There are many comprehensive studies into IVF, beginning before its inception in 1978 and continuing today. It is these studies which allow fertility centres, such as the Cyprus IVF Centre, to enhance their treatment plans and the options they can offer to the optimum level.
Every single aspect of a woman’s ovaries, eggs, uterus and fallopian tubes, just to name a few, has been studied in depth. We now know the exact point when conception takes place, how long it takes the blastocyst to travel down to the womb. We know which hormones are released and at which specific time in order to encourage implantation. We know how quickly the blastocyst cells double and triple until they form an embryo. Generally, most of the research has been concentrated on the mother as it is her body which will conceive and carry a child. However, IVF is a journey and it is usually entered into equally by both parties. Surprisingly, investigations into male fertility are much less commonly known.
Why do men need their fertility assessed ?
For the same reason that women do! Male fertility is dependent upon the quantity and quality of sperm. Their body may have a less involved part in conception, however it is still as vital. Making a baby doesn’t sound like a hard job, but it certainly can be. At the Cyprus IVF Centre, the whole team are skilled and experienced in tackling fertility issues – no matter which angle they come from. Some are more geared towards women and others towards men.
So what do I need to do to encourage fertility as a man ?
You should start your preparation well before you arrive in Cyprus. A plan is important for your journey to conception; it will help you feel relaxed about each stage of the fertility treatment in Cyprus. If you are unsure about anything, the team at the Cyprus IVF Centre will be able to help you.
Changes to your diet and lifestyle, if needed, can be made weeks or months in advance, and by paying attention to the small details, you will be putting yourself in the best possible position for your IVF in Cyprus. If you smoke, you really must consider giving up entirely. If you drink regularly, consider cutting back. A drink or two once a week to relax is actually beneficial to the conception process, but excessive alcohol consumption has a negative impact on sperm production.
Our doctors and Team Miracle at Cyprus IVF Centre will be able to give solid advice on any fertility issue, whether it relates to the male or female partner.
Men should eat less fatty foods and red meat and increase their intake of fruit, vegetables, fish and other sources of protein. This diet will boost sperm production and luckily it’s standard fare in Cyprus. One less thing to think about!
And don’t become obsessed with conception before you travel to Cyprus! Relaxation is crucial and experts actually advise having sex at points spread across the entire week, rather than in a block at weekends, for example.
IVF at the Cyprus IVF Centre : Male Fertility
Recent studies show that having IVF treatment abroad in Cyprus boosts your chances of conception in a few ways. One of the main reasons is being in the sun. Taking a gentle stroll in the afternoon sun will benefit male fertility more than you realise. Why is this? Because the vitamin D you will absorb is essential for the development of the sperm nucleus. The grey, cloudy skies of Britain do not compare. And another bonus of IVF in Cyprus is that the sun increases male testosterone levels – which increases libido. So if you add up the diet, relaxation element and exposure to the sun, you’re coming up with a winning package for successful IVF treatment in North Cyprus.
Now you’ve got your head around the main bits of advice, it’s time to look at the peripheral stuff. The main thing is to stay relaxed. Putting stress on yourself either to conceive, or through work or outside pressures, is not helpful. It’s time to sit back and take a deep breath. Whilst you’re doing that, you should also be wearing loose, cool boxer shorts. Excessive heat inhibits sperm production; this means no tight pants, no hot baths or hot tubs and definitely no resting your laptop on your lap without a cushion underneath it. By wearing loose boxer shorts, you are helping to ensure that sperm production isn’t diminished.
But what if we do all of this and still no success with a natural pregnancy ?
None of the above is guaranteed to result in a pregnancy. You can follow all the steps and still not be able to conceive. They do, however, give you as good a chance as possible. But if you need to take a further step, the Cyprus IVF Centre will be on hand to advise, help and support.
Unique techniques available only at Cyprus IVF Centre.
One particular fertility treatment, known as ICSI, is particularly effective with male infertility. It involves selecting a single, healthy sperm and injecting it straight into the egg. Team Miracle include ICSI with every IVF treatment for no additional cost.
There is also the option of IMSI (Intracytoplasmic Morphologically-selected Sperm Injection) for men with very poor morphology. Normally, magnification of 400x is used in IVF treatments. With IMSI, an extremely high powered microsope with magnification of 6,000x is used. With this special microscope, the Team Miracle embryologist can see the internal morphology of the sperm and discard those with abnormalities.
Fertile Plus optimises the process for sperm washing, swimming and gradient centrifuging. It also selects sperm with best DNA and physiological qualities making it an ideal supplemental treatment for men with high levels of DNA fragmentation.
So don’t despair if conception doesn’t happen readily; at the Cyprus IVF Centre, we will be waiting to guide you through your fertility options.
