How much sperm count is normal?

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In order to conceive, the quantity and quality of sperm motility can be of prime importance. The journey for a sperm to reach and fertilize an egg can be difficult. Therefore, the more sperm you have, the higher your chances are. The following article will discuss about normal sperm count, the reasons for low sperm count and the treatments that are available at the present time.

1. Normal sperm count

Normal sperm concentration ranges from 15 million to more than 200 million sperm per milliliter of semen. You are considered to have a low sperm count if you have less than 15 million sperm per milliliter or less than 39 million total sperm per ejaculation. Accordingly, your partner's chances of getting pregnant decrease as the sperm count decreases.
There are many factors associated with low sperm count in semen. However, some men with low sperm count can still father successful fathers. Meanwhile, some men with normal sperm counts are unable to father children. Even if you have enough sperm, other factors are important for having a baby, including normal sperm movement.
MORE: How many sperm can a man produce each time he ejaculates?

2. What is low sperm count?

Low sperm count means that the semen released during orgasm contains less sperm than usual. Low sperm count is considered to be the cause of male infertility. But it doesn't mean you won't have children if you have a low sperm count.
Sperm count is considered low if the count is below 15 million sperm/mL of semen, although the average is around 75 million sperm per mL.

3. Causes of Low Sperm Count

Causes of low sperm count include: obesity, being overweight, having experienced trauma or surgery in or around the testicles. Besides, if you are taking certain medications, these can be the cause of low sperm count. In addition, there are many different causes of low sperm quality, which can be divided into three main categories: Health condition, environment and lifestyle.

3.1 Health status

Injuries or surgery as well as genetic conditions can increase the chance of having a low sperm count. In addition, cancer treatments can affect hormone and sperm production. In addition, other factors such as:
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can also cause damage to the reproductive system. Problems with erection or ejaculation, problems with the immune system. Medical procedures, treatments, or medications for a variety of conditions including certain cancer, antifungal, antibiotic, and ulcer medications Surgery in the male reproductive system such as testicular surgery , bladder surgery, surgery for a prolapsed testicle, inguinal hernia repair, and vasectomy also affect sperm count.

3.2 Environmental factors

Besides health status, environmental factors also affect sperm count. For example:
Extreme heat can cause the testicles to reduce sperm production. Regular soaking in hot tubs to placing a computer on your lap can reduce sperm count. Exposure to herbicides and other industrial chemicals or heavy metals also makes your sperm count likely to drop. In addition, exposure to radiation from X-rays can also harm sperm production.

3.3 Lifestyle-related factors

Habits such as drug use and heavy alcohol use as well as tobacco use can also reduce sperm count. In addition, some other life factors can be mentioned such as:
Anabolic steroids used to increase muscle mass almost always shrink the testicles and decrease sperm production. Testosterone boosters, vitamins, and commercially available pre-workout supplements may all contain small amounts of anabolic steroids, which can decrease sperm production. Due to the nature of jobs that require sitting for long periods of time, such as driving a truck, psychological conditions such as stress and depression can also cause low sperm count. affect hormones

4. Low sperm count and infertility risk

The good news is that having low sperm doesn't mean you can't father a child, but it can take a little longer. The researchers shared that unless your sperm count is zero, you can still get your partner pregnant over time.
How long it takes for successful fertilization depends on a number of individual factors including your sperm count and how healthy your sperm is. If your sperm count is low and motility is affected it may take longer.

5. How to treat low sperm count?

Treatments for low sperm count include:

5.1. Surgery

If you have varicocele which can be repaired surgically or if you have a blocked vas deferens you may also be advised by your doctor to increase your chances of fatherhood. In the absence of ejaculatory spermatozoa, sperm can usually be obtained directly from the testicles or epididymis using a sperm retrieval technique.

5.2. Treatment of infection

Antibiotics can cure reproductive tract infections, but this does not always restore fertility.
Medication or counseling can help you improve fertility in conditions like erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation.

5.3. Drugs and hormone treatments

Your doctor may recommend hormone replacement or medication in cases of infertility caused by high or low levels of certain hormones or problems with the way the body uses hormones.

5.4. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)

ART treatment involves obtaining sperm through normal ejaculation, surgical extraction, or from individual donors depending on the individual's condition. The sperm is then inserted into a woman's genital tract, either used for in vitro fertilization or for intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
For someone with a low sperm count, increasing your chances of fatherhood may take longer than you initially expected and may require a visit to your doctor to see how you can improve your quality. his sperm. Regardless, if you suspect you have a problem, make an appointment with your doctor. That way, you can get a good idea of ​​how low your numbers may be and what treatments are available. If your low sperm count is due to an underlying health condition, your doctor can also help you perform the necessary treatment.
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References: mayoclinic.org, healthline.com