Is there a safe way to enjoy a hot tub while TTC?

liz4paws

So everyone knows that everyone says hot tubs are a no no while TTC. But I tried googling it to better understand if there is any sort of "safe window" for MH to enjoy his beloved new hot tub, but didn't find anything concrete. Most sites just say to avoid it all together, or that "use in moderation" is fine, but that seems vague and relative depending on who you talk to. One alarming site said it can take two to three months for a man to regenerate healthy sperm cells after using a hot tub and they should be avoided at all costs. That seems to contradict what I thought about it only takes 2-3 days for sperm to regenerate.

So the fact that I chart and can predict pretty accurately when my fertile window will begin, and assuming that sperm are regenerated every few days, why can't he use the hot tub outside of my fertile window plus about 2-3 day lead up time? So am I wrong here or does it really render him spermless for months on end?  He has no known sperm issues.

Also, is there a safe temperature to be in a hot tub? I know we can turn it down quite a bit. I won't get in into it all of the way during my fertile window or after O, but it's fun to relax with my feet in it on the side while he's in there. Would really like for it not to turn into an expensive patio ornament. Any insight you ladies can provide would be great! TIA

Jinnifah

well, it takes 3 days to build up sperm count again. So as long as you were well outside your fertile window I expect it would be ok. I'm no doctor though and have never researched anything hot-tub related.

ansi29

liz4paws:

So everyone knows that everyone says hot tubs are a no no while TTC. But I tried googling it to better understand if there is any sort of "safe window" for MH to enjoy his beloved new hot tub, but didn't find anything concrete. Most sites just say to avoid it all together, or that "use in moderation" is fine, but that seems vague and relative depending on who you talk to. One alarming site said it can take two to three months for a man to regenerate healthy sperm cells after using a hot tub and they should be avoided at all costs. That seems to contradict what I thought about it only takes 2-3 days for sperm to regenerate.

So the fact that I chart and can predict pretty accurately when my fertile window will begin, and assuming that sperm are regenerated every few days, why can't he use the hot tub outside of my fertile window plus about 2-3 day lead up time? So am I wrong here or does it really render him spermless for months on end?  He has no known sperm issues.

Also, is there a safe temperature to be in a hot tub? I know we can turn it down quite a bit. I won't get in into it all of the way during my fertile window or after O, but it's fun to relax with my feet in it on the side while he's in there. Would really like for it not to turn into an expensive patio ornament. Any insight you ladies can provide would be great! TIA

The alarming study is correct in that the process of spermatogenesis takes approximately 72 days. There are sperm at all steps in this process, so the sperm count can be replenished each day. 

I don't know what a safe temperature would be in a hot tub, but I think it would be slightly below body temperature, since that is the temperature at which sperm are designed to develop (hence why testes are outside the body, so they can be slightly cooler than body temp). Therefore, I think a "safe" temp would not be all that nice to lounge in because it wouldn't feel very hot.

Wild_flower25

I thought it takes 3-4 months for sperm to regenerate.  But, I think if your DH has a normal sperm count, I really wouldn't worry about him going in the hot tub once in a while.  Just keep it cooler.  I think I read as long as his body temp doesn't go up more than 1 degree, it wouldn't do any damage.  So if you kept it at 99 degrees or less, it should be ok. 

liz4paws

ansi29:

liz4paws:

So everyone knows that everyone says hot tubs are a no no while TTC. But I tried googling it to better understand if there is any sort of "safe window" for MH to enjoy his beloved new hot tub, but didn't find anything concrete. Most sites just say to avoid it all together, or that "use in moderation" is fine, but that seems vague and relative depending on who you talk to. One alarming site said it can take two to three months for a man to regenerate healthy sperm cells after using a hot tub and they should be avoided at all costs. That seems to contradict what I thought about it only takes 2-3 days for sperm to regenerate.

So the fact that I chart and can predict pretty accurately when my fertile window will begin, and assuming that sperm are regenerated every few days, why can't he use the hot tub outside of my fertile window plus about 2-3 day lead up time? So am I wrong here or does it really render him spermless for months on end?  He has no known sperm issues.

Also, is there a safe temperature to be in a hot tub? I know we can turn it down quite a bit. I won't get in into it all of the way during my fertile window or after O, but it's fun to relax with my feet in it on the side while he's in there. Would really like for it not to turn into an expensive patio ornament. Any insight you ladies can provide would be great! TIA

The alarming study is correct in that the process of spermatogenesis takes approximately 72 days. There are sperm at all steps in this process, so the sperm count can be replenished each day. 

I don't know what a safe temperature would be in a hot tub, but I think it would be slightly below body temperature, since that is the temperature at which sperm are designed to develop (hence why testes are outside the body, so they can be slightly cooler than body temp). Therefore, I think a "safe" temp would not be all that nice to lounge in because it wouldn't feel very hot.

Interesting, but I'm a little confused by this. So by getting into a hot tub, it kills all sperm, even those in their infancy (so to speak) and no mature sperm will be created for another 72 days? Do you have any links or anything with more information?

brookelynpaisley

liz4paws:

Interesting, but I'm a little confused by this. So by getting into a hot tub, it kills all sperm, even those in their infancy (so to speak) and no mature sperm will be created for another 72 days? Do you have any links or anything with more information?

If one hot-tubbing incident did in fact kill off all sperm at every stage of development, then yes. There would be no mature sperm for 72 days because you'd have to wait for brand new sperm to mature starting from the day after.

FWIW, this is why when we had our first SA and had poor results, we were going to implement vitamins and lifestyle changes and retest 72 days from then. We wanted 100% of the sample to reflect changes.