Male sperm motility standard

The key of basic semen analysis is to understand the information of sperm density, sperm count, total number of sperm in semen, sperm aggregation, sperm motility and sperm motility, sperm morphology, sperm liquefaction, etc. In fact, this kind of analysis is only a very superficial analysis, and sometimes it is still impossible to truly understand the function and fertilization potential of sperm, especially in artificial insemination and IVF. It is not possible to decide whether artificial insemination can be carried out based on the information provided by routine semen examination.

Evaluation indicators

(1) Sperm density: Normal ≥ 2ml. When it exceeds 7ml, it is too much. Not only will the number of sperm decrease, but it will also be easily discharged from the vagina, resulting in a decrease in the number of sperm. This is more common in seminal vesiculitis. When it is less than 2ml, the sperm density is too low, but generally less than 1ml is too low. At this time, the total area of ​​sperm contact with the female reproductive system is small, or the concentration is not conducive to the sperm entering the female cervix, causing infertility. This is more common in more serious secondary sex hormone inflammation, low testosterone levels, vas deferens obstruction, retrograde ejaculation, etc.

(2) Color: Normal color is grayish white or slightly yellowish. Milky white or light green indicates inflammation of the reproductive system or the secondary sex hormones; pink, bright red, and blood cells under the microscope indicate spermatorrhea, which is often seen in secondary sex hormones, inflammation of the posterior urethra, and occasionally tuberculosis or tumors.

(3) pH: The normal pH value of semen is 7.2~7.8. A pH lower than 7.2 is often seen in vas deferens obstruction or contamination by the urine environment; a pH higher than 7.8 is often seen in seminal vesicle inflammation or old specimen collection. (4) Vaporization time: After normal semen is ejaculated, it becomes jelly under the coagulation and hydrolysis of the seminal vesicle, and becomes liquid under the vaporization and hydrolysis of the male prostate after 15~30 minutes. This is sperm liquefaction. If semen still does not vaporize 30 minutes after ejaculation, it is considered abnormal.

(5) Viscosity: When a glass rod touches the vaporized semen and gently lifts it, semen threads will be produced. Normally, the length of the thread is less than 2 cm.

(6) Sperm count: It is generally expressed as the number of sperm in 1 ml of semen. The normal count is ≥ 20 106/ml. A count below this value indicates too few sperm, which is often seen in spermatogenesis problems caused by various reasons. It may lead to low fertility or infertility due to the reduced chance of sperm entering the uterine body and bilateral fallopian tubes. If the sperm count exceeds 250 106/ml, it means too many sperm, which may also cause infertility due to the affected sperm motility.

(7) Sperm morphology: ≥50% of male sperm should be of normal shape, otherwise it may lead to infertility.

(8) Sperm motility: ≥50% of male sperm move forward quickly in a straight line.

(9) White blood cell count: The white blood cell count in normal semen is less than 106/ml. Too many white blood cells indicate infection in the reproductive system or parasitic hormones.

(10) Survival rate: Generally refers to the live sperm ≥ 50% detected within 1 hour of ejaculation. Common causes of decreased sperm motility and survival rate include inflammation of the adrenal glands, varicose veins, microvilli stasis syndrome caused by chronic respiratory infection, sperm antibodies in the semen, or improper collection and storage of samples.