Published: 4:01AM Wednesday July 01, 2009
Source: Reuters
Source: NZPA
Having sex every day improves the quality of men's sperm and is
recommended for couples trying to conceive, according to new
research.
Until now doctors have debated whether or not men should refrain
from sex for a few days before attempting to conceive with their
partner to improve the chance of pregnancy.
But a new study by Dr David Greening of Sydney IVF, an Australian
centre for infertility and in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment,
suggests abstinence is not the right approach.
He studied 118 men with above-average sperm DNA damage and found
the quality of their sperm increased significantly after they were
told to ejaculate daily for seven days.
On average, their DNA fragmentation index - a measure of sperm
damage - fell to 26% from 34%, Greening told the European Society
of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Amsterdam.
Frequent sex does decrease semen volume but for most men this is
not a problem.
"It seems safe to conclude that couples with relatively normal
semen parameters should have sex daily for up to a week before the
ovulation date," he said in a statement.
"In the context of assisted reproduction, this simple treatment may
assist in improving sperm quality and ultimately achieving a
pregnancy."
Greening said it was likely frequent ejaculation improved the
quality of sperm by reducing the length of time they were exposed
to potentially damaging molecules called reactive oxygen species in
the testicular ducts.
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