Married couples who find it difficult to get offspring are often associated with infertile wife conditions. Hard to get pregnant is not only caused by an infertile wife, but poor sperm quality can also cause the wife to not get pregnant. Therefore, married couples should check their respective reproductive health conditions before undertaking a pregnancy program.
Few people realize that sperm quality is one factor that affects the fertilization process. Infertility cases are caused by poor-quality sperm. So how do you know the characteristics of fertile sperm and improve their quality? Check out the following reviews.
Characteristics of Good Quality Sperm
To see whether the condition of the sperm is good or not, you need to pay attention to the volume, color, and smell of the sperm. Normal sperm has a yellowish-white or gray color and does not smell bad. You need to be careful if the number of sperm produced during ejaculation is low and has a foul smell or brown color. This indicates that the sperm is problematic.
The following are characteristics of quality and fertile sperm that you need to know.
1. Sperm volume 15-20 million/milliliter
In one ejaculation, normal sperm will have a volume or number of approximately 15 to 20 million / milliliter. If not, then fertilization will be difficult because only quality sperm will be able to penetrate the uterine wall and meet the egg. To find out how much of the volume of sperm, you need to do laboratory tests.
2. Have 40-60% of moving sperm
From the number or volume mentioned above, sperm is of good quality if there are 40-60% moving sperm. If it is not enough, millions of sperm will be difficult to fertilize because many die.
3. Have a normal structure
Sperm quality is also indicated by its structure or shape. Healthy sperm have a round head and a long tail to help them be active. From the millions of sperm produced, men will be more fertile when they have a lot of sperm with a normal and healthy structure. That is, the possibility of fertilization is greater.
4. Normal semen volume
Normally, the volume of semen in sperm is 2 ml. Meanwhile, normal fructose levels in sperm are 3 mg/ml with a pH of 7.2 to 7.8. To find out the volume of semen, you need to do a lab test.
It is not recommended for men to release sperm more than once in less than 48 hours. The reason is, sperm takes time to mature for approximately two days. If ejaculation continues for less than this time, sperm quality will decrease, and fertilization will be difficult.
Read more: The Process of Fertilization and the Occurrence of Pregnancy
How to Improve Sperm Quality
After knowing the characteristics of fertile sperm next, you also need to know how to improve sperm quality to increase the chances of pregnancy. You don’t need the time and the hard way to have good sperm quality. Just do the following steps.
1. Consumption of healthy quality food
Consumption of foods that are good for the quality of male sperm is highly recommended if you want to get pregnant quickly. Healthy foods such as vegetables and fruits are the right way to improve sperm quality. Otherwise, avoid instant food or fast food because it is not good for reproductive health.
2. Consumption of vitamins and zinc
Regularly consuming vitamins and minerals can increase male fertility. Several types of vitamins are very good for consumption to improve sperm quality, such as:
- Vitamin C: prevents sperm from sticking together while protecting sperm from the risk of damage
- Vitamin B6: increases sex drive in men
- Vitamin B12: promotes healthy sperm production and stimulates sperm to be active
- Vitamin E: helps and supports sperm in the fertilization process
- Zinc: increases sperm volume and fertility
- Arginine and L-Carnitine: produce amino acids that make sperm fertile and normal
3. Avoid stress
One of the causes of infertility in men is stress. Usually, a pile of work, finances, and family problems are the main causes of stress and depression. Stress can affect sperm production because when stressed, steroid hormones are released, which impact is lowering testosterone levels. The quality of semen produced by men who experience stress is lower.
You need to minimize stress and pressure to improve sperm quality. Do relaxation and yoga if you feel the work gets heavy and some problems cause stress. And ironically, sometimes, an overly passionate desire to have children also causes stress, leading to low sperm quality.
4. Make sure your BMI is normal
Bodyweight and body mass index also affect the quality of sperm produced. Men with ideal body weight and have normal BMI numbers generally have fertile sperm. Therefore, always monitor your weight and body mass index. If you find an index that is less or more, immediately improve your diet and exercise.
Read more: Effects of Obesity on Fertility
5. Quit smoking and avoid alcohol
Remember the cigarette ad that said, “Smoking can cause impotence”? Yes, cigarettes and alcohol can cause fertility problems in men. Men who consume alcohol and cigarettes have lower sperm quality than men who don’t smoke. The nicotine content in cigarettes is not good for the fertilization process.
So if you want to improve sperm quality, make sure you give up smoking and drinking alcohol. Replace these bad habits with a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.
6. Avoid tight underwear and saunas
To have fertile sperm, you also need to avoid too tight underwear. Tight underwear affects sperm volume and fertility. Likewise, avoid saunas and hot baths in advance during the pregnancy program.
Read more: Treatment for Fertility Problems
7. Consult a doctor
Many people take certain drugs or drinks to get fertile sperm. Instead of quality sperm, you could get other diseases due to carelessly taking drugs. It’s best to consult a doctor first about your condition and avoid taking any medication without a doctor’s instructions.
Those are some ways you can improve sperm quality. For maximum results, you can do a balanced nutritional diet by eating lots of foods that contain vitamins and zinc, such as seafood, meat, eggplant, and bean sprouts. Avoid factors that cause poor sperm quality, such as hot showers, stress, and fatigue. If fertilization has not been successful, consult a doctor to get more appropriate advice for you and your partner’s condition.
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