Trianglen Fertility Clinic

In the man

Low sperm quality. It is difficult to state what sperm quality is, but two factors may be mentioned here: In a general test > 40 million spermatozoa/ ml is considered related to normal male fertility. If further tested the only generally most reliable test is to count the number of full motile spermatozoa after purification by centrifugation gradient. A good sperm quality here is more than 15 million sperms after purification. Less than 5 million ICSI is most likely the choice of treatment.

If more the 15 million sperm cells after purification – the sample is considered useful for insemination.
If 5-15 million is recovered after purification – insemination may be done, but with a considerable lower pregnancy chance that if more sperm cells are present.
If less than 5 million is present – seldom insemination may yield a pregnancy and the couple should expect to need ICSI a the fertility method to obtain a pregnancy if using own sperm cells.
If less than 1 million is present, ICSI or donor insemination is mandatory.
No Sperm cells. Sometimes sperm cells may be found in the testes even no sperm cells are present in the ejaculate. If so sperm cells may be retrieved by needle aspiration from the testis by a method called TESA – you may read more about TESA here.

Unfortunately no methods are developed to increase sperm counts, however, we fell that we now since 2007 experience better sperm count than in the previous years and we do think that better knowledge of better nutrition may actually improve sperm quality event we so far have failed to prove such effects scientifically.

If less than 3 million sperm cells are found in a total count of the raw ejaculated, it is normally recommended for the man to be andrologically evaluated – with endocrine evaluation – ultrasonography of the genitals – and possible chromosome and gene testing for cystic fibrosis.