It is widely believed that the role of the future father in planning pregnancy is not limited to direct participation in the conception and support of a woman during pregnancy. If a couple of centuries ago, the woman was usually blamed for the absence of children in the family, now medicine has the ability to determine exactly which spouse is infertile. Without a doubt, the health of a woman carrying a baby has a big impact on the outcome of pregnancy.
However, physiological indicators of the future father are of no less importance at the planning stage of pregnancy. This article will tell you what factors contribute to the development of male infertility, and what tests a man needs to take when planning a pregnancy.
Male participation in the pregnancy planning process
The first stage in preparing the future father for a possible pregnancy should include psychological preparation. If a man is not morally ready for this responsible step or does not fully realize the importance of what is happening, then before starting any medical procedures, it is better for him to consult a psychologist. It's good if it is family therapy.
If a man is psychologically ready for the appearance of an heir, then you can safely proceed to the practical part of pregnancy planning, which includes:
- refusal from addictions (smoking, drinking alcohol in any form and quantity);
- observance of a healthy regime of work and rest;
- healthy eating;
- maintaining psycho-emotional balance (a man needs to avoid stressful situations, in extreme cases - seek help from a psychotherapist, take sedatives, take a vacation);
- elimination or limitation of exposure to vibration or too high temperatures;
- vitamin therapy;
- exclusion of exposure to toxic and radiation substances;
- if necessary - weight loss;
- regular sports;
- prevention or timely treatment of respiratory diseases;
- treatment of chronic infectious diseases.
List of analyzes
The first narrow specialist that a man who dreams of becoming a father should visit is a urologist. The doctor will determine the range of diagnostic examinations depending on the results of an objective examination. It is possible that he will recommend his patient to consult with other specialists (for example, an endocrinologist, cardiologist, neuropathologist, psychologist). Based on the results of all the studies carried out, the urologist will give appropriate recommendations and, if necessary, prescribe treatment.
A standard list of laboratory tests for men when planning a pregnancy.
- General clinical analyzes of urine and blood. These studies are able to identify some pathological processes in the body that can interfere with conception or adversely affect the health of the unborn child.
- Determination of the Rh factor... This indicator can have a significant impact on the nature of the course of pregnancy. It is necessary at the planning stage to determine the compatibility of a married couple on this basis.
- Venereal diseases... This is probably the most common cause of the development of the inflammatory process in the reproductive system. Such pathologies can become a serious obstacle to conception or complicate the course of pregnancy. If, with the help of laboratory tests, the presence of a sexually transmitted disease has been revealed, then planning for pregnancy should begin only after complete recovery.
- TORCH infections... This type of laboratory study will reveal the presence of pathogens in the body of diseases such as rubella, herpes, cytomegalovirus, chlamydia and toxoplasmosis. These infections can extremely negatively affect the intrauterine development of the child. If the result of this analysis confirms the presence of at least one of the listed diseases in a man, then the planned conception will have to be postponed until the disease is completely cured.
If one of the listed infections is detected, it is highly likely that the woman is also infected, therefore, most often, future parents have to undergo therapy together.
- Spermogram. This analysis will determine the structural features, the degree of mobility, as well as the number of germ cells in the male sperm. Before the delivery of the biological material, in a few days, it is necessary to give up bad habits, excessive stress, and taking medications.
- Physiological compatibility... It happens that for a long time pregnancy may not occur due to the physiological incompatibility of partners. It can also cause frequent cases of spontaneous abortion in the early stages. Such a feature is not a sentence, and with the right choice of therapy, a married couple will be able to enjoy parental happiness.
- Fluorography... This examination is considered a standard procedure and must be performed at least once a year.
- Hormone Tests:
- Testosterone. This factor plays one of the main roles in planning pregnancy, since hormonal imbalance in the male body can lead to the development of relative infertility;
- Luteinizing hormone. This substance has a stimulating effect on the production of testosterone by the sex glands. The level of luteinizing hormone increases after intense physical activity, as a result of stressful situations and kidney failure. The lack of this hormone in the male body can appear against the background of obesity, smoking and chronic fatigue;
- Follicle-stimulating hormone... Maintains the balance of testosterone in the body and takes part in the production of sperm. The level of this hormone in the blood increases due to regular alcohol consumption, glandular insufficiency, neoplasms in the brain. A decrease in FSH content can occur as a consequence of fasting or obesity;
- Choriotropic hormone... If, for the sake of laughter, a man decided to try a home pregnancy test on himself, and as a result he saw two stripes, then this may be a sign of the development of a malignant formation in the testicles;
- Prolactin. This hormone regulates water-salt metabolism. It also influences sperm production. Prolonged stay of a man in a stressful state helps to reduce the production of prolactin;
- Stradiol hormone... The production of this hormone is carried out in the testes, and its amount directly depends on the volume of adipose tissue in the male body. The increased production of estradiol hormone by the sex glands leads to a violation of the emotional balance of a man.
- Prostate secretion... This study is assigned to a man only if, during an objective examination by a urologist, some deviation from the norm was found in the structure of this organ.
- Electrocardiogram. Nowadays, a large number of men of reproductive age suffer from various diseases of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, checking the functional capacity of the heart is among the tests necessary for planning pregnancy.
Also, a man who wants to become a father in the near future needs to visit a therapist in order for him to make a conclusion about the general state of the body. If there are any diseases, the specialist will determine the treatment plan.
It will not be superfluous for a man to visit a geneticist who can find out if there is a risk of developing hereditary diseases in an unborn child. It is imperative to visit a specialist in this area for a couple who have high risk factors. These factors include the presence of genetic diseases in close relatives, and long-term exposure to the body of the parents (or one of them) of negative external factors that can provoke the development of hereditary pathology in the fetus.
Vitamin therapy
In the process of planning a pregnancy, a man's diet has a great influence on the reproductive health of a man. During this period, the doctor may recommend him to take certain vitamin complexes, macro- and microelements, which have a positive effect on both his reproductive system and the state of the body as a whole. Most often, the following remedies are prescribed for the future father as vitamin therapy:
- folic acid, which has a suppressive effect on that part of the spermatozoa that "carry" damaged chromosomes;
- ascorbic acid, which stimulates the activity of the gonads and increases the number of motile cells in the sperm.
- vitamin E., which has a positive effect on the quality of seminal fluid, and makes sperm cells mobile and more resistant to negative external factors;
- selenium, which contributes to the process of renewal of seminal fluid and removal of salts of heavy metals from the body, and protects cells from free radicals;
- zinc, which has a positive effect on testosterone production.
Bad habits
It has been clinically proven that a man who drinks alcohol less than three months before conception risks harming the health of the fetus. The average representative of the stronger sex of reproductive age, who does not have health problems, contains about a quarter of incapacitated sperm in his seminal fluid. Regular intake of alcohol dramatically increases the number of damaged germ cells in sperm, as a result of which the chances of successful conception are sharply reduced. Besides, if a potential father abuses strong drinks, then the risk of an unborn child developing abnormalities in intrauterine development increases significantly.
Smoking is no less a threat to fetal development than alcohol intake. Toxic substances that are contained in the structure of tobacco have a destructive effect on sperm, increasing the likelihood of spontaneous abortion in the early stages or the development of anatomical defects in the baby.
In a man suffering from alcoholism and regularly smoking, the mechanism of semen production is disrupted.
Outcome
The direct participation of a man in preparing for the appearance of a baby speaks of his responsible attitude towards future parenting. This approach has a positive effect on the psycho-emotional background of a woman who wants to become a mother soon, which is very important during pregnancy.
What tests a man needs to take when planning a pregnancy, see the next video.
