Let’s face it: a lot of men just don’t think about fertility as much as we do.

Now, I don’t want to make a bunch of generalizations. There are always exceptions, of course. On average, though, husbands and male partners don’t sit around stressing over not being able to conceive. Unless you’ve been dealing with fertility issues for years, it’s not likely that it’s even on your man’s radar.

This is unfortunate. In many cases, fertility problems can be traced back to the male partner, and so men need to be as aware of fertility issues as women, if a couple is going to be successful in their attempts to conceive.

So, if you need to broach the subject of fertility with your partner but aren’t sure how, here are some things to keep in mind as you get ready for the conversation:

• Let him know this is important. Both women and men have a tendency to tune things out if they’re doing something else. Pick a time and place when your partner isn’t busy, and start by telling him that the issue is important to you.
• Don’t get bogged down in technical details. There is a lot of information you could cover, from basal body temperature to cervical mucus. Chances are pretty good he doesn’t need to know all of that information, and he’ll ask about it if he feels the need.
• Focus on a plan. Instead, focus on some things you can do, as a couple to help the conception process along. Whether it’s a schedule for sex or whether it’s convincing him to wear boxers instead of briefs, map out some very specific ideas.
• Try to avoid blame. The last thing you want to do is go into this conversation with guns blazing and fingers pointing. Talk with your partner about possible fertility obstacles, both male and female. The male ego is a delicate thing in many cases, so do try not to bruise it.
• Don’t just talk, listen. You may be surprised to hear what your partner has to say. He may have some valuable input into the process. In some cases, you might be surprised to find that he’s been reading up on things he can do on his end to increase your chances of conception, too.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 28th, 2010 and is filed under Fertility.