| Getting pregnant |
 Looking after your health as a prospective father is very important as a host of lifestyle factors can affect your potency.
The good news is, once you become aware of these often hidden threats to fertility, they are fairly easy to avoid! Here's a selection of the worst offenders:
Hot stuff
 Testicles produce the best quality sperm when they keep their cool. "The boys" are happiest at 34.5-36 C or 94-96 degrees F, which is a couple of degrees cooler than normal body temperature. Working in a hot environment or sitting for long periods of time, however, have been linked to raised testicular temperature and abnormal sperm count or semen quality. Using a laptop on your lap and driving for long periods have also been linked to increased scrotal temperature. A study reported in 2004 also found that heated waterbeds and electric blankets are bigger culprits for raising scrotal temperature than hot baths and Jacuzzis.
Following a small study in the Netherlands, it was widely reported that men and their sperm were better off wearing loose-fitting boxer shorts than tighter fitting briefs (much to the joy of many women). However, since then a more rigorous study reported no difference in scrotal temperature between men wearing briefs and men wearing boxer shorts, although both types of underwear increased the scrotal temperature compared to wearing no underwear at all. This is not an invitation to go commando - more research is needed before you can use this as an excuse.
Stress
It seems that stress can affect the sperm count of some men. For example, The Danish First Pregnancy Planner Study Team published two studies in 2004 that found that job strain did not affect male fertility but that stress did have an effect on men who already had a low sperm count. Stress has certainly, and unfortunately given the circumstances, been shown to have an impact on the quality of sperm of men in couples undergoing IVF.
Finally, if you have recently lost a close family member then you may find that your fertility has taken a knock as well. Depending on your particular circumstances, simply relaxing may increase your potency.
Prescription or over-the-counter medicines
Medications such as the antihistamine cimetidine and sulphasalazine (used to treat ulcerative colitis) and long term-daily use of some antibiotics and androgen injections can affect semen quality and cause an extremely low sperm count. Usually these negative side effects will be reversed within three months of stopping the medication, but some medications, such as beta-blockers and psychotropic drugs may lead to impotence. Ask your doctor about the sexual side-effects of any prescription and over-the-counter drugs you are taking before stopping or starting any course of treatment. Please remember that even if some of your medications have a negative effect on fertility, you will need to balance this against the benefits of the drugs you are taking for your condition.
, azoospermia,
Chemotherapy treatment can induce azoospermia (the complete absence of sperm), which is permanent in most cases. All men of reproductive age are advised to collect several semen samples for storage in a sperm bank before beginning chemotherapy - including adolescents and young men who may not have thought about starting a family yet. Little is known about the long-term effects of X-ray, but a study in 1997 found an association between the father's exposure to X-ray and a downward trend in birth weight and fetal growth. More research is needed in this area before any firm conclusions can be drawn.
Injury to your genitals
 A French study of 40 scrotal injuries reported the causes of the trauma as follows: road traffic accident in 19 cases, accident at work in seven cases, an accident during sport in seven cases, aggression in six cases and a brawl in one case. So your best bet is to drive carefully, take care at work, stay out of fights and think again about rough sports if you want to make sure "the crown jewels" are in good working order. If you do play contact sports (the ones that require clothes, anyway), wear protective gear to prevent permanent damage from an injury to your genitals.
Smoking
Do you need one more reason to give up smoking?
Well consider this: a research paper in 2003 confirmed that men who smoke damage the quantity and quality of their sperm. It may take longer for your partner to become pregnant, particularly if you smoke heavily, although passive smoking alone has been shown to have an impact on the time it takes for a woman to get pregnant. Kicking the habit now can help your family out later.
Passive smoking is dangerous for your partner and your unborn child, and if your partner also smokes the health risks for your baby are much higher both during pregnancy and after the birth.
By working together you and your partner are much more likely to succeed in giving up smoking.
Recreational drugs
 There is growing evidence that serious drug addiction damages the sperm, but what if you use cocaine, marijuana or anabolic steroids casually, for example? Each of these drugs has been linked with reduced sperm quality, and will reduce the fertility of you and your partner as a couple. The use of marijuana by the father-to-be has also been linked to cot death.
Give it time
It takes about three months for your body to complete a cycle of sperm production, so any changes you start to make to your lifestyle today will take a while to come through in improved sperm. The bottom line is, if you commit yourself to a few months of clean, active living and healthy eating -- that means plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meats - and a safe (though admittedly tamer) lifestyle, you'll be in top shape to father a child.
Other useful pages
Diet for a healthy dad-to-be
Common fertility problems for men
Fertility tests for men
Male fertility worksheet
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First draft of the AFI Training Manual on tackling abusive behaviour. Comments, additions, improvements welcome!
