Is it OK to masturbate if you're trying to conceive?
If you’re trying to start a family or add another little one to your existing brood, the likelihood is any spontaneous sex has been deftly replaced with fertility charts and ovulation apps. And for good reason – after all, natural family planning can be up to 99 per cent effective when followed correctly, according to the NHS. But where does that leave solo sessions?
If you (or your other half) likes to indulge in some me-time every now and then, you might be curious to know if masturbation during the critical ovulation stage will impact sperm count or fertility and how it it affects your chances of conception. We asked the experts:
Masturbation and fertility
While women are free to masturbate at leisure, for men, things are a little more complicated. Should you abstain from masturbation, particularly when your partner is at her most fertile, to max out your sperm count for a fighting chance? Or does regular ‘me’ time keep production moving down there, leaving only the most fertile soldiers to shoot forth?
In truth, there’s no definitive answer, and professional opinions on the topic are divided – but a little knowledge goes a long way, particularly when it comes to the mechanics of sperm production (known as spermatogenesis).
'The entirety of a man’s reproductive system is built for the production, storing and transportation of sperm,' explains Manual medical director, Dr Earim Chaudry. 'The testes, penis, prostate, epididymis and vas deferens all work together to produce the final product: semen. You produce sperm every day, but a full sperm regeneration cycle takes about 64 days, or two and a half months.'
When are men at their most fertile?
Fertilisation is most likely to happen when you haven’t ejaculated in a while, explains Dr Chaudry. 'Constant sperm regeneration fills the epididymis with fresh sperm,' he adds. 'The longer they build up, the higher your sperm count will be in a single ejaculation.' Therefore, if you and your partner are trying to conceive, waiting a few days between ejaculations can increase your chances of conception.
Whether masturbation is counterproductive or not depends on a series of factors, says Dr Ferran Garcia, head of Andrology at Institut Marquès. Firstly, how frequently you and your partner are having sex. 'If a couple has intercourse two to three times per week, masturbation should be avoided,' he says, with an ejaculatory abstinence period of around two days or 48 hours.
Sperm count and quality should also be a consideration, Dr Garcia adds. 'If sperm production is high even after 24 hours of abstinence, the number and quality of sperm ejaculated during intercourse may be sufficient,' he says.
It’s estimated that a healthy man produces around 1,000 sperm per second. In cases of low production – fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen – masturbation will be counterproductive.
Do daily ejaculations impact sperm potency?
Conversely Dr Larisa Corda, leading fertility expert and female health doctor, disagrees about abstinence. 'Frequent male masturbation isn't likely to have much effect on fertility,' she says. 'Traditionally, data have shown that optimum semen quality occurs after two to three days of no ejaculation. But other research suggests that men who have normal sperm quality maintain normal sperm motility and concentrations even with daily ejaculation.'
In fact, more recent studies suggest that regular daily ejaculation may potentially improve the quality of sperm, 'by keeping the male reproductive system flowing and potentially increasing the quality of sperm produced,' she says. 'Older sperm are also cleaned out and replaced with newer cells that are stronger.'
Furthermore, abstaining from ejaculating for five days or more can actually negatively impact on sperm health, Dr Corda adds. 'Ultimately, having sexual intercourse with ejaculation several times a week will optimise your chances of getting your partner pregnant, whether you masturbate or not.'
The takeaway? Regular masturbation won’t make any difference to your chances of conception, unless you're one of the minority of men who have a low sperm count. But going in for do-it-yourself when your partner’s at her most fertile could be a little counterproductive.
How to increase your chances of conception
According to the NHS More than 80 per cent of couples will conceive within one year if you have sex regularly (every 2 or 3 days) without contraception. Of those who don't conceive in the first year, about half will do so in the second year.
Experiment with what works for you and aim to have sexual intercourse within a day or so of ovulation. If you’ve been trying for over a year and you still aren't pregnant, then make an appointment with your GP to get checked out.
Last updated: 28-01-2020
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