Prevent and home diagnosis: How to tell your man has low sperm count

Sperm quality is determined by its ability to successfully fertilise an egg. The quality check is determined by three factors:

- Quantity:  This is determined through a semen analysis. An ejaculation can have 15 to 150 million sperm per millilitre of semen. Fifteen to 20 million sperm per millilitre of semen when you ejaculate is normal. Ten million sperm per millilitre or lower is too low.

-Motility: This refers to how well and fast sperm is able to move to the woman’s egg, their ability to swim. It is measured by the amount of moving sperm in a sample, which should be about 50 per cent.

-Size and shape (sperm morphology): Sperm with a normal structure have oval heads and long tails. Sperm use these tails to “swim” to the egg.

What to do:

Protect the testicles from too much exposure to excessive heat: Testicles are located outside the body to avoid excessive body heat, which is detrimental to sperm production. It is therefore advisable to avoid very tight clothing, take breaks between dipping yourself in hot baths, avoid placing laptops on your lap, avoid sitting too long in cushioned seats and lose weight. Exercise: Studies show that men who exercise at least 30 minutes five days in a week have higher testosterone levels and better sperm quality than men who do not. However, moderation is key as too much exercise has been shown to have the opposite effect. Exercise also helps to maintain a healthy immune system, which wards off infections and inflammations that may hamper sperm production. Diet: Low levels of vitamin C and zinc can cause sperm to clump together, reducing sperm count. A balanced diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes helps with this. Avoid steroids: Anabolic steroids or performance-enhancing drugs can cause the testicles to shrink and drastically reduce production of testosterone. Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol: Alcohol can reduce the production of normally formed sperm, sperm count and motility. See a doctor: Some cases of male infertility can be treated through surgery and other medical interventions.