Fertility and Infertility Information

Variations in Sperm Counts

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There are six main variables that determine whether sperm has normal count and quality:

• Sperm mobility
• Concentration
• Morphology
• Speed
• Count
• Sub-fertility

Drawbacks in any of these areas can greatly affect the chances of conception.

Sperm Mobility
Sperm mobility refers to the sperm’s ability to move in a rather dynamic and active fashion. When it comes to healthy sperm, more than 50% of them may be considered active if more than 25% of them are moving vehemently in one direction. It is this movement that enables the sperm to travel through the cervical canal, into the uterus and the fallopian tubes and finally, to break through the egg.

Sperm Concentration
Normal sperm count is a function of concentration that refers to the number of sperm cells in a milliliter of semen. The average or normal concentration measures around 22 million sperm cells per milliliter of semen.

Sperm Morphology
The third point is morphology. A healthy sperm cell bears a resemblance to a tadpole in shape. The oval head of the sperm holds the genetic material, while the center provides energy and the tail thrusts the sperm forward. Experts believe that oddly shaped sperm are not capable of fertilizing an egg.

Sperm Speed
Speed is another factor that affects sperm quality. Based on a study made by the World Health Organization, in a healthy male only 25% of sperm will exhibit progressive mobility. These are the sperm with the best chance of successfully infiltrating and fertilizing an egg.

Sperm Count
Normal sperm count is also a vital factor in sperm production. Count refers to the number of sperm in the fluid that is ejaculated. There are over 50 million sperm in a normal ejaculate, and a total count below 40 million may indicate decreased fertility.

Sub-Fertility
The sixth and last factor is sub-fertility. This term refers to couples that are unable to achieve conception after a year’s period of unprotected intercourse. This is, however, different from infertility. Typical causes of male sub-fertility include sperm production problems, blockage in the sperm’s delivery system, injuries to the testicles, low or high hormone production, anatomical problems, varicocele, past illnesses, side effects of medications, and sperm quality.

Increasing the volume of ejaculation and the normal sperm count has become a common obsession among men. During the past few years, the medical community had been committed to developing a safe and effective alternative treatment to the run of the mill advice that has been handed down from one generation to the next. Recent studies show that increasing sperm volume could actually be accomplished in two ways.

The first way to increase sperm county is by taking herbal supplements that contain amino acids and zinc. Amino acids, if taken regularly, are generally believed to increase ejaculate fluid. Zinc seems to improve both the amount of sperm produced as well as the sperm’s ability to move spontaneously and independently. Together with amino acids, this will increase normal sperm count and volume significantly. The second way to increase sperm count is by doing PC exercises. Kegel exercises can not only help you last longer, they can also aid in increasing sperm volume.

Author: Marc Deschamps

About the author: Marc Deschamps is the editor of For-Men-Only-Magazine.com, a free online publication dedicated to the sexual health of the modern man. Other articles on male semen can be found at www.for-men-only-magazine.comArticle: Copyright 2006 Marc Deschamps

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