There’s a reason why the testes are located outside the body, this is to keep them below body temperature, so they do not overheat. The human body is approximately 37 degrees Celsius and in order to produce healthy sperm, the testicles need to hang outside the body to keep them on average about two degrees cooler than the rest of the body.

Heat and sperm do not mix, in fact studies out of Harvard have revealed that increased scrotal temperatures were directly linked to reduced testicular function and sperm quality.

One study published in 2018 revealed that men who wore loose fitting underwear had a sperm concentration 25% higher than those who wore tight fitting underwear. Additionally, looser fitting underwear led to 17% higher total sperm count and a 33% higher motile count compared to the men who wore tighter underwear.

So, are boxers really better for sperm quality than briefs? The research has suggested that underwear choice does make a significant difference.

The post Are boxers really better than briefs? appeared first on Fertility First.

Other issues that are quite common also include varicocele, previous vasectomy, and erectile dysfunction, all quite common and important factors that can significantly impact male fertility.

Sperm quality is a problem that is often overlooked, yet it plays an equally important role in IVF success rates, which is why Fertility First believes the male partners and sperm donors should be given as much attention as the female.

Fertility First has recognised the importance of sperm health and genetic integrity when it comes to fertility and healthy pregnancies and have been performing tests to analyse sperm DNA damage in patients for over 15 years.

The post What is one of the most common causes of male infertility? appeared first on Fertility First.

Other issues that are quite common also include varicocele, previous vasectomy, and erectile dysfunction, all quite common and important factors that can significantly impact male fertility.

Sperm quality is a problem that is often overlooked, yet it plays an equally important role in IVF success rates, which is why Fertility First believes the male partners and sperm donors should be given as much attention as the female.

Fertility First has recognised the importance of sperm health and genetic integrity when it comes to fertility and healthy pregnancies and have been performing tests to analyse sperm DNA damage in patients for over 15 years.

The post What is the most common cause of male infertility? appeared first on Fertility First.

There are numerous links between seafood or the “Mediterranean diet” and fertility, fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids being linked to greater improvement of testicular function and egg quality.

Tuna, salmon, oysters, lobster, and mussels are great sources of zinc and vitamin B12, which have also been linked to reducing the levels of DNA fragmentation in sperm.

The post Seafood is your friend appeared first on Fertility First.

Providing donor sperm is the most precious gift of all to the recipient women – from this they can have a child which would have been impossible otherwise.

The first step towards becoming a donor is for you to make an appointment to have a semen analysis and some blood tests. To speak to our donor coordinator about arranging an appointment, contact our lab on (02) 9586 3311.

For more information on how to become a donor, visit our Donate Don’t Waste website or head learn more about how you can become a sperm donor for Fertility First.

The post How can I become a sperm donor? appeared first on Fertility First.

Reduced sperm quality can be linked to dietary and lifestyle factors. Diet lacking in essential vitamins such as zinc, vitamin D and antioxidants, coupled with excessive alcohol use and smoking can reduce the quality of your sperm and increase DNA damage.

Studies have shown that elevated DNA damage in sperm can result in poor fertilisation, poor embryos quality and increased miscarriage rates.

During lockdown, is there anything you can do to improve your sperm quality? The answer is absolutely.

By making some healthy changes to your diet and lifestyle, it can be a great way to help improve the quality and quantity of your sperm.

1. Quit smoking and limit alcohol intake

It is widely known that smoking and excessive alcohol consumption have detrimental effects on the health of both males and females.

It can also have a negative impact on fertility, and an adverse effect on the IVF outcome of patients, resulting in a reduced ongoing pregnancy and delivery rate.

2. Improve your diet

Making some healthy changes to your diet can be a great way to help improve the quality and quantity of your sperm.

Zinc has been shown to boost sexual health and improve sperm motility and can be found in foods such as oysters, mussels, and lobster.

Increasing your intake of antioxidants can also help to improve your sperm quality, research showing that foods such as nuts, berries, spinach and dark chocolate are a fantastic weapon against free radicals that damage sperm.

3. Make sure you get enough vitamin D

People usually become deficient in vitamin D during the winter months because they don’t go outside as often, and throughout lockdown, you may be at an even higher risk. We get a good portion of vitamin D from UV light, but we can still get a reasonable amount from our diet.

Fertility First has recognised the importance of sufficient vitamin D levels in both our male and female patients trying to conceive.

Our clinic has routinely tested the vitamin D levels in all our patients as part of our preliminary assessment and has been doing so for over 10 years. Vitamin D has been shown to increase testosterone levels and not only improve sperm quality, but it also has a significant impact on female fertility. Foods rich in vitamin D include oily fish (salmon and tuna), cheese, eggs, yoghurt and mushrooms.

For more information on foods that can help improve your health and the quality of your sperm, please refer to some of our additional articles we’ve written over the past number of years.

• What foods can I eat to improve my sperm count?
• Fast food and pregnancy
• Can nuts help male fertility?
• Low iodine levels and delayed conception
• Can diet affect fertility?

The post Improve your sperm quality during lockdown appeared first on Fertility First.

One of the reasons why people may hesitate to receive the COVID-19 vaccine is the potential negative impact it may have on fertility as reproductive toxicity was not initially evaluated during the early clinical trials.

A recent study released this month has assessed the sperm parameters before and after the mRNA vaccine administration and has shown that after two doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, there was no significant impact.

While these are preliminary findings and obviously there is much more to the COVID-19 virus we have yet to learn, the study’s timeframe includes the full lifecycle of the sperm and is a piece of reassuring news for patients looking to fall pregnant.

The post Early trials suggest COVID-19 vaccine has no impact on sperm appeared first on Fertility First.

The University of Adelaide has recently published evidence in Nature research journal Communications Biology that sperm can also potentially deliver a signal directly to the female to help increase the chances of pregnancy.

Research which has come out of the Robinson Institute in Adelaide has shown that the female immune response is persuaded by signals in sperm that will help allow successful fertilisation of the eggs and therefore conceive a pregnancy.

Professor Sarah Robertson of the Robinson Research Institute stated that sperm “are not just carriers of genetic material, but also agents for convincing the female to invest reproductive resources with that male.”

So, how does the sperm do this?

We already know that there are specific proteins in seminal fluid that help to regulate the female immune response during the implantation stage, which helps to encourage the body to accept the embryo.

This new research has shown that the sperm actual plays a large part in the body’s response. Scientists analysed intact sperm in male mice and compared it to sperm from males that had had a vasectomy. They found that the intact sperm generated a greater change in the female’s immune response pathways and that sperm-associated signals help to promote a form of “immune-mediated cryptic female choice”.

We’ve written previously about the importance of sperm health on numerous occasions, and Fertility First has recognised the importance of the health of your sperm when it comes to fertility and healthy pregnancies.

Factors such as diet, weight, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption as well as chemical exposures can affect not only the concentration and motility of your sperm, but also factors we cannot see such as DNA integrity and quality. All these factors contribute to a healthy pregnancy and now that we are aware of this additional role sperm plays during conception, it is more important than ever to ensure your sperm is in good health.

For more information on DNA fragmentation testing or our donor sperm program, please contact our clinic on (02) 9586 3311 and speak to one of our friendly staff members.

The post Can sperm persuade the female to accept a pregnancy? appeared first on Fertility First.

As the examination of the male is relatively non-invasive, this will often be the first test performed when investigating the cause of infertility.

At Fertility First, our andrologists assess male fertility through a semen analysis to measure the key parameters of semen known to impact fertility. Our scientists will also perform DNA fragmentation testing, which is designed to assess the genetic integrity of your sperm.

A basic semen analysis consists of analysing the number of sperm you have as well as the motility and the morphology. It is a test all fertility clinics offer their male patients who are looking at undergoing fertility treatment.

A DNA fragmentation test is an assay performed through a technique known as HALO, which examines the DNA inside the sperm’s chromosomes and helps to provide clinical diagnosis and the management of male infertility.

Assessing DNA damage in your sperm is important when wanting to start a family. Research has previously shown that high levels of DNA fragmentation can have adverse effects in fertilisation, embryo quality, pregnancy rates and increase the likelihood of miscarriages four-fold.

Fertility First has recognised the importance of sperm health and genetic integrity when it comes to fertility and healthy pregnancies and have been performing tests to analyse sperm DNA damage in patients for over 15 years.

So, what happens if you receive an abnormal result?

What happens if you have abnormal sperm?

An abnormal test result does not mean that you cannot have children. This simply will assist our team to determine the best form of fertility treatment for you. DNA fragmentation is often linked to external factors and lifestyle:

• Smoking
• Recreational drug use
• Alcohol
• Obesity
• Long periods between ejaculation
• Stress
• Diet
• Advanced age
• Environmental pollutants (air pollution, exposure to chemicals, certain work environments/occupations such as spray painting)

Our studies have shown that in more than 75 percent of patients who return a high DNA fragmentation result, those who make changes to their lifestyle and take the recommended dietary supplements suggested by their fertility specialist will see an improvement in their sperm quality within 2 months.

For more information or to make an appointment contact the clinic for more details on (02) 9586 3311.

The post Is a semen analysis the same as DNA fragmentation testing? appeared first on Fertility First.

Seeking fertility treatment during a pandemic is upsetting enough, and the uncertainty that comes with it can add to the distress many patients feel, especially when the long-term effects of the virus have not been identified.

Sperm health is a topic that is brought up regularly, though, especially when it comes to both male patients and our donors. Our female patients are the ones who endure copious amounts of blood tests, needles, scans, and procedures, and it is therefore only natural that our male patients and sperm donors want to do everything and anything they can to ensure they are doing their part in the whole scenario.

Poor sperm health has been linked to recurrent miscarriages, reduced fertilisation and poor embryo development as well as long lasting impacts for the offspring, especially when DNA damage comes into it.

So, what can you do to ensure you have good sperm quality?

1. Nutrition

Nutrition is possibly the easiest and one of the most effective ways you can help improve your sperm quality, and this includes the count, the motility, and the morphology.

We have written previously about the importance of a healthy diet when undergoing fertility treatment and the significance of particular nutrients that can help boost your sperm concentration, as well as the way your sperm swims and what your sperm looks like.

2. Exposure

Exposure to chemicals such as pesticides and heavy metals can have a detrimental impact on sperm quality. The genetic integrity of sperm is essential for normal fertilisation and embryo development, and exposure to toxic chemicals can elevate the levels of DNA fragmentation in sperm, which have been linked to early pregnancy loss, poor embryo development and IVF outcomes, and also increases the chances of abnormalities in the offspring including an increased vulnerability to childhood cancer.

3. Lifestyle

It essential that when looking at sperm health, both long term and short term, to consider your lifestyle choices.

Studies have shown that smoking, vaping, recreational drug use, excessive alcohol consumption, and a poor diet can have adverse effects and can attribute to male infertility. Unhealthy lifestyles can decrease the success rate of assisted reproductive treatment, affecting the fertilisation rate and impeding healthy embryo development due to damaged DNA in the sperm.

One specific study presented at the 2018 ESHRE conference in Spain described the levels of toxic, mutagenic chemicals and carcinogens such as cotinine, cadmium, nicotine metabolites were found in patient seminal fluid at the same concentrations proportional to those in blood serum. This research has shown that the toxins are capable of crossing the blood-testis barrier, thereby affecting the germ cells, which are the cells that go on to form sperm cells.

There is also strong evidence in the study to show that the oxidative stress resulting from smoking can cause severe genetic and epigenetic changes which correlate directly to reduced sperm parameters and function.

If you’re looking for natural ways to keep your sperm healthy, we’ve identified 8 foods to help improve sperm quality.

4. Temperature

Although you might have millions, even a small rise in temperature can create errors within meiotic divisions and result in damaged sperm. Whether that be heat exposure from a laptop, heated car seats or if you have suffered from a fever, all these forms of heat exposure can have a detrimental impact on the quality of your sperm.

Sperm are the smallest cells in the human body and are incredibly sensitive to increased temperatures, unlike human eggs which are the largest cells in the human body and are formed internally where the temperature is consistent.

One of the questions we ask our male patients before they provide their semen sample is if they have been sick in the last 3 months. This is because even a slight temperature can impact healthy sperm cells and they take anywhere between two and a half to three months to regenerate.

Given the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to take extra precautions when it comes to sperm health. Men who suffer from cold and flu related fevers will find that their sperm quality will be impacted during this time and as one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19 is fever or increased temperature, it should come as no surprise that the quality of sperm will be affected.

The post How to ensure you’re keeping sperm health the best it can be appeared first on Fertility First.