It Takes 2
Sperm quality plays a crucial role in fertility and the health of a pregnancy, yet it is often overlooked compared to the focus on maternal health. Healthy sperm are essential for successful conception and full term pregnancy. This module will look at improving both egg and sperm quality in preparation for natural conception or IVF.
Many clients don’t realise that if a fertility clinic recommends ICSI that indicates that the sperm is poor quality and the clinic are worried it wont’ fertilise the eggs. Although ICSI increases fertilisation rates it has a much higher miscarriage rate if the DNA fragmentation is high – Henkel et el
DNA fragmentation refers to breaks in the genetic material within the sperm, which can negatively affect fertilisation, embryo development and chances of having a live birth. High levels of DNA fragmentation have been associated with an increased risk of miscarriage and failed IVF or ICSI cycles.
That is why it’s so important to familiarise yourself with the optimum semen parameters and I have included a hand out below. Remember to always ask your clinic for a copy of your results. If levels are not within optimum ranges then I would recommend checking the DNA fragmentation to see if that is causing an issue. Around 1 in 4 men with ‘normal’ semen values will test high for DNA fragmentation, so that’s around 25% chance of raised levels.
Endocrine Disruptors are chemicals that disrupt hormones and negatively impact egg and sperm quality. We are exposed to endocrine disruptors in the environment, through our food, through our cosmetics and they are even in our clothes! They can also impact the developing feotus brain. So it’s vital to familiarise yourself with where these chemicals are found and avoid as many as possible if you are trying to get pregnant.
