It’s possible that you won’t become aware of your low sperm count until you’re having trouble getting pregnant. You might have fewer sperm than is typical, according to tests. Many causes of low sperm count are treatable.
A milliliter of semen contains less than 15 million sperm, according to one medical definition. One milliliter of semen typically contains more than 15 million sperm.
Severe low sperm count (less than 5 million sperm in 1 milliliter of semen) is another name for low sperm count, which is also known as low sperm count.
If you have a low sperm count, there is a lower chance that one of your sperm will fertilize your partner’s egg and result in pregnancy. Many men with low sperm counts can still become fathers, though.
Why shouldn’t the sperm count below?
Though it doesn’t completely eliminate the possibility of naturally conceiving, having fewer sperm does lower your chances of conception.
The female reproductive system’s “race to the top” during fertilization involves the fallopian tubes, where sperm and eggs are brought together and fertilized. Anywhere between 80 and 300 million sperm cells are released during ejaculation in a healthy person without oligospermia.
However, the majority are dropped along the way. Along with a sizable portion of healthy sperm, any abnormal or otherwise defective sperm are likely to perish during this journey. Less than 1 in a million of the original ejaculate’s particles actually make it to the egg during fertilization. Due to this, it is crucial to start with a large number of sperm, and conception may be hampered by a low sperm count.
It has been demonstrated that as sperm count rises, so do pregnancy rates. A study found that couples with a male partner who had a sperm count between 5 and 60 million/ml had an average pregnancy rate of 50%. In couples with average sperm counts over 60 million/ml, the pregnancy rate rose to 70%.
Another study that looked at 308 men with oligospermia came to the conclusion that if other sperm parameters were normal and the man had a sperm count of over 2 million per milliliter of semen, there was a 22.1% chance of natural conception. On the other hand, natural conception became uncommon (1.6%) in situations where the sperm count was less than 2 million per milliliter of semen.
How can a low sperm count be detected at home?
The average turnaround time for at-home test results is 10 minutes. Since a home test does not account for all potential causes of male infertility, a normal sperm count (above 20 million sperm per milliliter of semen) does not imply that a man is fertile.
It is best to have a medical professional perform a lab test if you are worried about your fertility.
If the results of the semen analysis are abnormal and the handling of the specimen was not a contributing factor, your doctor may also ask you about the following medications:
- Alcohol.
- Caffeine.
- Using prescription medications that are known to lower sperm count.
- Using drugs recreationally.
- Tobacco.
- X-rays.
What are the typical sperm count results?
- Sperm shape.
More than 50% of sperm have a normal shape, which is a typical result for sperm shape. A man’s fertility is decreased if more than 50% of his sperm have abnormal shapes. The head, middle, or tail of the sperm may show abnormalities in a laboratory. The sperm might also be immature and incapable of successfully fertilizing an egg.
- Sperm count
In a typical semen analysis, there should be between 20 million and over 200 million sperm. This outcome is also referred to as sperm density. Conceiving may be more challenging if this number is low.
- Liquefaction.
Semen should liquefy within 15 to 30 minutes. Although semen is initially thick, the ability for it to liquefy—or change to a watery consistency—allows sperm to move more freely. Fertility may be impacted if semen does not liquefy in 15 to 30 minutes.
By looking at these 3 results, you can quickly identify the issue with the low sperm count.
How are healthy sperm produced?
- Lose weight.
One of the single most effective things you can do to increase sperm count is to lose weight if you are overweight. Weight loss can significantly improve sperm health by increasing sperm volume, concentration, and mobility. Men with a higher body mass index have been found to experience the greatest changes in sperm count; therefore, if you need to lose a lot of weight.
- Exercise.
Maintaining an active lifestyle and making healthy lifestyle choices can help increase your sperm count even if you don’t need to lose weight. More than other forms of exercise, weightlifting and outdoor activities can improve sperm health. Think about incorporating these activities into your daily schedule. Exercise can also aid in weight management or maintenance, which may have additional advantages for the health of your sperm.
- Some vitamins.
The health of sperm depends on a number of vitamin types, including vitamins d, c, e, and coq10.
Men’s sperm concentration and mobility can benefit from daily vitamin c intake of 1,000 mg. The sperm can become more concentrated and capable of moving more effectively, but the overall sperm count won’t increase. Your chances of conceiving successfully may increase as a result.
Couples with a man who had low vitamin d levels had less success conceiving. Although more investigation is required, there does appear to be a correlation between this vitamin and fertility.
- Wear loose, cotton boxers.
It can be beneficial to create the ideal conditions for healthy sperm by maintaining your sperm at an appropriate temperature and allowing plenty of airflow to the scrotum. Cotton briefs are preferable to synthetic ones if wearing boxers makes you uncomfortable. That will still support temperature and airflow control.
What is the first line of defense against low sperm count?
- Give yourself time.
It’s crucial to remember that since sperm production and transit can take up to 2 to 3 months, any treatments or lifestyle changes may not immediately show up in your sperm count. As a result, an increase might not be noticeable for three months on average.
- Hormonal treatments
Addressing the levels with medications and other treatments may help restore fertility because testosterone and other hormone levels that are either too high or too low can result in low sperm count.
It’s important to keep in mind that using anabolic steroids, testosterone, or even the majority of over-the-counter testosterone boosters can result in infertility.
- The use of assisted reproduction methods (art)
Depending on your unique situation and preferences, art treatments may involve obtaining sperm through routine ejaculation, surgical extraction, or from donors. The sperm is then either used for ivf or intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or it is inserted into the female genital tract.
- In vitro fertilization (ivf)
If your sperm count is a little low and you’ve been trying to conceive naturally with your partner for at least two years, in vitro fertilization (ivf) may be an option.
Returning the fertilized egg to the woman’s womb allows it to continue to grow and develop.
These 4 treatments are ones you can start with.
Conclusion
You should abstain from masturbation every day to prevent this low sperm count. If you suspect a low sperm count, you can check. Don’t put it off.
