When you’re planning for pregnancy, one of the most critical elements is the quantity and quality of sperm. Having a quiet knowledge about the required sperm count for pregnancy can help couples facing fertility issues and seek appropriate medical advice if needed.
This article explains the minimum quantity of sperm needed for a successful pregnancy and what couples can do to improve their chances of conception.
Whether you’re trying to conceive naturally or considering ART methods, this will help you to figure out further improvements in your fertility journey.
In this blog, we are going to discuss them in detail.
How much quantity of sperm is required to get Pregnant?
Women are blessed with a lifetime supply of eggs to become fertile. But when it comes to men, every sperm produced is not up to the task. Men produce 1500 new sperm every minute in a day. These sperms are present in the testicles. However, each sperm present in the testicles will take 60-70 days to mature.
Semen is a fluid present in the male reproductive system, and sperms are present in that fluid. Semen needs to be very healthy, as only the sperm will be active. One sperm is 0.5 mm. In a single ejaculation, there will be 15 million sperm per millimeter.
Not every sperm will be active. Some might be small in size, and they do not react much with eggs. Compared to the quantity, the quality of sperm speaks for itself. There is a chance to get pregnant with a single quality of sperm.
What sperm characteristics matter for conception?
Various factors, such as sperm quantity, motility, concentration, and shape are included as the most important characteristics of sperm. Here are the four most important factors, which play a vital role in helping the male to attain the fertility stage.
One of these characteristics has been explained clearly. Let’s dive into brief information about the other three characteristics.
Motility: It happens when the sperm can move or swim to reach the female reproductive system. Sperm mobility should be at least 40%. If the motility rate is above 40%, there is a chance of a positive pregnancy result.
If it is less than 40%, it is harder to achieve fertility. If the sperm travels in a straight line or rotates in a larger circle, it is known as Progressive Motility. If the sperm does not travel straight during the time, it is known as Non-Progressive Motility.
Concentration: Next is the concentration level of the sperm. According to the research, over 15 million sperm are needed per 15 milliliter of semen (fluid). This level of concentration is said to be good. If you have a lower concentration level than the standard, then your partner might not be able to get pregnant.
Shape: The shape of a sperm, known as its morphology, is crucial for its ability to fertilize an egg.
A sperm cell has a shape that can be divided into three main parts: the head, the midpiece, and the tail.
How to make sperm healthier to increase the quantity
Here are some of the ways to increase your sperm count to get happy news soon from your partner.
Do exercise regularly
Most men may not be able to produce sperm in larger quantities because they are facing obesity. But here is a small tip to kickstart your day. Apart from regular exercises, activities like jogging, running, and moving forward to weight lifting are associated with producing a high quantity of sperm.
Get enough Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps to increase sperm motility as it creates a positive impact on spermatozoa. Early morning walks in sunlight and adding fruits such as oranges, bananas, papayas, figs, etc.. and adding green vegetables helps to increase sperm count. Just be conscious of what to eat and what not.
Have enough folate and zinc
Adding Folate and Zinc to your daily life has a high chance of increasing the sperm count. It can be increased either through folate-rich foods like green vegetables, citrus fruits, cereals, and grains or through medications. It helps to increase the concentration, shape, and quality of the sperm.
Move out of smoking
Frequent smoking has the possibility of increasing heavy metals like cadmium and lead in your body. Having more quantities of these metals may reduce the amount of sperm in your body.
Though it’s tough to recover and overcome the habit of smoking, you can start with the mild habit of taking nuts and dark chocolates when you feel the urge to smoke.
Avoid chemical consumption
Without your conscious, you might consume chemicals that decrease sperm quantity. It can be by your daily habits. Such chemicals are
Bisphenol – is found in plastic water bottles and plastic bags.
Phthalates – presented in personal care products like skincare and hair care.
Heavy metals ( Mercury and Cadmium ) – are present in certain fish, and contaminated water.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls – presented in old electrical equipment.
Number of sperms taken to test ART technique:
Suppose you are acquiring any of the ART( Assisted Reproductive Technology ) techniques in a fertility hospital, you can know how much quantity of sperm is required. For
IVF (Invitro fertilization) – minimum 10 million sperm per ml required for the test. But a single sperm is directly injected into the egg.
IUI (Intrauterine Insemination)– around 15 million to 20 million sperm per ml is needed. However, it varies depending on the couple’s fertility factor.
ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) – needs lower sperm count than IVF, sometimes needing 100 0f 1000 sperm per ml.
This is general information. According to the semen analysis test, the sperm count and quantity may vary for each couple.
Conclusion
An increase in the sperm quantity doesn’t matter a lot. But have a clear idea that by releasing a large quantity of sperm, you might have a better chance to increase fertility.
But here is a twist: you should not only aim to produce a high quantity of sperm, instead you can concentrate on producing a quality of sperm. Even the quality of sperm leads to fertilization.
Yes, sometimes the shape of the sperm affects fertility. Mostly normal shape of the sperm enters the egg for fertilization which is an oval head with a long tail.
Various ways you can develop a good habit which helps to improve your lifestyle too. Doing exercise, yoga, meditation, and concentrating on health not only increases the quality of sperm but also productively improves your life.
It’s up to you. If you concentrate on quality then a sperm is enough for fertilization. But if you concentrate on increasing the quantity of sperm, you need to take measurable steps such as going for an early morning walk, jogging, running, and moving forward to weight-lifting activity.
