For couples trying for a baby, the man in the relationship is going to have to be able to supply some good quality sperm if they are to conceive a child.
More than likely, the man has never had to think about his sperm quality in the past and has no way of knowing whether he has good quality sperm or not.
Simple guide to good sperm quality
Without going into too much detail and long winded medical terms sperm quality is judged on a series of conditions.
- there should be at least 2ml of semen per ejaculation.
- this ejaculation should contain 40 million sperm
- 75% of sperm should be alive
- 30% of the sperm should hold a normal form and shape.
- 25% should be swimming quickly forward
- 50% should be swimming forward, a bit slower is ok
Sperm quality differs from day to day, so it’s a good idea to have a couple of tests done over a few weeks to get a better picture of the quality.
Improving sperm quality and chances of conceiving
Get healthy, in most cases a healthy man produces healthy sperm. So if you’re trying for baby and want to improve the odds, then you should these simple rules…
- Eat a balanced diet and take some regular exercise
- Avoid smoking and other recreational drugs
- Cut out alcohol or lower it to recommended limits
- Don’t risk catching any STDs (sexually transmitted diseases)
Healthy sperm, what’s the chances of conceiving?
The people in the white coats who are good at maths tell us that healthy couples have a 20% chance of conceiving every month.
With the odds at 1 in 5 then it’s not unreasonable to expect to wait at least 6 months before asking your GP about fertility advice and sperm tests.
If you are curious about your sperm quality or perhaps past attempts have taken longer than you’d like, you can always use a home sperm test kit without the need to approach your GP.
Good luck and keep your sperm healthy.