Fertility. Most of the time, when we see that word, we think of a woman trying to get pregnant. News stories of couples struggling with pregnancy often center on the woman. New and innovative ways of helping couples get pregnant tend to focus on the woman.
Where is the man in all this talk? Is infertility a female problem, or do we as a society forget to include men in the discussion?
More Moving Parts
The truth in human reproduction is that females have more moving parts. Males have to generate and deliver sperm. Females have to generate and gestate eggs. The male’s delivery only takes a few minutes, while gestation takes nine months.
When it comes to a male’s fertility, it’s generally all about the sperm count. If they have a low one, they might struggle to get their partner pregnant. If they have a high one, their partner is more likely to get pregnant. That’s about the extent of their contribution to the fertility picture.
The female starts with a similar picture; eggs are created and travel along a tube to the womb. Once the egg is fertilized, it must take hold and gestate through a full term. There are just more pieces to the fertility puzzle in the female body.
Two Contributors, Two Patients
While the male has fewer parts in the fertility equation, the truth is they are as likely to need treatment as the woman. Successful pregnancies require contributions from both the male and female, and either one can have problems.
When a couple is experiencing trouble conceiving, they should visit their healthcare provider to look at all the possible issues. The journey to having a baby is not both physical and emotional, and as such, singling one person out for initial treatments could result in resentment or similar problems.
While ultimately, it is likely that only one person is going to need infertility treatment, it is just as likely to be the male as the female.
Treating Infertility at Hummingbird Wellness
Treating infertility is something best done not just physically but emotionally as well. At Community Acupuncture in Boulder, we have programs specifically created to work through infertility issues, which incorporate detoxing, taking supplements, herbal medicine, breathing techniques, acupuncture, lifestyle suggestions, and more. Contact us to see how we can help you with your pregnancy dream.
