Dad’s the way to do it
As women are warned to be healthier when trying for a baby, LISA SALMON finds out what men can do too
IT’S no surprise most fertility studies look at what women need to do to improve their chances of having a healthy baby.
And despite most of us knowing better, new research has found the majority of women still consume alcohol and caffeine when trying to fall pregnant.
But it takes two to have a baby – and what men do when they’re trying to become a father is also crucial in the quest for parenthood.
The new research from pregnancy charity Tommy’s found more than half of women drank alcohol and four-fifths consumed caffeine while planning pregnancy. Another one in five women smoked and one in 25 took drugs.
The study didn’t look at men’s fertility, but Tommy’s stresses that for men who want to become fathers, leading a healthy lifestyle is very important too.
“There’s a lot of attention on how maternal health and wellbeing can affect babies’ development, but when a couple is planning a pregnancy, it’s important dads are healthy too – not just for their own fertility, but the long-term future of their family, as parents’ health when they get pregnant can affect their children’s DNA,” explains Tommy’s midwife Sophie King.
“Small changes can really make a big difference to the long-term health of parents and babies,” she adds.
She has this adivce for men who want to become fathers.
Cut down on alcohol
Alcohol can affect both male and female fertility, and Tommy’s says drinking too much booze can lead to low sperm quality and quantity, as well as reduced testosterone levels and even a loss of interest in sex. Men who are trying for a baby are advised to drink no more than the maximum recommended limit of 14 units per week.
2. Reduce caffeine
Evidence suggests that men consuming too much caffeine when they’re trying to conceive can increase the risk of their partner having a miscarriage. It’s the same for women, so Sophie suggests couples trying for a baby should limit their caffeine intake to 200mg a day.
3. Don’t smoke
Smoking can reduce the quality of a man’s sperm, causing a lower sperm count, and affecting the sperm’s ability to swim. It’s even linked to sexual impotence explains Tommy’s. Plus, a woman inhaling cigarette smoke through passive smoking can damage her ability to get pregnant – and just opening windows and doors won’t help, stresses the charity.
4. Keep your testicles cool
The NHS says that to produce the best quality sperm, a man’s testicles need to be slightly cooler than the rest of his body. That sounds hard, but there are a few simple measures you can take to keep cooler down there, for example wearing loose-fitting underwear like boxer shorts, and if you work in a hot environment, taking regular breaks outside.
5. Maintain a healthy weight
While the new Tommy’s research found more than half of women who were trying to get pregnant who reported their weight had a high BMI, which can reduce the chances of getting pregnant and increase the risk of pregnancy complications, men being overweight or obese can also negatively impact fertility, as it can affect the quality and quantity of their sperm,
says Sophie.
6. Eat a healthy diet
If your partner’s trying to be healthy to help aid pregnancy, why not join her? And make sure you’re getting your five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, as Tommy’s says research shows sperm quality is affected by diet.
In addition, it could be worth eating a portion of walnuts a day, as they’ve been shown to help sperm motility (ability to swim).