When I was diagnosed with low sperm count, I felt guilty and embarrassed. I want to break the taboo.

"Before we got married in 2014, my wife, Chloe Melas, a journalist, and I were very much aligned on wanting children in the future. It's a huge step for anybody in a relationship, but we agreed that it would be great to start a family together. Then, around a year after the wedding, we tried to get pregnant - without success."

"It wasn't ideal for both of us and caused a lot of issues, which weren't fun. It was a strain and kind of brutal. The test to determine my sperm count felt awkward Fortunately, we were able to find a good, straight-talking doctor who ran a series of tests. Chloe was found to have a diminished ovarian reserve, but they wanted to check me out, too."

"My test was back in 2016. Thankfully, there are now a lot of companies that allow you to sort everything out in your own home. The results showed I had a low sperm count, which proved to be the primary cause of the issues. If someone asked if I felt guilty, embarrassed, or was worried that Chloe was resentful toward me, I'd answer yes."

Brian Mazza and his wife planned to start a family after marrying in 2014, but attempts to conceive around a year later failed and monthly disappointment took a heavy emotional toll. Medical tests revealed Chloe had diminished ovarian reserve and Mazza had a low sperm count, identified in 2016. The testing experience felt awkward and exposed, and Mazza experienced guilt, embarrassment, and fear of disappointing his wife and family despite maintaining fitness and healthy habits. Mazza overcame shame, became an advocate for male infertility awareness, appeared on the cover of Men's Health, and was named Champion for Male Fertility Advocacy.

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