So you want to know about the little guys, eh? When a man ejaculates, there are impressive quantities of those little swimmers. But you never really thought much about it before you thought about trying to conceive, did you? Of course, you’ve heard all the jokes from guys about their penises and semen and sperm, and you rolled your eyes at the time. 

But now you wish you had listened more carefully to what they were saying! Semen and sperm seem like the most important topic for you: what’s the best consistency? What are some foods my husband should eat or avoid to make the best quality sperm? Are hot tubs safe, or will they hurt the sperm? Boxers or briefs?

So here are some hard numbers for you:

• Normal sperm count should be at least 20 million per mL. Anything less than this is considered a low sperm count.
• There should be about 2 mL of semen when a man ejaculates.
• Around 75% of the sperm should be alive; 25% will be dead upon ejaculation.
• At least 30% should be normal shape and size, and at least 25% should be swimming rapidly forward.

Chances are, these numbers don’t mean a lot to you. Twenty million is a number too high for most people to understand, let alone trying to think about 20 million tiny swimming single-celled organisms in 2 mL of liquid!

What will likely mean a lot to you is how your husband can maintain those numbers to give you the best chance of getting pregnant.

Ways To Improve Sperm Count

Stop Smoking

First off, tell him to butt out! Smoking is one of the biggest sperm-killers out there! Not to mention the nicotine, tar, plus all the pesticides used in growing tobacco—you don’t want those things in either of your bodies when you’re trying to conceive! (Little side note: it is dangerous for babies when their parents smoke, so if you are planning to give birth to a child, it’s best to both quit for good.)

Stop Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol may be a great thing for getting you in a baby-making mood, but it’s not a great thing for the little sperm!

Eat Healthy Foods

Also, make sure that your man is eating a balanced diet full of good fats and lots of protein. Now is the time to make him some delicious grass-fed steaks for him—grass-fed beef is a great pre-conceiving diet!

Get Moderate Exercise

Light to moderate exercise (in loose shorts, rather than tightie-whities) can also help improve sperm count and motility. Make sure your man drinks enough water—hydration is so important when it comes to sperm health.

Get Stress Levels Under Control

Stress can affect men’s hormone health, as it does with women’s hormone health, so make sure to laugh a lot with your husband. Enjoy your time together out of bed (as well as in bed!) to bond and decrease stress, and to increase sperm counts!