Latest news with #fertilityawareness
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Health
- News.com.au
‘More responsibility': Fertility expert's urgent warning to men
Fertility experts are warning that age and lifestyle choices are jeopardising Australian men's chances of becoming fathers. Male infertility accounts for one-third of fertility issues, yet many men don't adjust their habits ahead of conception. With the median age of Australian fathers now at 33.8 (compared to 29 years in 1977), there is an even greater need for men to transform their habits before trying to conceive. Emma Ebinger, National Scientific Director at Adora Fertility, says that it's time to reframe fertility as a shared responsibility, not just a women's issue. 'I think men sometimes don't stop to give enough thought about their role and what they could be doing to improve their chances of success,' she tells She notes that it can take around two and a half months for sperm to form in the body, and during that time, their quality can be influenced by factors such as smoking, drugs, diet, and alcohol. Vaping may also impair fertility – just as much as cigarettes can – with studies linking e-cigarettes to reduced sperm count, motility, and DNA integrity. 'All of these lifestyle and environmental effects are known as epigenetics as they can impact the sperm's DNA,' she says. 'The sperm contributes 50 per cent of the DNA to the developing foetus, which is the biological blueprint of the developing baby.' She advises men to also be aware of 'endocrine-disrupting chemicals' – found in plastics, solvents, paints, cosmetics, and textiles – which can negatively affect fertility by impacting hormones responsible for sperm production. 'It can be really hard to avoid these chemicals completely, but minimising the use of plastics in your daily life, such as not reheating food in takeaway containers or drinking from disposable water bottles, is advisable,' Ms Ebinger notes. Additionally, Ms Ebinger suggests limiting activities that excessively raise their surrounding temperature, such as very hot baths, spas, and sauna sessions. This is because male testicles are located outside the body as they require slightly cooler conditions for sperm production than body temperature. So, what can men do to enhance their fertility? Ms Ebinger emphasises that it is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but overall lifestyle changes are encouraged to ensure that a couple is in the best physical shape possible before having a baby. Cutting back on alcohol, avoiding smoking and recreational drugs, consuming whole foods, and engaging in regular exercise are all important components of the puzzle. Regarding when men should begin making these lifestyle changes prior to attempting conception, she says three months beforehand is a good guideline. 'It's a great time for them to have an overall health check-up with their GP as well and address any ongoing health concerns they may have,' she adds. 'There is some scientific evidence that taking antioxidant supplements may also help in ensuring the sperm is as healthy as possible, but these should be taken in conjunction with a healthy diet and lifestyle.' Karlee and Jason Sondergeld, from Townsville, struggled with infertility for two years before welcoming a baby via IVF in December 2023. The couple, both 30, were deeply committed to making positive lifestyle changes on their journey to conceive. 'We wanted to give ourselves the best possible chance to start a family,' they said. 'We started looking into the role that male fertility plays in conception, and we changed our diet, reducing stress, getting quality sleep, cutting back on alcohol, taking a good quality male fertility supplement, and just being more mindful of our overall health, which meant we had a lot more energy and a clearer headspace.' Leaning on each other for support was crucial during the oftentimes emotional process. 'For me as a male partner, I think there can be a feeling of helplessness, especially during the parts where most of the physical burden is on your partner,' Mr Sondergeld explained. 'But I tried my hardest to stay really involved, which helped me feel connected and supportive.' Following the birth of their baby Rylan, they credited the small changes they made that helped with fertility. 'Even if you're just starting to consider IVF or fertility support, taking steps towards a healthier lifestyle together can make a huge difference, both physically and mentally,' they advised. 'Be kind to yourselves and remember you're not failing, you're just taking a different path to parenthood. And the path is valid, still powerful, and still full of a lot of love.'
News24
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
The fast and the fertile: SA-born student wins world's first sperm-racing competition
Conceived by a group of millionaire teenagers, the world's first sperm race – yes, really – was held at a Hollywood movie and TV studio, and livestreamed to home viewers. Sperm from two Los Angeles-based university students, Tristan Milker (20) from Cape Town and Asher Proeger (19), went head-to-head in a microscopic, 20-cm-long racetrack designed to mimic the uterus. The race – or rather, an animated version of it – was shown on big screens at the $1,5-million (R27m) event, attended by about 400 people, and livestreamed for home viewers last month. Eric Zhu (17), Nick Small (16) and influencer Shane Fan (22) are the co-founders of the Sperm Racing initiative. 'It's about making male fertility something people actually want to talk about, track and improve. We're taking a topic no one wants to touch and making it interesting, measurable and weirdly changing this paradigm,' they said on their website. While some research suggests male fertility has declined in the past four decades due to environmental and health factors, the speed or motility of sperm has no effect on male fertility – it's the sperm count that matters. This decline has been blamed on factors including obesity, sedentary lifestyles, smoking and exposure to certain chemicals and pesticides. Once Tristan and Asher's sperm were collected, the sperm cells were isolated and only the spermatozoa was collected for the race. A mild electrical current encouraged the racing sperm to stay on track, as sperm naturally swims upstream. Tristan won two out of the three two-minute races, and took home $10 000 (R180 000). Some controversy followed the race, with reports Eric had admitted the winner was known in advance because the races were recorded an hour earlier, and the footage was edited to make things 'more interesting'. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BeastChild (@bstchld) 'I'm so proud,' the arts, technology and business student from University of Southern California said. 'I came to win.' Eric is adamant that his event 'isn't just a joke. It's not just some viral idea for the internet to laugh at. It's something much bigger. Male fertility is declining, like, a lot', he said. 'It's happening quietly, steadily and nobody's really talking about it.' A few days after the race, Eric posted on Instagram that he'd 'raised a new round' of funding – though he didn't share details, only that a new event would be announced soon. He has, however, expressed hopes that sperm racing might someday be an Olympic event.
