Even though it is not a definitive measure of a man’s infertility, Semen Analysis is still an important step in understanding the troubles of natural conception in men. A sperm count test as well as other components of semen analysis can prove to be effective in answering the most pressing questions regarding male infertility. The procedure of semen analysis test evaluates the quality and count of a man’s semen and sperm in the form of a semen analysis report. This helps in charting out the possibilities around fertility and to predict the chances of natural conception. Accordingly, the fertility specialist may recommend foods that increase semen along with other lifestyle changes.
Before obtaining the sample, it is necessary to abstain from any kind of sexual activity for about 2 to 5 days in order to get accurate results. During the analysis, the doctors collect the sample obtained through stimulation and analyse the sample to obtain information about the following aspects of the semen.
- Motility – How does the sperm move?
- Morphology – The anatomy of the sperm and the percentage of sperm that are normal in shape
- Count – How many sperm are there in one sample?
- Vitality – How long can a sperm survive?
This analysis helps in reaching the conclusion about what is causing a problem in natural conception, and thus, helps in charting the right path towards solving the issue. It also helps in determining what will be the best fertility treatment.
About Sperm
A healthy sperm contains three parts: the head, the midpiece, and the tail.
- The Head
Is the storage of all the genetic information of a sperm. The Acrosome of the head is responsible for the release of important enzymes that are involved in the fertilization process.
- The Mid Piece
Contains the “Mitochondria” that generates the energy for a sperm to swim towards the egg.
- The Tail
Contains the microtubules that help in propelling the sperm through the fallopian tubes.
SEMEN ANALYSIS FAQ’S
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), a normal report for semen analysis would
look something like this:
| WHO Reference Range | |
| Total Sperm Count in Ejaculate | 39 – 928 Million |
| Volume of Ejaculate | 1.5 – 7.6 mL |
| Sperm Concentration | 15 – 259 Million per mL |
| Total motility (progressive and non-progressive) | 40 – 81% |
| Progressive motility | 32 – 75% |
| Sperm morphology | 4 – 48% |
The rate of pregnancy is subjective to a number of factors that not only includes the count of sperm but their motility, their health, and their morphology as well. For healthy sperm, a lady can get pregnant with as less as 20 million sperm per mL.
It means that none of the sperm in the ejaculate is mobile or has the ability to move because of several factors.
Lazy sperm is the condition of low sperm motility, where the sperm “give up” swimming to the egg mid-way only, causing fewer chances of getting pregnant. The main causes of having lazy sperm can be
- Infection
- Testicular Cancer
- Testicular Surgery
- Congenital issues
- Undescended testicles
- Injury
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Varicocele