologist or an infertility specialist to have your sperm analyzed and begin a treatment plan if deemed necessary. It is also advisable the female see her doctor or OB/GYN to check for fertility issues as well. Boosting female fertility can sometimes compensate for a lower sperm production level.

Generally, to achieve pregnancy in a partner, the hypothalamus or pituitary glands in a man’s brain must produce normal hormonal levels. If your doctor finds your levels are too low, he may recommend gonadotropin injections. For some men, normal levels may be achieved within a month or two, for others, it can take up to a year of injections. These levels can be diagnosed by simple in-office blood work.

A common cause of male infertility is varicoceles. This is a swollen vein or veins in the scrotum. This may cause only slight discomfort, if any, but can affect fertility. A varicocele can lower sperm count and is sometimes responsible for abnormally shaped sperm. A simple surgical correction can often remedy this setback. Testing for this issue is often detected by use of an ultra-sound.

An infection of the male reproductive tract can be identified with a simple blood test. High numbers of white blood cells may be a sign of an infection within the reproductive tract. A dose of antibiotics may cure the infection and restore normalcy.

Lack of zinc and folic acid in a man’s diet can lead to lower sperm count. A Danish study revealed men who added both a zinc and folic acid supplement to their diets increased their chances for impregnating their partners.

To maintain or achieve a higher healthy sperm count, doctors also advise men not smoke, avoid excessive drinking, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight, avoid hot baths and saunas, avoid tight clothing restricting the scrotal region, remove the cell phone from the front pocket and not put the laptop computer on the lap as it causes an increase in scrotal temperature.

It is also advisable to keep environmental toxins at bay. Exposure to toxic chemicals like bleach and paints or pesticides can reduce sperm count or even change the morphology of the sperm.

While Google, Bing and Yahoo search engines have all but replaced encyclopedias and dictionaries, eBooks are today’s convenient way of obtaining all kinds of literary material including pregnancy related books immediately from the Internet.

With the simple click of a mouse these eBooks can be downloaded right away, then you as the buyer have the option of printing it out and (or) keeping it conveniently on your computer or laptop for easy instant access.

When browsing through the shelves of the local bookstore it can be difficult deciding which book best suits your specific needs, so after evaluating and critiquing several of the eBooks relating to conception and pregnancy that are currently available on-line, we narrowed our search for the cream of the crop to the following three eBooks.

These best-sellers were created by reputable authors and true experts in the field and the prices ranged from $14.95 to $39 which is a small price to pay when you consider the thousands of dollars you could spend on unnecessary fertility specialists.

$39 eBook ‘Pregnancy Miracle’ by Lisa Olson – This top-selling author sheds light on getting pregnant naturally with her successful program. An alternative health and nutrition specialist, health consultant and Chinese medicine researcher, Lisa Olson teaches couples how to reverse infertility and get pregnant within 2 Months.

This eBook snagged our attention because of the quality of the content and the fact Olson guarantees her method with a 60-day money back guarantee. This book is available for $39 on her site here and it’s definitely worth a strong consideration.

$14.95 eBook ‘Get Pregnant Quickly & Naturally’ by Cindy Ferda – At $14.95 this is clearly the best bargain we could find anywhere on the net; it sells elsewhere for $29.95. This no-nonsense material offers the nuts and bolts necessary to conceive naturally while concentrating on providing the best health environment for your baby.

A national columnist for The Examiner’s Family and Parenting Pregnancy division, Cindy Ferda combines years of gynecological and obstetrical information from experts in the fields of reproductive medicine and holistic practices and presents them in this eBook.

‘How to Get Pregnant Quickly & Naturally’ contains great health tips as well as the newest secrets of conception and strategies for getting pregnant.

The book also includes an in-depth look at the advantages of fertility diets that not only are proven to increase a woman’s chances of getting pregnant, but also decreases the chances of a fetus having neural tube defects and other potential deformities.

Utilizing this same information the author conceived naturally at 44 and is now offering to share her knowledge and personal experience in conception, fertility issues, fertility enhancing foods and keys to improving sperm count and sperm motility naturally.

$29.59 ‘The Full Embrace Pregnancy Success Program’ by Diana Farrell, M.A. – This eBook reveals secrets about the most powerful and rare health treatments you can do yourself at home for FREE that will vastly increase your chances of conception within 8-12 weeks. To date the information in this book has helped thousands of couples beat infertility and achieve pregnancy.

We hope you find this information helpful and please comment back to this section to let us know how these eBooks have helped your quest to fertility so we can share your success with our other readers.

A common question asked by many mothers-to-be is “how much coffee can I drink?” Coffee is one of the most controversial topics of discussion when it comes to pregnancy and health. Some say absolutely not, while others say in moderation. The studies done are confusing, but here are some facts that you may not be aware about that may have you think twice about reaching for that cup of Joe.

Technically, caffeine is classified as a drug and is the most widely used drug worldwide. It is defined as a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system. You will often find caffeine in medicines that are prescribed to people with ADD/ADHD, over the counter cold and headache medicines. Caffeine, like nicotine, though to a lesser extent, meets some of the criteria of the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association as a drug of dependence which acts on the dopamine system in the same way as amphetamines and cocaine. Caffeine and is known to cross the blood-brain barrier readily in adults and fetuses alike.

A 2008 study suggested that pregnant women who consume 200 milligrams or more of caffeine per day have about twice the miscarriage risk as women who consume none. This is the equivalent of five cans of soda, two cups of instant coffee or a half to two cups of fresh coffee per day. Not exactly the healthiest choice of drinks to be consuming during pregnancy.

Here are a few more coffee facts:

Consuming more caffeine than this — about 300 milligrams (mg) per day — could increase your risk of having a miscarriage, a low birth weight baby or preterm baby.

Drinking coffee may interfere with your body’s ability to keep homocysteine and cholesterol levels in check, most likely by depleting folate, B12, B6, and calcium, all crucial in neural and skeletal development in the fetus.

It easily passes through the placenta to the developing fetus and is also transferred through breast milk increasing half-life during pregnancy (up to 11 hours late in pregnancy) and in infants (up to 100 hours).

The smaller body mass of fetuses and infants does not have the ability to detoxify caffeine.

Changes in fetal heart rate and breathing patterns have been noticed even when maternal intake of caffeine is moderate and when it has no apparent effects on the mother.

Caffeine is a diuretic. It may decrease blood flow to the placenta causing an increase in stress levels for the fetus. Remember: For each cup of caffeine, you may have to drink two cups of water to even out the water levels in your body. That is asking a lot of your shrinking bladder.

While 75 percent of expecting mothers will be drinking some form of caffeine. If you cannot give it up, there are some ways you can still have your cup of Joe and drink it too.

Begin by brewing your coffee at home. Brew organic coffee with filtered water in unbleached filters. Coffee is imported and the high use of pesticides in other countries makes coffee one of the most ingested items that contains the highest amount of pesticides. Since the United States cannot regulate the amount of pesticides used in other countries, it is best to drink organic coffee. Using bleached coffee filters will leak into your coffee, using unbleached coffee filters eliminates the small amounts of chlorine filtered into your coffee. You will pay much less using this method than buying coffee from your favorite local coffee shop and it tastes better.

If you are thinking about eliminating coffee, then make the switch to green tea, which has far more health benefits than coffee. Try a variety of flavors until you find one that suits your palate. MamaTea is specifically designed for expecting moms and has a variety of flavors to help with your specific needs.

When it comes to a choice in what your drink, filtered water should be your first choice, followed by organic milk or other non-dairy beverage, green or non-caffeinated teas, organic coffee, then juices, other sugary drinks such as Gatorade and soda pop being last.

Just think, this is just a phase in your life, if you can give it up for a year, you can probably live without it for a lifetime.

Jasmine Jafferali, MPH is a maternal, child and family health educator. She works as an Educational and Wellness Consultant helping women and families achieve healthier lifestyles. She is a Master Trainer for Healthy Moms(R) Fitness http://www.healthymomsfitness.com/ and a well-respected Pregnancy Health Columnist for Examiner.com

Neural tube defects (NTD) like spina bifida and anencephaly are one of the most common birth defects today. Affecting the brain and spinal cord of a fetus, this can occur before a woman even realizes she is pregnant.

The health of a fetus and the mother are always the top priorities during pregnancy and although maintaining good health habits statistically reduces the risk of birth defects, the possibility of birth defects cannot be completely eliminated.

When an opening in the brain or spinal cord occurs early in the embryo’s development, it is known as NTD. The cord of the embryo begins to develop and roll into a tube approximately 28 days after the baby is conceived and with normal development, the cord will close. When the neural tube does not close completely, an open NTD occurs.

According to a published report by Duke University, NTD are one of the most common birth defects in America and occur in approximately one in one-thousand live births.

One of the best ways a woman can combat this risk is by taking a prenatal vitamin with folic acidbefore she is pregnant.

The FDA has recognized the serious nature of NTD and taken action by requiring many foods like breads, grains and cereals to be fortified with folic acid in an effort to battle this defect.

Folic acid, a synthetic form of folate and from one of the Vitamin B categories, is considered by many the most important supplement a woman can take during pregnancy.

It has become common knowledge that folic acid is essential in the development of a healthy baby.

Studies have shown that by taking folic acid in the recommended dose, usually 800 mcg to 1000 mcg, a woman can decrease her risk of a neural tube defect by up to 70%.

Depending upon family history of NTD, the dosage may vary.

Folic acid may also play a role in decreasing the risks for other serious birth defects such as cleft palate, congenital heart defects and chronic disease conditions such as heart disease, several cancers and Alzheimer’s disease.

The elimination of caffeine, alcohol and nicotine during pregnancyis of course an obvious choice by women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, but the addition of folic acid must be integrated into a daily routine immediately to help stave off neural tube defects.

photo/Wikimedia Commons

Discontinue birth control pills

Use alternative methods of birth control other than birth control pills for at least two months until you are ready to begin trying to conceive. Studies indicate a woman’s ovulation and menstrual cycle will be back on track within a few months after discontinuing the use of birth control pills and begin ovulating normally soon thereafter.

Birth control pills are also known to thicken cervical mucus and may prevent sperm from joining with an egg. Cervical mucus usually needs to return to its normal thickness before successfully conceiving.

Stop smoking

According to the American Heart and Lung Association, women who smoke may reduce their chances of conceiving by 40% and their chances of miscarriage increase as well. Additionally, lower birth weight may result.

In other research by fertility experts, a recent Canadian study found a higher incidence of mutations in the sperm of men who use tobacco products. Marijuana use at the time of conception or during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, birth defects and ectopic pregnancy.

Maintain a healthy diet and exercise regime

Studies across the nation cite women who maintain a proper body weight mass by eating properly and exercising increase their chances of conceiving. Maintaining a good balance will help you later on during pregnancy and labor as well.

Additional research suggested women who are under weight may reduce their chances of fertility and conception, too.

Women who maintain healthy insulin levels are more likely to ovulate normally than those with insulin-resistance or diabetes. Moderate exercise of 30 minutes each day can improve insulin levels.

If you eat processed foods or knowingly consume foods with trans fats, switch to whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Co-authors Walter Willet, M.D. and Jorge Chavarro, M.D. conducted the latest Nurses Study II monitoring health issues on 18,500 nurses; including fertility-related issues. They tell us the right diet can improve your chances of getting pregnant by 66%. One delicious perk includes regularly consuming a full-fat dairy product like ice cream. This may boost your fertility by a whopping 22%. Hello Ben & Jerry’s!

Cut the caffeine

There is conflicting research available regarding moderate to heavy amounts of caffeine.
Play it safe and avoid the caffeine. Once pregnant, caffeine may also be detrimental to the unborn child.

Cut the alcohol

The U.S. Surgeon General warns women should not drink alcohol while pregnant because of the risk of birth defects. With this in mind, women who are attempting to conceive often do not know they are pregnant for at least a month.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is a critical factor worth considering when deciding to drink alcoholic beverages while attempting to get pregnant. FAS is an irreversible condition which slows the growth of vital organs in the baby due to the effects of alcohol.

The risk of fetal alcohol syndrome is greatest during the first trimester of pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome is one of the few causes of mental retardation that is preventable, yet it remains a common cause according to a report from the Mayo Clinic.

Ovulation…Know your best days

By tracking your menstrual cycle and becoming familiar with your ovulationyou will increase your chances significantly of becoming pregnant.

Investing in a Basal body temp thermometer (BBT) and charting your temp may be the answer to conception. Ovulation predictor kits offer amazing accuracy in tracking your most fertile 24-36 hours.

Prenatal Vitamins

To create a healthy environment for both you and your baby it is essential to take the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals, especially folic acid and calcium.

Prenatal vitamins generally contain 800 mcg of folic acid and 200 mg of calcium. Your Physician may recommend you begin this regimen ahead of time with 800 – 1000 mcg of folic acid to prepare your body for pregnancy.

Occupational Hazards

It is important for women trying to conceive to limit their exposure to occupational hazards such as biological agents (i.e. Rubella, Tuberculosis, Chickenpox, Herpes Simplex, HIV, Hepatitis B and Toxoplasma). Rubella, for example can infect and damage the growing fetus and cause miscarriage, deafness and even cataracts. If the pregnant worker has had the vaccination or disease itself, she is likely to be immune.

Physical hazards such as extreme temperatures, vibration and hyperbaric atmospheres are known to be a threat as well. Women exposed to high doses of radiation, especially x-rays should limit their exposure. Birth defects have been found in children born to women exposed to very high doses of radiation.

Stay away from solvents, dangerous pharmaceuticals and metals such as lead and mercury. Watch out for any label or data which carry the codes R46, R61, R63 and R64.

Finally, the risks from stress are well established and are associated with raised blood pressure which is dangerous for pregnant women and associated with infertility.

A contributing factor in male infertility could be as simple as low zinc and/or folic acid levels. Folate-rich foods like green leafy vegetables, beans or orange juice will help a man maintain a healthy balanced diet, but remember the body does not make enough zinc or folic acid on its own, so it must be obtained from one’s diet and/or supplements.

photo/Wikimedia Commons

Without the proper levels of these trace minerals, the body does not operate at full throttle; including reproductively. In some cases sperm motility is negatively affected as well as the sperm count.

Recent studies indicate zinc supplements along with folic acid may increase sperm count and improve sperm motility in some men.

One published Dutch study claims men who are having difficulty impregnating their partner may increase their sperm count by up to 74% by taking 5mg of folic acid and 66mg of zinc sulfate a day for 26 weeks. It did caution however, that taken alone, there was no significant improvement in sperm count.

Although zinc is an essential mineral required to operate the human body properly, excessive amounts may be harmful, so always consult your physician before beginning any new regimen.