Is it normal for sperm to not be milky white?

Sperm is a reproductive cell produced in the male body. It is the key substance for human reproduction. It carries male genes and combines with eggs carrying female genes to form new life. Therefore, the quality of sperm has a great impact on the smooth development of reproduction. The health of sperm can be initially identified from its appearance. For example, is it normal for sperm to be milky white?

The color of semen can be light yellow, milky white, or grayish white. Generally, it is gelatinous or jelly-like or contains some particles just after ejaculation. It can often be completely liquefied within half an hour. Once liquefied, it becomes like water. Normal semen just ejaculated is viscous, milky white, and contains grayish white clots. After about 10-20 minutes, the clots liquefy themselves and become translucent, turbid, thin mucus.

Whether the semen is normal can be analyzed from the following aspects:

(1) Semen volume: Normal ≥ 2ml. If it is greater than 7ml, it is too much. Not only will the sperm density be reduced, but it will also be easy to flow out of the vagina, resulting in a decrease in the total number of sperm. This is often seen in seminal vesiculitis. If it is less than 2ml, it is too little semen, but usually less than 1ml is too little. At this time, the contact area between the semen and the female reproductive tract is small, or the viscosity makes it difficult for the sperm to enter the female cervix, leading to infertility. This is often seen in severe paragonitis, low testosterone levels, ejaculatory duct obstruction, retrograde ejaculation, etc.

(2) Color: Normal color is off-white or slightly yellow. Milky white or yellow-green indicates inflammation of the reproductive tract or accessory glands. Pink, red, or red blood cells under a microscope indicate bloody semen, which is commonly seen in inflammation of the accessory glands or posterior urethra, and occasionally in tuberculosis or tumors.

(3) pH: The normal pH value of semen is 7.2-7.8. A pH value less than 7.2 is seen in ejaculatory duct obstruction or urine contamination; a pH value greater than 7.8 is seen in seminal vesiculitis or an old specimen.

(4) Liquefaction time: After normal semen is ejaculated, it becomes jelly-like under the action of the seminal vesicle coagulase. After 15 to 30 minutes, it becomes liquid under the action of the prostate liquefaction enzyme. This is called semen liquefaction. If semen still does not liquefy 30 minutes after ejaculation, it is abnormal.

(5) Viscosity: When a glass rod is placed in contact with liquefied semen and gently lifted, a semen thread will form. Normally, its length is less than 2 cm.