Having your semen tested by a lab is the best way to know whether you're fertile. This type of test is called a lab semen analysis. A lab semen analysis checks: Semen volume.
Low sperm count symptoms might include: Problems with sexual function — for example, low sex drive or difficulty maintaining an erection (erectile dysfunction) Pain, swelling or a lump in the testicle area. Decreased facial or body hair or other signs of a chromosome or hormone abnormality.
A trained expert checks your sperm count, their shape, movement, and other characteristics. In general, if you have a higher number of normal-shaped sperm, it means you have higher fertility. But there are plenty of exceptions to this. A lot of guys with low sperm counts or abnormal semen are still fertile.
Causes of male infertility
Abnormal sperm production or function due to undescended testicles, genetic defects, health problems such as diabetes, or infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, mumps or HIV. Enlarged veins in the testes (varicocele) also can affect the quality of sperm.
Peak male fertility is around 25-29 years old. Sperm quality begins to decline at 30. At 45, men begin to experience a significant decrease in semen volume. Older men can also take longer to conceive a child.
SpermCheck Fertility is a simple, FDA-approved male fertility product that provides quick and reliable sperm count results. SpermCheck Fertility kit can be used in the privacy of your own home and quickly informs men whether their sperm count is normal or low.
Men start losing their fertility at age 40.
In a study of more than 1,900 couples, irrespective of the woman's age, IVF attempts involving men 40 or older failed 70 percent more often than IVF attempts involving men younger than 30. Previous theory: Older men produce fewer kids because they get less sex.
Semen is normally a whitish-gray color. Changes in semen color might be temporary and harmless or a sign of an underlying condition that requires further evaluation.
No. Even masturbating frequently won't have any effect on your sperm count or your ability to get pregnant. In fact, masturbation has a number of physical and mental health benefits — here are just a few: Masturbation releases stress and physical tension.
The concentration of sperm is what makes the semen cloudy and thick, so if your ejaculate is watery it is possible that you have a low sperm count. This doesn't mean you're infertile (so precautions to prevent pregnancy still need to be taken for couples that don't want to get pregnant).
There is no way for either of the partners to know if the sperm entered the egg. The only way to know for sure if the sperm did enter the egg is after a positive pregnancy test.
Semen can become watery or thinner than usual if someone masturbates or engages in sexual activity multiple times each day. In this case, abstaining from sexual activity for a few days may help treat the issue. Watery semen can sometimes indicate that a person has a low sperm count or reduced semen quality.
Some studies suggest that moderate ejaculation (2–4 times per week) is associated with a lower prostate cancer risk. However, ejaculating more often doesn't mean your cancer risk drops even more.
If your sperm is yellowish-green in colour, it means that it contains bacteria that travel from the urinary tract to the prostate gland. You may occasionally have blood in your sperm, which indicates that you have high blood pressure, which makes it impossible for the couple to conceive.
How many sperm do you need to get pregnant? It takes just one sperm to fertilize a woman's egg. Keep in mind, though, for each sperm that reaches the egg, there are millions that don't. On average, each time men ejaculate they release nearly 100 million sperm.
Can you still conceive if you're dealing with male infertility? As long as a man produces some amount of sperm, there's a chance he could get a woman pregnant. In fact, some couples dealing with low sperm counts or abnormal sperm are still able to conceive without any additional interventions.
Conditions such as cancer of the testicle or prostate, diabetes, high blood pressure and peripheral vascular disease can cause a man to have a low sperm count. Lifesaving cancer treatment either surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy can destroy sperm cells, and greatly decrease a man's sperm count.
Discoloured or foul-smelling ejaculate
If your semen is yellow in colour or there is a foul smell this can be an indication of an infection in your prostate. Infections in the genitals are usually either a urinary tract infection (UTI) or sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Some research suggests that increasing body mass index (BMI) is linked with decreasing sperm count and sperm movement. Eat a healthy diet. Choose plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidants — and might help improve sperm health. Prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs).