If you are planning a family, or have been trying to conceive for some time without success, you might be wondering what part sperm count plays in getting pregnant and if it really matters?
"The fact that sperm counts have fallen across a short timescale of 50-70 years suggests that the causes must be lifestyle and environmental, rather than genetic. This also means that the decline is probably preventable, and possibly reversible."
Sharpe RM. Sperm counts and fertility in men: a rocky road ahead. Science & Society Series on Sex and Science. EMRO Rep. 2012 May 1
Well it certainly matters, but it’s not the whole picture. Overall semen health is the goal, which is subtly different.
‘Sperm count’ is a measure of the average number of sperm cells in semen from a single ejaculation. Studies have shown that male sperm count has been steadily declining since the 1930s-1940s. The proportion of men with a sperm count less than 40 million per millilitre (ml) increased from around 15% in the 1930s to around 40% by the 1990s–2000, and then further still by 10% over following 16 years. Doctors call low sperm count oligospermia or oligozoospermia.
A full semen analysis assessing sperm quality, or fitness, as well as quantity can be conducted by your doctor or medical professional, but, an over the counter (OTC) self-diagnostic sperm count test kit can help you quickly and affordably begin to understand this particular fertility marker from the comfort of your own home.
It takes just one sperm to fertilise a woman's egg, but the odds of that one succeeding are really quite low. A typical fertile man produces just 5-15% morphologically normal sperm cells - strong specimens with an optimal shape and physical fitness to stay the course and penetrate the egg. Most sperms tire and perish enroute because they are not fit; the journey from vagina to fallopian tube (where fertilisation takes place) is long and winding and the egg’s outer wall is tough to pierce.