When fertility is a concern, masturbation should not be practiced around the time of the wife's fertile period. However, masturbation will not have a long-term injurious effect on the testes. In the male, most sexual transmitted diseases cause irritating symptoms at the time the disease is active. Following the acute stage of the disease, long-term problems with fertility is not common. Sperm production should not be affected unless the disease process spreads to the testes.
Most lubricants used with sexual intercourse have a toxic effect on the sperm.
This can be a problem if the woman lubricates poorly during sexual arousal and finds intercourse without use of lubricants to be irritating and uncomfortable. If lubricants are used, they should be used sparingly. The frequency of intercourse generally should be that which the couple considers most enjoyable. The reason for this interval is that sperm should survive for 48 hours within the woman's reproductive tract and the egg should be subject to impregnate for 12 to 24 hours. Intercourse every other day keeps sperm along the course of the fallopian tube ready for contact with the egg as it makes its descent from the ovary towards the uterus.