The necessity for expectant fathers to supplement minerals and trace elements and quit smoking and drinking.

2. Minerals and trace elements

Minerals and trace elements in the human body have an equally important impact on male fertility. The most common are elements such as zinc and selenium, which participate in the synthesis and transport of testosterone in men, while also helping to improve sperm motility and other reproductive physiological activities such as fertilization. Zinc can regulate the function of the immune system and improve sperm motility. Zinc deficiency can lead to a decrease in sperm count, an increase in the number of abnormal sperm, and a decline in sexual and reproductive function, even infertility; selenium deficiency reduces the energy source required for sperm motility, thus decreasing sperm motility.

Foods high in zinc include: shellfish, animal organs, cereal germ, sesame seeds, and shrimp.

Foods high in selenium include: kelp, cuttlefish, shrimp, and seaweed.

3. Fruits and vegetables

Men often disregard fruits and vegetables, considering them only for women's weight loss, unaware that the abundant vitamins they contain are essential for male reproductive function. Some foods high in vitamins greatly help improve sperm quality and viability. For example, vitamins A and E can delay aging and slow down functional decline, and also have a good effect on sperm production and improving sperm motility. A deficiency in these vitamins can often cause obstacles to spermatogenesis. If men suffer from a long-term deficiency of various vitamins from fruits and vegetables, it may hinder the normal development of the gonads and sperm production, thereby reducing sperm count or affecting normal sperm motility, and even leading to infertility.

4. Moderate amounts of fat

Sex hormones are mainly derived from cholesterol in fats. Cholesterol is an important raw material for the synthesis of sex hormones. Fat also contains essential fatty acids needed for sperm production. A deficiency in these fatty acids can not only affect sperm production but may also lead to decreased libido. Meat, fish, and poultry contain relatively high levels of cholesterol, and moderate intake is beneficial for sex hormone synthesis. Try to eat less pork and choose more fish and poultry, especially deep-sea fish. The essential fatty acids in deep-sea fish participate in hormone production and balance, which is beneficial for male reproduction.

**Healthy births and early parenting: Say goodbye to smoking and alcohol**

Regarding tobacco and alcohol, people have written the following two poems:

The vast universe stretches for tens of thousands of miles, cigarettes steal the show. You smoke, I smoke, he smokes; the green mountains remain, but people wander in sickness. How many lives have perished with the smoke, this scene is truly sorrowful. Smoking is not true elegance; everyone should rid themselves of the harm of smoking, to build a better China. - *Linjiang Xian*

I often yearn for a good night's sleep, seeking numbness in alcohol. Yet, in my dreams, I torment my stomach. No, no, this is no feeling at all. - "Like a Dream"

Both of these poems vividly illustrate the serious harm that tobacco and alcohol inflict on people. Indeed, smoking is entirely detrimental to human health. Smoking is a harmful "modern plague," causing 3 million deaths globally each year due to smoking-related diseases, with approximately 750,000 deaths annually in China. Smoking ranks fourth among the top 10 health hazards listed by the World Health Organization. Besides inducing various diseases, smoking also affects male fertility. Sperm production involves the rapid proliferation of cells and their differentiation and maturation, a process requiring the synthesis of DNA and proteins. Smoking significantly impacts sperm production, maturation, and the proportion of abnormal sperm. Studies have shown that if an adult male smokes 30 cigarettes a day, the sperm survival rate is only 40%, while the rate of sperm abnormalities increases.

Harmful substances in tobacco are dispersed through the air. When a father smokes, the mother and fetus are forced to inhale secondhand smoke, and the harm is the same as that caused by the mother smoking. Secondly, harmful substances in tobacco and their metabolites can cause mutations in the genes that control sperm production in men, leading to sperm abnormalities.

Recent studies have found that smoking has a significant impact on sperm motility. The birth of a child is determined by both partners; if sperm are abnormal, have weak motility, or are damaged during maturation, it can affect conception, leading to stillbirth, miscarriage, or birth defects.

Harmful components of tobacco can cause changes in chromosomes and genes, affecting offspring. These mutagenic substances can enter the reproductive system through the smoker's bloodstream. A study examining the semen of 120 men who had smoked for more than a year found that those who smoked more than 10 cigarettes a day had over 20% abnormal sperm. The longer the smoking duration, the lower the sperm count, the higher the rate of sperm abnormalities, and the lower the sperm motility. This not only affects the success rate of conception but also seriously impacts the quality of fertilized eggs and embryos.

Alcohol is a beverage with both benefits and harms, its main component being ethanol. Different types of alcohol contain varying concentrations, with high-proof spirits containing up to 60% alcohol. Moderate alcohol consumption can increase blood circulation and enhance libido, leading some to use it as an aphrodisiac. However, excessive drinking can suppress sexual reflexes, resulting in impotence. For example, many newlyweds experience unpleasant sexual intercourse on their wedding night due to excessive drinking, which can later lead to male impotence or erectile dysfunction. This is because alcohol interferes with the transmission of sexual arousal reflexes in the central nervous system, inhibiting their transmission.

Furthermore, alcohol damages the testicles in men, significantly reducing testosterone secretion. Therefore, engaging in sexual intercourse while intoxicated is harmful to health. Studies show that among chronic alcoholics, testicular atrophy occurs in up to 65%, erectile dysfunction in 17%–38%, and decreased libido in 34%–65%. This is because alcohol damages the testes, which secrete testosterone, leading to a significant reduction in testosterone levels. In alcohol-intoxicated men, an enzyme in the liver called testosterone-degrading enzyme is overactive, accelerating the breakdown of testosterone and preventing its full utilization by the body. This results in reduced gonadal function, inhibiting sperm production and thus causing decreased libido.

Furthermore, alcohol can inhibit sperm motility, alter sperm chromosome structure or number, and affect fertility. After a heavy drinking session, male fertility can take at least three months to fully recover. After excessive drinking, 70% of sperm in a man's semen are either underdeveloped or have weak motility. Infants conceived after a man has been drinking heavily are prone to developmental delays, deformities, or intellectual disabilities. Children born to fathers who drink daily are more likely to develop alcohol addiction later in life. Male alcoholism not only affects health but can also be passed on to the next generation. If a husband drinks heavily, even beer, the child born to his wife may suffer from "infant alcoholism syndrome." Such children are fussy, have low intelligence, and are prone to crying. Moreover, paternal drinking can have lasting effects and developmental changes on offspring. Alcohol damages gene structure and can cause birth defects.

Besides quitting smoking and drinking, from a medical perspective, at least five factors are related to pregnancy. In other words, numerous variables among these five factors determine the quality of the newborn's life, including their intellectual, psychological, and physiological characteristics and overall health.

1. Is there a latent virus in the body?

Viruses in the body's internal environment use cells as hosts and can remain dormant for a long time, even a lifetime. Some of these viruses can cause birth defects, such as rubella virus and respiratory enteroviruses. If the body carries a virus, or if the virus is dormant in the reproductive organs, or if the virus is in a proliferating state, the risk of miscarriage and birth defects can be increased. Therefore, preconception virological testing is very important and necessary.

2. Sexual organs and sexual physiology

The sex organs are the primary organs for reproduction. Congenital factors, acquired environmental factors, the health level of each individual's vital organs, hormone levels, the fatigue of the autonomic nervous system caused by social and interpersonal stress, and the harmony of the relationship between partners can all affect the sex organs and their physiological state. Therefore, effective health preparation before conception-making healthy individuals healthier, those with health issues healthier, and providing support to those with problems-helps create the best conditions for conception.