Patient's question:
Ovulation day intercourse, but not pregnant, does this mean there is a problem? Also, could you please tell me how long sperm and eggs survive? Thank you!Doctor's answer:
Theoretically, sperm can only survive up to 24 hours outside the body. Although a sexually mature man's single ejaculation can release tens of millions to as many as 200 million sperm, most of them lose vitality and die in the acidic environment of the female reproductive tract. Generally, sperm's lifespan in the vagina does not exceed 8 hours, and only a small fraction escapes and continues to advance. When sperm race forward to reach the uterine cavity, their number is reduced to only 1%–5% of the amount at ejaculation. Sperm left in semen at ejaculation are protected by large amounts of fructose and sugar-decomposing enzymes in the semen. Once sperm enter the uterine cavity, they leave the semen, and their survival conditions are far worse than within the semen, significantly shortening their lifespan. Poor-quality sperm move slower and cannot reach the uterine cavity quickly, losing vitality as a result. After passing through all these hurdles, only a few sperm ultimately reach the fertilization site in the fallopian tube. However, once sperm enter the fallopian tube, they possess strong fertilization capabilities. Of course, only 1–2 sperm are lucky enough to combine with an egg, while the rest die within 24–36 hours. Only sperm stored in crypts of the cervical mucosa can survive for 2–6 days. Nevertheless, their fertilization ability is nearly lost, as sperm's fertilization capability generally only lasts for about 20 hours.