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Semen analysis report explained, line by line
A semen analysis report shows how many sperm there are, how well they move and how many are normally shaped. Each value is compared with a reference range from the World Health Organization (WHO). One abnormal report is not a final answer: the test is usually repeated, because results vary from one sample to the next.
Watch the video
In this video our fertility specialist shows what sperm look like under the microscope.
How the test is done
The sample is collected by masturbation into a clean container, usually after 2 to 7 days without ejaculation. It should reach the laboratory within about an hour, kept at body temperature. Tell the laboratory if any part of the sample was spilled, since the first part holds the most sperm. The test does not depend on the wife's cycle and can be planned on any day.
Semen analysis normal values
These are the WHO lower reference limits (2021). A value at or above the limit is in the usual range; a value below it is called low:
- Volume: 1.4 millilitres or more.
- Sperm concentration: 16 million per mL or more.
- Total sperm count: 39 million per sample or more.
- Total motility (sperm moving at all): at least 42 in every 100 sperm.
- Progressive motility (sperm moving forward): at least 30 in every 100.
- Normal forms (morphology): at least 4 in every 100.
- Vitality (live sperm): at least 54 in every 100.
- pH: 7.2 or more.
Older reports may use the 2010 WHO values, which are slightly different. The limits are not a pass or fail: men below them can father children, and men above them can still have trouble. The report is read together with the wife's tests.
What the medical words mean
- Normozoospermia: all main values in the usual range.
- Oligozoospermia: a low sperm count.
- Asthenozoospermia: low motility, too few sperm moving forward.
- Teratozoospermia: few normally shaped sperm.
- Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT): all three together.
- Azoospermia: no sperm seen, even after spinning the sample down.
- Pus cells (leucocytes): a high number can point to an infection.
Why the test is repeated
Sperm take about two to three months to form, and a fever, an illness, heat or a short abstinence can lower one sample. If a report is abnormal, the test is usually repeated after a few weeks before any decision is taken.
What happens next
Collecting the sample at home
Some labs allow the sample to be collected at home, if it can reach the lab within about an hour. Use only the sterile container given by the lab, collect the whole sample, and keep it close to body temperature on the way, for example in an inside pocket. Ordinary condoms should not be used, because many contain substances that harm sperm.
What can affect a result
- A fever or a viral illness in the previous two to three months.
- Some medicines, steroids taken for body-building, and testosterone.
- An abstinence period outside the range the lab asked for.
- Missing the first part of the sample, which holds the most sperm.
- Delay or cold during the journey to the lab.
Tell the lab about any of these when you hand in the sample, so the result can be read correctly. If one of them applied, the doctor may ask for a repeat test: after a few weeks for a collection problem, or after about three months following a fever or steroid use.
Other sperm tests
When the basic report is normal but pregnancy has not happened, or after repeated miscarriage or failed IVF, other tests such as a sperm DNA test are sometimes discussed. They are not needed by everyone, and your doctor will explain whether they would change the plan.
Supporting each other
A semen test can feel stressful for men. It is a routine part of checking both partners, and a low result is common, and there are often ways forward.
The next step depends on the whole picture: the repeat report, the wife's age and tests, and how long the couple has been trying. A mild problem may be treated with medicines or lifestyle change, or with IUI. A severe one usually points to IVF, with ICSI when needed. When no sperm are seen, a specialist examination and further tests come next. Our page on male infertility treatment explains these steps.
Questions about the semen analysis report
What is a normal sperm count?
By the WHO 2021 limits, a concentration of 16 million per mL or more, or a total of 39 million or more in the sample, is in the usual range. A lower number is called a low sperm count, but it does not always mean a man cannot father a child.
How many days of abstinence are needed before the test?
Usually 2 to 7 days without ejaculation. The laboratory tells you the exact advice; keep to it, because a very short or very long gap can change the result.
My report says low motility. What does that mean?
Too few sperm are moving forward. The test is usually repeated first. Depending on the repeat result and the wife's tests, treatment may be lifestyle change, IUI or IVF with ICSI.
Can a single bad report be wrong?
It can be misleading, because results vary from sample to sample and after a fever or illness. That is why an abnormal report is usually repeated after a few weeks.
What does azoospermia mean?
No sperm are seen in the semen, even after the sample is spun down. It needs a specialist examination and further tests; in some men sperm can still be found by a small operation.
Can the semen test be done on any day?
Yes. It does not depend on the wife's cycle. What matters is the abstinence period and getting the sample to the laboratory quickly.
Can I collect the semen sample at home?
Some labs allow it if the sample reaches them within about an hour, kept near body temperature, in the lab's own sterile container.
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What you read here explains fertility care in general terms and cannot replace a consultation. Decisions about your own care should be made with a doctor who knows your history and has seen you. We do not carry out or offer sex determination of any kind, which is prohibited by law in India under the PCPNDT Act.