If you’re a man who has been told (or who believes) he has male infertility, it may be wise to make some lifestyle changes. Though such changes may not alter the infertility enough to enable you to conceive without reproductive technology assistance, they have been shown to make your body produce better quality sperm to be used during such procedures as in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Working with your fertility specialist, you may be asked to make some or all of the following daily habit modifications. Be open to them; they are meant to combat the effects of male infertility, not to make your day-to-day experiences difficult!

1. Smoking cessation – Smoking has been known to reduce the quality of sperm, so if you’ve been looking for a reason to quit, now is the perfect time.

2. Reduction or elimination of alcohol consumption – Alcohol may contribute to male infertility, so opt for another drink while you’re working with a fertility specialist.

3. Elimination of drugs – Obviously, illegal drugs are not to be taken under any circumstances, but some over-the-counter medications may also be counterproductive to dealing with fertility issues. Make sure you let your fertility specialist know everything you’re taking so he or she can make recommendations.

4. Reduction of intercourse or ejaculation – Though it might seem counterintuitive, it’s not necessarily a good idea to ejaculate every day. Depending upon what your physician suggests, you may be asked to have sexual intercourse on a very strict schedule, thus increasing the chances that your sperm will be more viable.

5. Reduction of stressors – This can be easier said than done, of course. But it’s important for men and women struggling with infertility to reduce the stressors in their lives as much as they realistically can.

6. Modification of exercise habits – It’s been shown that excessive exercising can be harmful to sperm quality, and some exercises, such as cycling, have been linked to male infertility (due to pressures on the testes.)

7. Reduction of weight – Though weight plays more of a role in female infertility than it does in male infertility, it’s still a good idea to lose extra pounds, especially if your BMI has reached a rating that would qualify you as extremely overweight or obese.

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