That’s a picture of you winning the sperm race!
Most of us have heard that millions of sperm race towards the egg and only one happens to be the winner. Wondering what winning the race means? It simply means that the sperm fertilizes with the egg which may result in pregnancy. But, do you know the process of sperm formation or how exactly they look? Keep reading to understand the basics of sperm and more!
Let us begin with understanding sperm formation, followed by how it looks and then understand on what basis they are considered to be healthy!
Sperm are male reproductive cells formed in the testes, the male reproductive organ responsible for producing both sperm and testosterone.1 These microscopic cells are responsible for fertilising the egg to initiate pregnancy.1
Sperm production also known as spermatogenesis takes place in the testis (two oval-shaped male reproductive organs). And, the process of sperm formation is classified into four stages: Spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, secondary spermatocytes and spermatids.1 Once the sperm is matured, they are stored in the vas deferens (a coiled tube). This tube carries the sperm out of the scrotum (a bag of skin that protects the testicles) during ejaculation.
Sperm viability depends on its environment. It starts deteriorating within an hour outside the body due to various environmental stresses like bacterial growth and oxidative damage.3 However, in the female's reproductive system, sperms can live up to five days due to the conducive environment provided by the cervical mucus.3 This extended lifespan within the female's reproductive system increases the chances of successful fertilisation, as sperm remains viable until ovulation or release of egg.3
A normal sperm has a head, midpiece and tail. Here’s how each part looks like in detail:
A normal sperm will show no visible abnormalities in the above structure! 3
However, to assess any abnormalities in sperm, analysing semen is important. 7 So, before we learn the parameters to evaluate semen, let us first understand the difference between sperm and semen and also learn about the composition of semen.
Sperm are often confused with semen but they are different. Sperm are the male reproductive cells that fertilise the female egg and begin the process of pregnancy.1 Semen, on the other hand, is the fluid containing sperm along with other components like water, mucus and nutrients.8 This fluid not only provides the nourishment to the sperm but also creates a supportive environment that supports their movement and viability.8 Let us now explore the composition of semen in detail.
Semen is usually a combination of secretions from different glands. It includes citric acid, copper, calcium, magnesium, zinc, fructose, and vitamins C and E. Additionally, sperm also contains proteins, electrolytes (sodium and potassium), carotenoids, selenium, urea, lactic acid, and cholesterol. And, the pH of sperm is seen to be in the range of 7.2 to 8.2. 7
Now let us move ahead to understand how sperm health is analyzed.
Although only one sperm is required to fertilise the egg and achieve pregnancy, a high sperm count is vital. Typically, around 15-200 million sperm are produced per millilitre in single ejaculation which increases the chances of successful fertilisation.10 This underscores the importance of prioritising regular sperm health tests to ensure optimal fertility.
Analyzing the semen can provide insights into sperm concentration, motility, volume, count and morphology - which can help evaluate male fertility. And, here are the lower reference limits of semen parameters; based on which sperm analysis is done as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO): 8,9
Assessing these semen parameters can help you understand your sperm health so that you can take the necessary steps to improve your fertility.
We hope you’ve now understood the basics of sperm clearly - be it their formation or the way they look! So, whether you’re planning to start a family, wish to know everything about your sperm health or are facing fertility issues, get your semen analysis done right away!
If you wish to get started, you can consider LifeCell’s SpermScore kit to get insights about your fertility status right from the comfort of your home. This kit helps test 11 sperm health parameters and 14 sperm health conditions.
So, if you’re willing to opt for it, click on SpermScore to order now.
But, Don't Leave Without Getting Insights Into Your Sperm Health With