We talk with Associate Professor Dr. David Greening about why male fertility deserves equal attention and how sperm health can change faster than most couples expect. We leave with a clear plan for testing early, cutting hidden lifestyle risks, and approaching fertility as a team while keeping female age in view.
• what “healthy sperm” includes: count, motility, morphology and DNA integrity
• why male factor infertility is common and often missed until testing
• lifestyle factors that can harm sperm: smoking, vaping, marijuana, alcohol, shisha, steroids, recreational drugs and heat
• the 90 day sperm life cycle and what that means for making changes
• how semen analysis is read and why test quality and repeat testing matter
• when to seek fertility assessment: 12 months trying, 6 months in some situations, sooner with risk factors
• misconceptions: lifestyle “doesn’t matter” and abstaining improves fertility
• sperm DNA damage and why it can be high even with a normal count
• a practical strategy that can help some men: frequent ejaculation before testing and timed intercourse
• key takeaways: men get a sperm test early, couples investigate quickly, remember you are not alone

Male fertility gets brushed aside far too often, even though it can contribute to around half of all infertility. We sit down with Associate Professor Dr. David Greening to get specific about what sperm health actually means and what to do when pregnancy isn’t happening. If you’ve ever assumed a “normal” sex life automatically equals normal fertility, this conversation challenges that gently and clearly.

We break sperm health into the pieces that matter most: sperm count, motility, morphology, and the part many people never hear about until years into treatment, sperm DNA integrity. Dr. Greening explains why sperm are uniquely vulnerable to environment and lifestyle, and why the best question often isn’t “what supplement should I take?” but “what am I doing that’s quietly making sperm worse?” We talk through common culprits like smoking, vaping, marijuana, binge drinking, shisha, steroids, heat, and weekend recreational drugs, plus why different men can be affected very differently by the same habits.

We also cover the practical timeline couples need to know: sperm take about 90 days to regenerate, so changes you make now show up in future results. Dr. Greening shares how he evaluates semen analysis, when to consider sperm DNA testing, and why a simple sperm test early can save months of stress and guesswork. One of the biggest myth-busters: abstaining to “save it up” can backfire for some men, and frequent ejaculation may improve motility and reduce DNA damage in certain cases.

If you’re trying to conceive, take this as your nudge to treat fertility like a team sport and get answers sooner, not later. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more couples can find support and solid information.

Website - City Fertility

Prof. Greening information - A/Prof David Greening | City Fertility

the Road Map of Fertility - The Roadmap to Fertility | Book by Dr David Greening | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster AU