Doctor says pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness ‘may be linked to sperm quality’. Did you know of this connection?

Dr Kunal Sood reveals that sperm health may influence morning sickness and placental development. Poor quality can also result in lower hormone levels.

According to Dr Kunal Sood, MD, a double board-certified physician in anesthesiology and interventional pain medicine, the sperm quality of your partner could determine the symptoms you have during your pregnancy, including morning sickness.

In an Instagram post shared on June 14, Dr Sood discussed how sperm quality also influences the placenta. The video begins with a stitched clip of an influencer titled ‘When you find out your pregnancy symptoms are linked to his quality of sperm’, where she blames her partner for causing her morning sickness.

Your partner's sperm causes pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness?

In the video, Dr Sood highlighted that what's less often discussed during a woman's pregnancy is that the placenta isn't just influenced by the egg – it also responds to signals from the sperm.

The physician cited the research: ‘The hidden link between sperm health and morning sickness: Why men need to step up before baby’. It suggests that higher quality sperm can lead to better placental development and stronger hormone production, including hCG (Human chorionic gonadotropin) hormone.

Meanwhile, for the uninitiated, a placenta is an organ that forms in the womb, also called the uterus, during pregnancy. It is connected to a developing baby by a tubelike structure called the umbilical cord, through which the placenta provides oxygen and nutrients to the developing baby. Therefore, a placenta's role is huge in the baby's development and a woman's pregnancy.

‘Poor sperm quality may result in lower hormone levels…’

Moreover, hCG is a pregnancy hormone which is linked to morning sickness. Dr Sood explained, “Poor sperm quality, especially with DNA damage or weak signalling, may result in lower hormone levels and, in some cases, a higher risk of miscarriage. So, while sperm quality isn't the only factor, it may help explain why some pregnancies come with strong symptoms and others don't.”

Did you know this connection existed?

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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