{"id":1172,"date":"2020-01-28T15:35:15","date_gmt":"2020-01-28T15:35:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.theduff.co.uk\/?p=1172"},"modified":"2020-04-01T15:02:21","modified_gmt":"2020-04-01T15:02:21","slug":"sperm-collection-ivf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theduff.co.uk\/sperm-collection-ivf\/","title":{"rendered":"<strong>Sperm collection: what you need to know<\/strong> (an article for the men)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>HELLO, MAN!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some might say you have it easy compared to what your partner has to go through.&nbsp;After all, you don\u2019t have to deal with daily injections, daily hospital visits, hormones pumped into your body or \u201cdildocams\u201d up your vagina. (I don\u2019t even know if you can imagine what that feels like; it\u2019s nowhere near as pleasant as you might think.) But your role is hardly a breeze, either \u2013 and we could all do with acknowledging that more than we do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides being the Moral Support Person, Captain Injectioner, Chief Handholder and Receiver of Rants, you have to jizz into a cup&nbsp;a fair few times (some for testing, some for egg fertilisation) \u2013 and you may well find it far more stressful than the penis-less among us might imagine.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below is some useful information about sperm collection for egg fertilisation (i.e. the day when your sperm is mixed with your partner's newly retrieved eggs) \u2013 although most of it is also relevant to sperm collection for testing (before IVF starts). First, though&#8230;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Male-factor infertility is a separate topic<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If&nbsp;male-factor infertility is the reason you're doing or considering IVF, you'll probably know about an IVF procedure called&nbsp;intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which might give you a better chance of success. You might also be making lifestyle changes to improve the quality of your sperm (if doctors think it's worthwhile). I'll cover all this in a separate article soon. (<a href=\"https:\/\/pages.convertkit.com\/10d01e0610\/115ad743ee\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Sign up to be notified<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;when my article about male-factor infertility is ready<\/strong><\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>This article is for those of you who've had your sperm signed off as &#8220;good to go&#8221; by doctors \u2013 but you're still worried about sperm quality and\/or the sperm collection process itself.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Is it possible to improve my sperm quality if I HAVEN'T been diagnosed with fertility problems?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your sperm is fine and dandy, there are still a few things you can do to get them in tip-top condition. But you shouldn't feel the need to change your lifestyle considerably: your sperm analysis has shown nothing's wrong, so there's really no need for you to become a teetotal health nut.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here's how you can potentially improve the health (and number) of your sperm. I'll spare you the science, but a quick Google will explain everything.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Have a healthy BMI.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Stop smoking! (Most clinics make that a prerequisite for treatment anyway.)<\/li><li>Drink no more than two pints of beer or one large glass of wine per day.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Keep cool. (Try not to do too many activities that generate heat down there. Hot tubs, cycling, wearing tight-fitting&nbsp;clothes and riding a motorbike are things you&nbsp;might want to&nbsp;cut down on.)<\/li><li>Don't worry (too much) about what you eat. A balanced diet will make sure you're getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs \u2013 so it makes sense to eat well <em>anyway<\/em> \u2013 but&nbsp;the odd takeaway or popcorn binge isn't worth fretting over.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Chill out. Being stressed is rarely productive at the best of times, but it's a right bugger for procreation. Not only can it negatively affect your relationship, but severe stress may also limit sperm production.&nbsp;<br> <br> I'm not suggesting that de-stressing is easy, but the first step is to be aware of when you're feeling stressed out: then you can try to do something about it. Google &#8220;how to reduce stress&#8221; for tips.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike women \u2013 who are <a href=\"\/egg-quality-quantity-ovarian-reserve\/\">born with all the eggs they'll ever have<\/a> \u2013 men make a brand new batch of sperm every 70ish days. So really, you just need to do the above things for around three months before sperm collection. Again, though: your sperm is fine, so there's no need to go crazy with any of these suggestions. (Except the smoking one, because&#8230; seriously? You still smoke? Who does that anymore?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There's one &#8220;rule&#8221; you SHOULD pay proper attention to, though&#8230;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The one big rule of sperm collection<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your should abstain from ejaculating for three days before sperm collection (but no longer than seven days).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a general rule for men who have &#8220;normal&#8221; sperm; your own doctor\/clinic will tell you if they recommend you wait a different amount of time. By abstaining for three days, you'll have a high sperm count inside a nice decent volume of ejaculate. Abstaining for too much longer than three days means the sperm is likely to be less &#8220;potent&#8221;; there'll be a greater proportion of non-mobile or dead sperm inside the ejaculate.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One final thing&#8230; the Royal Free Hospital in London says: &#8220;Evidence shows that semen parameters&nbsp;are optimised&nbsp;if you take at least 10\u201315 minutes to produce the sample&#8221;&nbsp;\u2013 which is a sentence that wins my &#8220;Most Arduous Euphemism Of The Year&#8221;&nbsp;award. What I think they mean is: &#8220;You\u2019ll have better-quality sperm if you take your time masturbating before you ejaculate.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sperm collection for egg fertilisation: useful information for the day itself<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Firstly, remember: your partner will be in the other room, under heavy sedation, with a needle puncturing her follicles inside her ovaries. I can almost guarantee that your experience will be better <a href=\"\/egg-collection-what-to-expect-ivf\/\">than hers<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll enjoy a glorious&nbsp;day-long wankathon, either. You\u2019ll be busy worrying about your partner, for starters. And you might also have a bunch of concerns about the sperm collection itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some answers to a few questions you might have: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>I\u2019d prefer to be at home for the sperm collection, then bring it in. Is that possible?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most clinics will let you bring your sperm collection in from home if that\u2019s what you\u2019d prefer. You\u2019ll be given instructions on what to do, plus a cup in which to collect the sperm and strict instructions on how \u2013 and when \u2013 to transport the collection to the clinic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some clinics don\u2019t actually&nbsp;have facilities for sperm collection, so it\u2019s possible you\u2019ll have no choice but to do everything from home, anyway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Can I bring my own \u201creading\u201d material? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yup! You\u2019ll also be able to bring headphones if you need to blank out noises from the clinic\/hospital. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Can I have my partner in the room with me? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Possibly \u2013 although the timing of her egg retrieval (if she\u2019s having one) will have to be rejigged. Ask your clinic to see if they allow it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What happens if I don\u2019t get it all in the cup? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most sperm lives in the first few drops, so it\u2019s important to collect it. You\u2019ll be given a fairly large cup for collection, and you should&nbsp;make sure it\u2019s within easy reach. If you\u2019re worried you missed some, mention it to the clinic and they\u2019ll tell you what to do. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How much semen are we talking here? It\u2019s sounding like most men produce gallons of the stuff, but I don\u2019t have much. Is something wrong with me? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most men ejaculate around a teaspoon\u2019s worth of sperm. Don\u2019t worry about the size of the cup: you\u2019re not meant to fill it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What happens if I ejaculate in my sleep the night before sperm collection? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You won\u2019t be the first, so don\u2019t worry. It\u2019s important that you tell the clinic, but they\u2019ll probably ask you to go ahead with the sperm collection as planned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Can I use lubrication for sperm collection? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes \u2013 but probably not an off-the-shelf one. Ask your clinic: they\u2019ll be able to give you more information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>My religion doesn\u2019t allow me to masturbate (or I find it difficult to ejaculate through masturbation). What can I do instead? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Masturbation is the preferred method of collection, but if you can\u2019t for any reason, you can use a special condom that isn\u2019t toxic to sperm and doesn\u2019t contain spermicide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on the clinic and your particular circumstances, you\u2019ll have sex at home before the egg retrieval, then pour the contents of the condom into the collection cup and take it to the clinic. You may be asked to do this a few weeks before egg collection (in which case your sperm will be cryopreserved until the day of egg collection), or on the day itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>I\u2019m still freaked out about sperm day, and I just don\u2019t think I\u2019ll be able to \u201cperform\u201d on demand. Helpppp!!!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask your doctor about providing a sperm sample in advance, which can then be frozen until egg retrieval day (when it will be thawed and mixed with your partner\u2019s eggs). Sperm freezing will set you back a few hundred pounds, but it could well be worth it for the peace of mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another great thing about sperm freezing is that you can provide the sample on a day when you\u2019re <em>definitely <\/em>feeling healthy \u2013 unlike on the day of egg retrieval, when you could come down with a cold or all manner of other illnesses.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.elementor-1023 .elementor-element.elementor-element-9bb459b{margin-top:2%;margin-bottom:12%;padding:1% 4% 1% 4%;z-index:2;}.elementor-1023 .elementor-element.elementor-element-99c1321 > .elementor-element-populated{margin:0% 5% 0% 5%;--e-column-margin-right:5%;--e-column-margin-left:5%;}.elementor-1023 .elementor-element.elementor-element-e78765c:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-1023 .elementor-element.elementor-element-e78765c > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-color:#FCFAEE;}.elementor-1023 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data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-99c1321\" data-id=\"99c1321\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-e78765c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e78765c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-dee2df4\" data-id=\"dee2df4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4fefc6e elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"4fefc6e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-size-sm\" role=\"button\" id=\"fdg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">FOR THE MEN<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f4f870c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f4f870c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Free email: extra support for men<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f102409 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f102409\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The IVF process isn\u2019t easy on\u00a0<em>anyone<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 including you, the supportive partner. You\u2019re expected to be \u201cthe rock\u201d \u2013 mentally strong, positive, helpful and reassuring \u2013 even though you\u2019re probably feeling as frustrated, desperate, upset and worried as your partner.<\/p><p>There aren\u2019t many resources around to help the partner through IVF, but I\u2019ve cobbled together some the best articles, guides and communities I could find.<\/p><p><strong>Enter your email address to receive a list of them right away \u2013 and I'll keep you updated if\/when I come across any others.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eb90d7d elementor-mobile-button-align-center elementor-tablet-button-align-stretch elementor-button-align-stretch elementor-widget elementor-widget-form\" data-id=\"eb90d7d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;button_width&quot;:&quot;20&quot;,&quot;button_width_mobile&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;button_width_tablet&quot;:&quot;25&quot;,&quot;step_next_label&quot;:&quot;Next&quot;,&quot;step_previous_label&quot;:&quot;Previous&quot;,&quot;step_type&quot;:&quot;number_text&quot;,&quot;step_icon_shape&quot;:&quot;circle&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"form.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<form class=\"elementor-form\" method=\"post\" name=\"New Form\">\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"post_id\" value=\"1023\"\/>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"form_id\" value=\"eb90d7d\"\/>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"referer_title\" value=\"The Duff\" \/>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-form-fields-wrapper elementor-labels-\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-type-email elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-group-email elementor-col-80 elementor-md-75 elementor-sm-100 elementor-field-required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<label for=\"form-field-email\" class=\"elementor-field-label elementor-screen-only\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmail\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input size=\"1\" type=\"email\" name=\"form_fields[email]\" id=\"form-field-email\" class=\"elementor-field elementor-size-lg  elementor-field-textual\" placeholder=\"Your email address\" required=\"required\" aria-required=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-type-submit elementor-col-20 e-form__buttons elementor-md-25 elementor-sm-100\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type=\"submit\" class=\"elementor-button elementor-size-lg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\" elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Get it now<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/form>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-332b005 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"332b005\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>I won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>HELLO, MAN! Some might say you have it easy compared to what your partner has to go through.&nbsp;After all, you don\u2019t have to deal with daily injections, daily hospital visits, hormones pumped into your body or \u201cdildocams\u201d up your vagina. (I don\u2019t even know if you can imagine what that feels like; it\u2019s nowhere near &#8230; <a title=\"Sperm collection: what you need to know (an article for the men)\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/theduff.co.uk\/sperm-collection-ivf\/\">Read more <span class=\"screen-reader-text\"><strong>Sperm collection: what you need to know<\/strong> (an article for the men)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1175,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Sperm collection: what you need to know (an article for the men)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Besides being the Moral Support Person, Captain Injectioner, Chief Handholder and Receiver of Rants, you also have to jizz into a cup.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/theduff.co.uk\/sperm-collection-ivf\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Sperm collection: what you need to know (an article for the men)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Besides being the Moral Support Person, Captain Injectioner, Chief Handholder and Receiver of Rants, you also have to jizz into a cup.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/theduff.co.uk\/sperm-collection-ivf\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Duff\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/IVFTheDuff\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-01-28T15:35:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" 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