Patient's question:
Hello, I would like to ask what is the normal level of sperm motility? My partner and I have been trying to have another baby, so we both went to the hospital for check-ups. My partner is fine, but it was found that my sperm motility is low and needs to be treated for a period of time, otherwise it may lead to infertility. Could you please tell me what is the approximate normal level of sperm motility?Doctor's answer:
Normally, after abstinence for 3-7 days, a medical examination at the hospital shows normal sperm motility with medication reaching 70% or higher. It is classified into five grades: 0 grade indicates no sperm movement; 1 grade ( ) indicates localized movement; 2 grade ( ) indicates slow forward movement; 3 grade (＋＋＋) indicates moderate-speed forward movement; 4 grade (＋＋＋＋) indicates rapid straight forward movement or jumping forward movement. The higher the grade of sperm motility, the higher the quality and easier it is to conceive. Sperm vitality refers to the number of normally surviving sperm within a certain time after ejaculation. Typically, more than 70% of sperm should survive within 1 hour after ejaculation. If dead sperm exceed 50%, it is difficult to conceive; the survival time of sperm should maintain a 20% survival rate or higher within 6 hours. If no living sperm remain within 6 hours, it is likely to cause infertility. If sperm in grades 0, 1, and 2 exceed 50% and grade 4 is less than 25%, it is classified as asthenozoospermia. In asthenozoospermia, sperm lack the strength to move forward, making it difficult for them to pass through the cervical canal, uterine cavity, and reach the fallopian tubes to combine with the egg, thus resulting in reduced fertility.