Hoping to squeeze out a lucky tiger baby before the year ends? If you’re one of the roughly 15% of Singaporean couples experiencing fertility issues and who are unable to conceive within 12 months of trying, you may be in for a bumpy road ahead. And while signs of infertility may be easier to spot in females, it’s important to note that such issues affect males equally.
According to Dr. Lim Min Yu, President of the Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society of Singapore; and Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist with Astra Women’s & Fertility Specialists, Gleneagles Hospital, the male factor contributes to between 40% to 50% of infertility cases, and affects approximately 7% of men. Furthermore, he says, couples can experience unexplained infertility – where there is no obvious problem on either side, but they are unable to conceive. This is something that up to 15% to 30% of infertile couples have to navigate.
Such was the case for Dr. Benjamin Tee, the co-founder of twoplus fertility. Undergoing numerous – and often invasive – fertility treatments with his wife inspired him to devise the twoplus Sperm Guide: a non-invasive, at-home conception aid designed to promote conception by channelling as much sperm to the cervix as possible.
Here, he tells us about the challenges he faced when trying to conceive, how the product works and his candid thoughts about men who refuse to seek help for their fertility issues.