Fathers-to-be urged to watch diet

Millions of men in the UK could be harming their partners’ chances of getting pregnant by failing to be “match fit” to conceive, according to a new fertility survey. Nearly three-quarters of men trying for a baby continue to drink, one in six still smoke and nearly five per cent take drugs such as cannabis and cocaine.

More than 1.8 million couples a year experience difficulties when trying to conceive. While women are well aware of the steps they can take to improve fertility and the health of their unborn child, it seems their male counterparts are not.

In the survey by male fertility supplement Proxeed Plus, 71.3 per cent of men admit they continued to drink with 11 per cent classified as heavy drinkers, exceeding safe limits of 21 units a week. Heavy drinking can affect the ability to produce sperm.

The results also revealed 42.9 per cent of women said they stopped drinking when trying to have a baby but only 27.1 per cent of men in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire did the same. It also found 12.4 per cent of men in the region continued to smoke compared to a 16.1 per cent national average and 1.1 peer cent carried on taking drugs while helping their partner to conceive compared to a five per cent national average. No women locally took drugs, compared to 1.6 per cent of women nationally.

One of the UK’s leading fertility experts Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer at the University of Sheffield School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said that smoking can reduce men’s sperm counts, sperm motility and lifespan, but more importantly can damage the DNA inside the sperm head.

“This can contribute to infertility but may also increase the likelihood of miscarriage. Likewise, cannabis is believed to cause sperm to swim too fast and burn out,” said Dr Pacey.

“Women often look to themselves in the sad event of a miscarriage but it could well have been down to their partner’s lifestyle.”

The survey also discovered only 40.8 per cent of men ate a healthier diet compared to 59 per cent of women, over a quarter of women (26.8 per cent) tried to reduce their stress levels compared to less than a fifth of men (18.9 per cent), while 58.3 per cent of women took supplements, including vitamins, compared to 17.3 per cent of men.

“It’s clear from the survey results that some men really aren’t match fit to start a family and they could do more to increase their chances of becoming a dad.

“Women are much more in-tune to fertility issues than their partners and we need to do more to educate men about those simple steps they could take to cut out those things which we know harm male fertility.

“Many men don’t realise that taking Folic acid and other supplements can greatly help increase the health of their sperm. Women do take the job of having a baby more seriously although research shows that once the baby is born the men do step up to the mark.

“It does seem that men in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire fair better than the national average but they still have some work to do.”

Dr Pacey said he welcomed the campaign to raise awareness of the issue but said he would like to see better training for health professionals.

“I talk about this sort of thing all the time; its my job. But some people do feel uncomfortable, especially men. But it is very important that for at least three months before a couple start to try for a baby that they stop smoking, eat healthily and drink sensibly. I would also advise couples to start trying for a baby sooner. The later they leave it the more likely they are to experience problems and end up resorting to IVF and other fertility treatments.”

Father of two and TV presenter Jeff Brazier is backing the campaign.

“There are simple lifestyle changes that men can do that can make a really big difference. For example, eating oysters might seem like a cliché but they’re packed with zinc and selenium, which help improve sperm quality.

“We want to raise awareness that by eating a bit healthier, doing some exercise, cutting down on alcohol and taking supplements, men can really help improve their chances of becoming dads – a role I love every minute of. I’m keen to highlight this so that other fathers-to-be can have too the experiences that I relish.”

STEPS THAT MEN NEED TO TAKE

For six months before a couple tries for a baby, the man should:

* Stop smoking and taking drugs

* Eat a healthy diet

* Exercise regularly

* Drink wisely

* Keep cool and wear loose underwear

* Take folic acid

* Other factors that can increase men’s chances of becoming a father include reducing stress, taking supplements and eating superfoods packed with zinc and selenium, which aid sperm production. These include oysters, dark chocolate, Brazil nuts, liver, fish and toasted wheat germ.