Does semen pH 68 indicate inflammation?

Male fertility depends on the health of the sperm secreted. Infertility problems usually occur, and a thorough examination and testing of male semen is required. It is uncertain whether semen testing can detect inflammatory diseases in men. Therefore, men should also pay attention to their daily hygiene, diet structure and other issues. Therefore, many issues need to be paid attention to before diagnosis. So does semen pH 68 mean inflammation?

Semen pH measurement should be completed within 1 hour after ejaculation. The longer the storage time, the lower the pH. Normal semen pH is 7.2-8.0. If pH < 7, it is easy to suffer from oligospermia. Weakly alkaline semen can neutralize organic acids in vaginal secretions after being injected into the vagina, which is beneficial for sperm swimming. Therefore, when pH < 7 or > 8, it affects sperm activity. Semen examination is to check sperm quality, not to check inflammation.

Semen is composed of sperm and seminal plasma, of which sperm accounts for 10% and the rest is seminal plasma. In addition to water, fructose, protein and fat, it also contains a variety of enzymes and inorganic salts. Semen contains zinc.

Sperm and semen are produced by the testicles. Seminal plasma is secreted by the prostate, seminal vesicles and bulbourethral glands. Seminal plasma contains fructose and protein, which are nutrients for sperm. In addition, seminal plasma also contains prostaglandins and some enzymes. Normal semen is milky white, light yellow or colorless, and the number of sperm per milliliter is generally between 60 million and 200 million. Motile sperm account for more than 60% of the total. Abnormal sperm should be less than 10% of the total. Sperm motility lasts for 3-4 hours at room temperature.

Semen is alkaline, while the inside of the female genitals is acidic. Therefore, when semen enters the female's internal organs, it will be neutralized.

The fifth edition of the "Manual for Laboratory Examination of Human Semen" issued by WHO in 2010, "Standards for Normal Semen", is shown in Table 1-1 below:

Table 1-1 Normal semen standards

Results Normal Reference Value Results Normal Reference Value

Normal appearance: uniform milky white, semi-fluid, total sperm count of not less than 39 million per ejaculation

Semen volume is more than 1.5ml and sperm motility is more than 58%

pH value above 7.2, sperm motility above 40% (a+b+c)

or more than 32% (a+b)

Liquefaction time: Within 60 minutes at room temperature, usually no more than 15 minutes Normal form: More than 4%

Sperm density is more than 15 million/ml and white blood cells are less than 1×10/ml

The amount of semen ejaculated by a normal fertile male is 2-6 ml, with an average of 3.5 ml. The amount of semen ejaculated at one time is negatively correlated with the frequency of ejaculation. If the amount of semen ejaculated is still less than 2 ml after 5-7 days of abstinence, it is considered as a reduction in semen; if there is no ejaculation, it is called aspermia. Seminal plasma is the medium for sperm activity and can neutralize the acidic secretions of the vagina to avoid affecting sperm motility. A decrease in semen volume (insufficient semen) is not conducive to the passage of semen through the vagina into the uterus and fallopian tubes, affecting fertilization. If the amount of semen ejaculated at one time exceeds 8 ml, the sperm is diluted, which is also not conducive to fertility. This may be caused by the hypersecretion of gonadotropin in the anterior pituitary gland, which increases the level of androgen and can also be seen in those who abstain from sex for too long.

Semen contains an antibacterial substance comparable to penicillin - semen cytoplasm. Experts point out that semen cytoplasm is a protein with unique functions. Once this substance enters the cell, it can prevent the synthesis of RNA and kill bacteria. It has been observed from laboratory culture that semen cytoplasm can kill many pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus.