What Is Sperm Motility and How Does It Affect Fertility? Sperm motility Causes Diagnosis Treatment 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 15–20 percentTrusted Source of couples worldwide are affected by infertility. Of those, approximately 30–40 percent are infertile due to male factors, including sperm motility. Another 20 percent are infertile due to a combination of male and female factors. 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. 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 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 Trusted Source 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. 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. 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. If less than 40 percent of your sperm are motile, your considered to have low sperm motility. 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: exercise regularly maintain a healthy weight limit cell phone exposure reduce alcohol quit smoking If the cause of the sperm mobility issue is a medical problem, such as low hormone levels or varicocele, medication such as follicle-stimulating hormone or human chorionic gonadotropin may help. In some cases, your doctor may recommend surgery. Many factors can affect male fertility. If the sperm is otherwise healthy, 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. Best Fertility Care Center , Advanced Fertility Care Center , Ashwini Hospital Moondrumavadi K.Pudur Madurai-07. Multispeciality Hospital , Mother and Child well being clinic.