Patient's question:
Description of condition: How to check if semen is normal?History of treatment and effectiveness: How to check if semen is normal?
Expected help: How to check if semen is normal?
Doctor's answer:
Urologists analyze whether semen is normal from the following aspects:(1) Semen volume: Normal ≥ 2 ml. A volume greater than 7 ml is considered excessive, not only reducing sperm density but also making it easier to flow out of the urethra, leading to a decrease in total sperm count. This is commonly seen in seminal vesiculitis. A volume less than 2 ml is considered low, but typically below 1 ml is considered significantly low. In this case, the contact area between semen and the female reproductive tract is small, or due to its viscosity, it may hinder sperm from entering the cervix, resulting in infertility. This is commonly seen in severe accessory gland inflammation, low testosterone levels, ejaculation duct obstruction, or retrograde ejaculation.
(2) Color: Normal semen is grayish-white or slightly yellowish. Milky white or yellowish-green suggests inflammation in the reproductive tract or accessory glands. Pink, red, or the presence of red blood cells under a microscope indicates hematospermia, commonly seen in accessory gland or posterior urethra inflammation, and occasionally in tuberculosis or tumors.
(3) Acidity/alkalinity: The normal pH value of semen is 7.2–7.8. A pH below 7.2 indicates ejaculation duct obstruction or urine contamination; a pH above 7.8 suggests seminal vesiculitis or outdated samples.
(4) Liquefaction time: Normal semen becomes gelatinous under the action of seminal vesicle coagulating enzymes after ejaculation and transforms into a liquid within 15–30 minutes due to the action of prostatic liquefying enzymes. This...