39 WEST STREET - MARLOW - 01628 474061
25% of infertility is calculated to be directly due to the male partner and another 15 to 25% probably also has a male contribution.
Far too often I see women in the clinic when their partner has no idea of his fertility status. Don't forget they may well need a semen analysis.
It is important to note that a population study looking at men’s fertility found that those men that succeeded in fathering a child had more than 48 million sperm per ml and a motility rate of more than 63%.
Sperm is evaluated into the following categories;
aspermia (absence of ejaculate)
asthenospermia (poor motility and forward movement) < 40% progressive
azoospermia (absence of sperm in semen)
oligospermia (lowered sperm density) < 15 million/ml
teratospermia (containing bizarre and immature forms) > 4% normal forms
antisperm antibodies
Acupuncture
Little clinical research has been conducted but some promising results shown the need for larger trials.
In a study involving 40 men with sperm problems of unknown origin (oligospermia, asthenospermia, or teratozoospermia) acupuncture was used on 28 men twice a week for 5 weeks and compared to the men who received no treatment. Quantitative analysis by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to evaluate the samples.
Following acupuncture, a statistically significant increase in the percentage and number of sperm in the total ejaculate was observed (in comparison with controls), with improvements in the shape of the acrosome and nucleus.
The median percentage of progressive motility in ejaculate increased from 44.5% to 55% following acupuncture treatment.
The authors concluded that "In conjunction with ART or even for reaching natural fertility potential, acupuncture treatment is a simple, noninvasive method that can improve sperm quality."
Fertility and Sterility. 2005;84:141-147
Other clinical trials have shown acupuncture to effect semen abnormalities (Asian J Andrology 2003 Dec;5(4):345-8) and sperm density (Angrolgia 2000 Jan;32(1):31-9)
Diet, Lifestyle and Nutrition could all have beneficial effects on semen, for more information refer to the section on fertility preparation or book an appointment at The Acupuncture Clinic.
Male subfertility
THE ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC 39 WEST STREET MARLOW SL7 2LS 01628 474061
THE ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC