Sperm Motility and its Types
The ability of the sperm to move efficiently is called sperm motility. Sperms are said to have healthy motility if they have progressions of at least 25 micrometres per second. The condition of low sperm motility is referred to as Asthenozoospermia. It is diagnosed when less than 32% of the sperms are able to move efficiently.
Sperm motility can be categorized into three types. These are:
Progressive motility – When the sperm swim in straight lines or large circlesNon-progressive motility – When the sperm do not travel in straight lines and swim in tight circlesNo motility – When the sperm do not move at all
Asthenozoospermia and Natural Pregnancy
Sperm motility plays a vital role when it comes to conceiving naturally. This is because, in order to reach and fertilize the egg, the sperm needs to move through the woman’s reproductive tract. The sperm should have progressive motility of at least 25 micrometres per second to get through the cervical mucus and fertilize a woman’s egg. Hence, the issue of poor sperm motility can result in a failure in pregnancy.
Causes of Asthenozoospermia
The causes behind low sperm motility or Asthenozoospermia can be many. Some of the possible ones are as follows:
Genetic problems
Abnormal semen
liquefaction
Damage to the testicles
Undiagnosed medical conditions
Changes in lifestyle
Environmental factors
Smoking habit
Inflammation of veins in the scrotum or VaricoceleImmunological factors
Diagnosis
A routine semen analysis is carried out to test sperm motility. A minimum of two sperm samples is needed in order to obtain accurate results in the test. Generally, the patient is requested to abstain from sex between 2 and 7 days before collecting the sample. The patient is then instructed to masturbate with a specially designed condom. The obtained samples are then delivered to the medical facility within 30-60 minutes and are kept at room temperature. If less than 40% of the patient’s sperm are found motile, the patient is considered to have low motility.
Asthenozoospermia Treatment
There are several ways to treat Asthenozoospermia. Here are a few, suggesting how to increase your sperm motility.
Perform daily exercise
Maintain a healthy eating lifestyle
Relieve stress and anxiety
Limit the usage of electronic equipment like cell phones, laptops etc
Ditch tight clothing like skinny jeans and jockeys
Take regular breaks if you work in a hot environment
Get 7-8 hours of sleep every day
Avoid alcohol consumption
Quit smoking
As a result, a man with low sperm motility or Asthenozoospermia can successfully take part in natural pregnancy if he adopts these changes in his lifestyle.
There are also certain supplements that can help in improving sperm motility. These include selenium and vitamin E. However, these supplements should only be consumed after speaking to a medical professional. In addition to this, treatments like Intrauterine insemination, In vitro fertilization and sperm donation can also be utilised to initiate the process of fertilization. If any medical condition is the cause for a man’s low sperm motility then medications like follicle-stimulating hormone or human chorionic gonadotropin might be helpful. In some cases, the doctor may recommend the patient to undergo surgery.