Male Fertility

Sperm counts have been falling amongst Western European and North American men for most of the last century. Whilst we believe environmental pollution is responsible to a large degree, it is also widely recognised that lifestyle choices can considerably affect an individual count.

Factors such as diet, exercise, stress and overwork can alter the quality and quantity of sperm , whilst the use of alcohol, cigarettes and other recreational drugs may damage or limit sperm production.

A sperm count is actually a series of complex technical measurements looking at several factors; below are the criteria set out by the World Health Organisation, which provides a definition of a ‘normal’ sperm count:

1. The concentration of spermatozoa should be at least 15 million per ml.
2. The total volume of semen should be at least 1.5ml.
3. The total number of spermatozoa in the ejaculate should be at least 39 million.
4. The PH should be 7.2 or above.
5. At least 4 per cent of the spermatozoa should be of normal shape and form. (This is known as morphology)
6. The total motility should be at least 40%.

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine has been shown to improve both the quantity and quality of sperm, and men with subfertility can benefit from Chinese Medicine just as much as women. Acupuncture can also make a difference in cases of lowered fertility due to previous illness( eg. mumps), trauma, or undescended testes.

Herbs can be prescribed when it is difficult to attend the clinic for regular appointments, then communication regarding progress can be done via email.