Healthy sperm is an important factor in determining male fertility.Therefore, you need to know what are the criteria for healthy sperm and how to maintain and improve their quality, especially if you and your partner are undergoing a pregnancy program.
Sperm is contained in male semen. Semen is a white or gray fluid, with a normal amount of about 2 milliliters, that is excreted when a man ejaculates. This semen serves as a vehicle for sperm to travel to the female reproductive tract in order to fertilize an egg and create a pregnancy.
Semen and sperm are also often considered to be used as ingredients for facial skin care. However, this has not been proven effective and is actually risky.
Healthy Sperm Criteria
There are three criteria that can determine the quality of healthy sperm, namely:
1. Quantity sperm
Sperm count is the first thing that can be a benchmark for healthy sperm. Normally, in every 1 ml of semen released by a man there are about 15 million sperm. If the number of sperm produced by a man is too small, this can reduce the chances of his partner getting pregnant.
2. Sperm movement
The movement of sperm also determines the quality of sperm. The reason is, to reach the egg, sperm must be able to move swiftly and swim through several parts of the female reproductive organs, namely from the vagina, cervix or cervix, to the uterine wall and fallopian tubes.
So, at least 25% of the number of sperm must have a fast movement in order to fertilize an egg.
3. Shapesperm
Healthy sperm can also be judged from its shape. At least 30% of the total sperm count must be of normal shape. Normal sperm have the characteristics of an oval-shaped head and a long tail to support forward movement. When viewed under a microscope, these sperm cells are similar to sprouts or tadpoles.
Condition Which Can Disrupt Healthy Sperm Production
There are a variety of conditions in men that can lead to impaired fertility, including reducing the number of healthy sperm produced, such as:
- Infections, such as sexually transmitted infections and urinary tract infections
- Hormonal disorders
- Genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis and Kallmann's syndrome
- Autoimmune disease, which is a condition when the body's immune system attacks healthy sperm
- Ejaculation problems
- History of surgery on male reproductive organs, such as vasectomy, prostate surgery, and testicular surgery
- celiac disease
- Blockage of the testicles or sperm ducts
- Tumors and cancer of the testes or prostate
- Varicocele
- Exposure to pollution, X-ray radiation, or toxic chemicals, such as benzene, tolunea, xylene, pesticides, and lead or heavy metals
- Side effects of drugs, such as antifungal drugs, chemotherapy, and hormonal drugs.
In addition, unhealthy lifestyles or habits, such as frequent smoking, consuming alcoholic beverages, drug abuse, and severe stress, can also affect the quality and quantity of healthy sperm.
Healthy sperm production is also influenced by age factors. According to one study, men under the age of 35 are generally more fertile than men over that age. The reason is, with age, the quality and number of healthy sperm with the ability to move quickly tends to decrease.
Method Improve Sperm Quality to stay healthy
To maintain the quality and number of sperm is always healthy, there are several ways you can do, including:
- Do exercise regularly.
- Live safe and healthy sex behavior, namely by not changing sexual partners and always using condoms when having sex.
- Avoid smoking and consuming alcoholic beverages.
- Keep your weight to stay ideal.
- Manage stress well.
- Consumption of foods that can increase sperm quality, such as fruit, vegetables, seafood, milk, eggs, fish, and nuts.
If you still have questions regarding the criteria for healthy sperm or feel you have problems with your or your partner's fertility, don't hesitate to immediately consult a doctor. That way, the doctor can check your sperm and reproductive organ function.
After that, the doctor can determine the right treatment to improve sperm quality and increase your chances of having children.