What’s Sperm Motility and how does it affect Fertility?
Last updated on May 13th, 2023 at 11:30 am
5 minutes read.
The word “motile” means – capable of moving. Motility is the ability of an organism to move independently, using metabolic energy.
Spermatozoon is a motile cell with a special ability to travel through the woman’s reproductive tract and fertilize an oocyte.
To reach and penetrate the oocyte, spermatozoa should possess progressive motility. Therefore, motility is an important parameter during both natural and assisted conception. (1, 2 )
Sperm health is an important factor in a couple’s ability to conceive. There are six main criteria for healthy sperm:
- volume
- motility
- shape
- ability to pass through the cervical mucus and make it to the egg
- acrosome reaction
- zona pellucida binding
- nuclear decondensation
Sperm also need to have the right number of chromosomes for a successful pregnancy. A breakdown in any of these criteria can result in male-factor infertility.
An estimated 15 to 20 percent of couples worldwide are affected by infertility. Of those, approximately 30 to 40 percent are infertile due to male factors, including sperm motility. Another 20 percent are infertile due to a combination of male and female factors. (3)
Let’s find out in 5 minutes how this affects your overall ability to be fertile.
Sperm motility and pregnancy
Healthy sperm motility is defined as sperm with forward progressions of at least 25 micrometers per second. If a man has poor sperm mobility, it’s called asthenospermia or asthenozoospermia. (4, 5) There are different types of sperm motility issues, including:
- slow or sluggish progressive motility
- non-progressive motility, which is defined as anything less than 5 micrometers per second
- no mobility
Sperm Speed and gender controversy
According to Shettles’s finding in 1960 using phase-contrast microscopy, it was established that sperm with Y chromosomes, or “boy” sperm, swim faster than sperm with X chromosomes, known as “girl” sperm.
However, one 2006 study, using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) reported that there is no noticeable difference in motility or speed between X and Y sperm as well as their shape. (6)
But the result of another study in 2012 stated that “we found that the sex bias of a man’s siblings is associated with his sperm speed; men with female-biased siblings had significantly slower sperm (judged using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA)) than men from male-biased sibships” (7)
However, there are other physical factors that studies have found to contribute heavily to low sperm speed.
Causes
The exact cause for low sperm motility can vary. Some men may have a genetic cause, while others may have an undiagnosed medical condition.
Lifestyle and environmental factors also play a big role in sperm motility. Smoking, for example, has been linked to decreased sperm motility, especially if the man smokes more than 10 cigarettes per day.
Men who work in the military or have jobs that include painting, driving, or repeated trauma to the pelvic area may be at risk for work-induced infertility. (8)
A condition called varicocele occurs when veins inside the scrotum become enlarged. This has also been linked to decreased sperm motility.
Low sperm motility may also be due to a disorder in the male accessory sex gland secretion, which leads to the glands emptying more slowly. (9, 10, 11)
Diagnosis
Sperm motility can be tested through a routine semen analysis. For the test, you’ll need to provide at least two semen samples.
These are usually obtained by masturbation at a doctor’s office or testing facility. It’s also possible to obtain a sperm sample by having sex with a condom or withdrawing to obtain the sample.
The sample must be kept at room temperature and delivered to the facility within 30 to 60 minutes of collection. If less than 40 percent of your sperm are motile, you are considered to have low sperm motility. (12, 13, 14 )
Related: Can Men’s Infertility be prevented?
Related: 10 Facts about Fertility Drugs you don’t Know
In addition to sperm motility, your doctor can also use a semen analysis to test:
- the health of the male genital tract
- accessory organs
- ejaculation
Treatment
Some lifestyle changes may help increase sperm motility for some men.
For example:
- regular mild exercise
- maintain a healthy weight
- identify and feed on healthy sperm food
- limit cell phone exposure
- reduce alcohol
- quit smoking
Some supplements may also help improve sperm motility.
For example, one study found a 52 percent increase in sperm motility in men who took a daily supplement of 200 micrograms of selenium along with 400 units of vitamin E for at least 100 days in a row.
Speak to your doctor before taking supplements, and be careful about where you buy them. Supplements are not regulated, so you should only buy them from reputable vendors. (14)
If the cause of the sperm mobility issue is a medical problem, such as low hormone levels or varicocele, medication such as a follicle-stimulating hormone or human chorionic gonadotropin may help. In some cases, your doctor may recommend surgery.
Conclusion
Many factors can affect male fertility. If the sperm is otherwise unhealthy, pregnancy with low sperm motility can occur.
Using a reproductive technology such as in vitro fertilization or intrauterine insemination (IUI) can help increase the chance of pregnancy. This is because they bypass the need for the sperm to swim on their own.
Talk to your doctor if you’ve been trying unsuccessfully to conceive for 12 or more months. Your doctor can test you and your partner to determine if there are any health conditions affecting fertility. Your doctor will then determine the next steps
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