Fertility

Male fertility: the other half of the equation

4 min read · MyBloomingBelly editorial

Fertility conversations often orbit around the woman, but biology is even-handed: in roughly 40–50% of couples who have difficulty conceiving, a male factor contributes. The good news — sperm are one of the most responsive cells in the body.

Sperm take about three months to develop, so improvements made today show up in the sample a season later. The strongest levers: stop smoking (it damages sperm DNA), keep alcohol occasional, sleep 7+ hours, exercise regularly without overheating, and maintain a healthy weight — fat tissue converts testosterone to oestrogen.