In many relationships, it’s the woman who is anxious to get pregnant and have a baby. We’ve even come up with clever ways to describe this, such as saying our “biological clock is ticking.” While it isn’t always the case, the man in a relationship often is ambivalent about becoming pregnant. Even men who are anxious and ready to become a dad don’t always have the same kinds of emotional ups and downs that you might have while you’re trying to conceive.

It can really help, however, to bring your partner on board your fertility train. If you’re struggling with fertility, it’s important that you have clear lines of communication and that you both know what’s going on. Here are some ways you can help keep him in the loop:

• Get buy-in. Explain to your partner that you feel fertility is a two-person issue, and that you don’t want to go it alone. Let him know you need his support. Many men like the feeling of being needed, although it’s also pretty foreign to some men learning to be an emotional support person. Still, by talking with your partner about it, you turn him into an ally rather than an adversary.
• Look at male infertility issues, too. Around 40 percent of fertility problems have to do with the male, and about 40 percent have to do with the woman. In the other 20 percent of cases, it’s both. This means that there is a 60 percent chance that the man is, at least in part, responsible. If you’ve already explored some fertility issues in regard to your body, consider asking him to talk to a fertility doctor as well.
• Educate him as you educate yourself. The chances of your partner sitting down to read an infertility book or website aren’t especially high. That’s all right, though. You can distill the relevant information down into small chunks that you can talk with your partner about. If something is particularly interesting or useful, you can pass it along, as well.

Ultimately, beating the infertility challenge takes both of you, working together.

Similar Posts:

• Some Causes of Male Infertility
• Treating Abnormal Sperm
• Boxers, Briefs and Fertility
• When Fertility Problems Are Hard to Identify

This entry was posted under Fertility Issues.