Better Baby Batter

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

I’m impressed. Have to admit, I’ve been following the tabloids recently and I like what I see: real men are letting it all hang out. Hugh Jackman, crooner Michael Buble, the Brit Anthony McPartlin, and writer David Vienna are all talking about it. Their true-to-life, down-to-earth, lay-it-on-the-line feelings about the troubled path they’ve taken to become fathers.
Not in character for men to talk about infertility? Rubbish. Wouldn’t you rather have them onboard instead of overboard on this issue? Kudos to them and to others who speak up on an issue normally dealt with in silent desperation.

Be Prophylactic

Here’s my question: Dudes, why get blindsided when this is avoidable? There are ways to know before you go. The Male Fertility Check in my office is a single office visit, complete with a lengthy history about everything you put in, or that gets near, your body regularly. It also includes a brief and painless (but detailed) physical exam, an assessment of your baby batter, and then a discussion of lifestyle, diet and other issues that can help you put buns in the oven. I’ve been told that it’s a “helluvalot” easier to see me than going to your dentist for a checkup, and the conversation is a lot more interesting for most men. Compare: “Do any of your teeth hurt? “ to “Can I help you with your erections?”

Why Be Fertile?

Being fertile is not just about spreading seed. It reflects on many aspects of life and health. In fact, in young men, it may be good marker of not only flowering fatherhood but also of overall health. It takes a lot of things to go right to keep an engine running at top speed, close to 1000 sperm/heartbeat. And, clearly, infertility has been associated with a host of lifestyle and health issues. For goodness sakes, I am the guy trying to convince the world that men should have a dipstick or “biomarker,” early in life well before the pains, lumps and bumps take over and cause them to crawl to the doctor. Oh, and what, pray tell, is better than prevention or early intervention for good health? Nothing.

A Seminal Idea

So here it is. The Know Before You Go Male Fertility Check. Offered here to all men thinking of popping the question, tying the knot, going ball and chain, getting hitched, taking the plunge, or being dragged to the altar. Simple, painless, and mighty informative. Don’t get stuck in the traps with a bad club. Hear the words of Muhammad Ali: “I run on the road, long before I dance under the lights.”