Advice I Gathered on Sperm Optimization for Surrogacy

Being from Pittsburgh and having many friends in the medical field has it's benefits.  Due to my APS and re-occurent miscarriages I sort of became a regular within the Maternal Fetal Medicine department at Magee Women Hospital.  Some of the most skilled doctors in world have taken the time to explain the in's and out's of pregnancy, infertility and blood diseases for me.  I was chatting with my doctor the other day regarding my surrogacy experience as well as male infertility and was surprised by some of the evidence and advice he shared with me.  

Men can improve the health of their sperm and future baby in just three months.  It takes 80-90 days for an immature sperm cell to grow into a mature sperm, men have the opportunity to positively impact the quality of their sperm by improving their health during the three months before fertility treatment.  (So…if you and your partner are considering surrogacy this is great prep work for you).  Men can optimize their health and the health of their sperm through improved nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress management.  You should have regular visits to your primary care physician as well in order to identify and treat other health issues including: hypertension, obesity, and diabetes.

Synthetic testosterone actually decreases sperm count.  Synthetic testosterone, which can be found in supplements, tricks a man’s body into thinking that it has produced enough testosterone and therefore it slows down sperm production.  During fertility treatment men should avoid all supplements and never have a testosterone injection or use testosterone creams or gels before and IVF or IUI cycle.  (This actually comes from personal experience.  The doctor may need you to give 2-3 samples of sperm if it is not adequate). 

Sleep could be the secret to improving everything from eating habits to endocrine health.  While you are sleeping, your body is busy recovering from the day’s physical and emotional wear and tear.  Sleep is also imperative in regulating hormones, including testosterone and other factors for sperm production.  Sleep is vital to improving your health.  Sleep deprivation, which is typically less than six or seven hours of sleep, can lead to:

*       Increases Weight Gain

*       Increases Stress

*       Increases Hunger

*       Increases Cortisol

*       Increases Abdominal Fat

*       Decreases Muscle Mass

*       Decreases Testosterone

*       Decreases Fertility

Smoking today can affect your children tomorrow…I have written about this in previous articles.  Quitting smoking may be the single greatest change that a patient – male or female – can make for his/her own health and potentially for the health of his/her unborn child.  Most people are aware that smoking has far-reaching consequences.  Smoking tobacco or any other product has a dramatic negative effect on sperm count, quality, motility, and most importantly the genes incorporated in the sperm.  There is a great deal of literature available on the dangers of smoking when it comes to issues of reproduction.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53022/

It is important that both partners support each other in quitting smoking.  This single change will not only improve their fertility, but will also improve their overall health and the health of an unborn child.

Caffeine can rob you of energy.  In order to ensure that caffeine does not diminish sleep quality or quantity, avoid caffeine after lunch.

Male and female fertility patients should limit their caffeine intake throughout the day.  The doctor that Care Surrogacy Mexico works with actually advised me of this before I began the egg stimulation process.  Male patients should consume no more than 300 mg per day, and ideally that is more like 150 mg. 

Sources:

http://www.upmc.com/pages/default.aspx

Center for Fertility and Reproductive Endocrinology-Pittsburgh

Testing your Fertility

If you have baby on your mind then you should also be thinking about fertility testing too.  

Recently I have been talking with several couples whom their doctor told them traditional conception was practically out of the question.  This news can be devastating for anyone…especially a woman because your ability to make a baby is so wrapped up with your identity as a woman.  

My advice…Don't wait until your 35, when you've conquered your career and travel bug to find out you've run out of options.  You get a pap smear every year, right?  Why not schedule testing for your fertility.  Not saying that you want to start your family right away, but to prepare for the future.  To know what you are up against.  Having your fertility and hormone levels checked yearly is a great way to prepare for baby.  

If you have irregular or absent menstrual cycles, very painful periods, or a history of a pelvic infection, a ruptured appendix, or known endometriosis you should definitely have your fertility and hormone levels checked.  Having trouble conceiving for several months or worrying excessively about it are also signs you might want to get your fertility checked out, regardless of your age.

If you or someone you know are considering the gestational surrogacy path you  must have your fertility and hormones level tested.  

Here are a list of questions for you to ask at your check-up…

• How do smoking, alcohol and illegal drug use in either partner affect fertility?

• What would be an ideal weight for me to be at?

• Which vitamins should I be taking?

• Is there anything my partner and I can do to improve our chances?

• Are there any health issues I’m at risk for or need to take care of before fertility?

• Is my age an issue?

• Are there any unsafe chemicals I should stay away from?

Topics to Talk About:

• You and your partner’s medical, surgical, reproductive and family histories

• Genetic conditions at risk

• Immunizations and vaccinations

• Ways to improve overall health

• Potential health problems or hazards you could run into

• Family concerns that could affect your health, such as lack of support

• Sexually transmitted diseases

Even if, you’ve been seeing your doctor for years, don’t assume he or she remembers everything about you. Talk about your health history, lifestyle factors, and home and workplace environment...especially if you have any concerns about any of them. Whatever your questions, it’s likely you’ll return home with a wealth of knowledge.  Your doctor will likely have pamphlets to help you keep track of all the information he or she shares but, if not, consider taking notes, so you don’t forget!

Source: http://www.theafa.org

Why choose Surrogacy? Part 2

I am going to talk about the elephant in the room…male infertility.  Yes, fellas you can be the cause too.  Male infertility is due to low sperm production, abnormal sperm function or blockages that prevent the delivery of sperm.  Illnesses, injuries, chronic health problems, lifestyle choices and other factors can play a role in causing male infertility.  Before embarking into surrogacy you will need to be sure that your swimmers are up to the challenge.  Like I mentioned before in previous articles…there are specific tests you will need to determine the quality of your sperm.  

There are several things you can do to guard your baby making tad poles…


Wear boxers if you are trying to conceive.  Tight underwear or pants can do some damage by squishing a man's parts or increasing scrotal temperature.  Skip the hot tub and sauna.  
Exposure to the high temperatures in saunas and hot tubs can heat things up down there, 
and if the temperature of the testicles gets too high, it can kill the sperm and interfere with
sperm production, potentially resulting in low sperm count and motility.



Laptops can be harmful Considering laptops can get hot enough to burn your legs, men may want to keep them away from the private parts too.  There’s evidence that just like in hot tubs and saunas, the heat from a laptop can raise scrotal temperature, which, again, may interfere with sperm production.  If you’re trying to conceive, you may want to keep the laptop on a table or desk just to be safe.

Be aware of cell phones Some experts have linked cell phones to a range of problems, including brain tumors, cancer and infertility.  Studies have shown that it can lead to higher levels of free radicals in sperm samples, possibly decreasing the quality of those swimmers.  Experts suggest men keep cell phones out of their pockets and off their belts.

Age does matter While women are constantly being warned about the difficulty of conceiving as they get older, it turns out that even though men can (and regularly do) father children well after crossing the senior citizen mark, male fertility does decline with age.  According to research, sperm production decreases in men after age 40 and certainly, after 50.  Still, unlike women, who undergo menopause, men can conceivably conceive well after that.

Stress is a fertility killerWhile you might not be surprised that your lifestyle plays a role in fertility, you might not realize how large a role stress plays in both male and female fertility problems.  For guys, stress can lead to impotence, erectile dysfunction and even shut down the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis...all of which can interfere with fertility.  While it’s next to impossible to avoid stress completely, it is important for you to work on managing your stress, especially if you’re finding the whole getting pregnant thing...well, pretty damn stressful.  Try daily stress-reducing activities such as going for walks, exercising, meditating or just sharing some laughs.


Being overweight will not help your future family  
Adopting a healthy lifestyle will certainly boost your chances of conceiving.  Plus, obesity in men is associated with decreased sperm count and quality, and excessive weight may also be associated with misshapen sperm, which can interfere with the sperm’s ability to reach and penetrate the egg.


Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org    http://www.webmd.com/default.htm