Normal sperm analysis

The semen sample must be examined in order to determine if there are factors present which could reduce the chances for a sperm to fertilize an egg. This examination is known as a semen analysis. It is common for a semen sample to vary from one collection to the next. In order to lessen this variability and to optimize the quality of the sperm in the collection, the male partner will be asked to abstain from having an ejaculation for a brief time before his collection that is to be analyzed.

When you see a doctor because you're having trouble getting your partner pregnant, he or she will try to determine the underlying cause. Even if your doctor thinks low sperm count is the problem, it is recommended that your partner be evaluated to rule out potential contributing factors and determine if assisted reproductive techniques may be required. This includes examination of your genitals and asking questions about any inherited conditions, chronic health problems, illnesses, injuries or surgeries that could affect fertility. Your doctor might also ask about your sexual habits and your sexual development.

Sperm are male reproductive cells present in the ejaculate. A doctor can tell someone their sperm count using a test called semen analysis. The average sperm count is between 40 million and million sperm per milliliter. This number can vary between testing centers, with the above range coming from Resolve , a nonprofit fertility association. A doctor may recommend a semen analysis for many reasons, such as to test for possible underlying causes of infertility , how well the reproductive organs are working, or whether a surgical procedure for sterility was successful.

Semen analyses can be frightening for couples struggling with infertility. However, it does not have to be. The most important thing to remember when dealing with this test is that, unlike a lot of other blood tests, it has a significant amount of variability. In fact, there is no value other than azoospermia or having no sperm in the ejaculate below which a man cannot have children. Sperm production is the most rapid process in the human body.