Ihab Salloum[ad_1]
Although women stop producing egg cells upon menopause, they are born with all the eggs she will ever need. Men, on the other hand, produce sperm cells upon puberty. Consequently, their daily activities may affect the sperm production process.
When the sperm fails to be produced properly or not at all, conception becomes almost impossible for his partner. There are various causes for the increases and decrease in sperm production. The factors that may affect the sperm quality could actually be summarized in six main points, namely: sperm mobility, concentration, morphology, speed, count, and sub-fertility. Drawbacks in any of these areas can vastly affect the chances of conception.
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 as active if over 25% of them moving vehemently in one direction. Its significance can be understood by the fact that it enables the sperm to travel through the cervical canal, into the uterus and the fallopian tubes, and finally, to break through the egg.
Next is concentration that refers to the measure of 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.
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. In addition, experts believe that oddly shaped sperm are not capable of fertilizing an egg.
Speed is another factor that affects sperm quality. Based on the study made by the World Health Organization, in a healthy male, beyond 25% of sperm will exhibit progressive mobility. These are the sperm with the best chance of successfully infiltrating and fertilizing an egg.
Sperm count is also a vital factor in sperm production. Count refers to the number of sperms in the fluid that is ejaculated. There are over 50 million sperms in a normal ejaculate, and a total count below 40 million may indicate decreased fertility.
The sixth and last factor is sub-fertility. The term refers to the couples that are unable to reach conception even after a year’s period of unprotected intercourse. However, this is different from infertility. The 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.
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