Patient's question:
What color is normal sperm?Doctor's answer:
Hello: According to the normal semen standards stipulated by the World Health Organization, whether semen is normal can be analyzed from the following aspects:(1) Semen volume: Normal ≥ 2 ml. A volume greater than 7 ml is considered excessive, which not only reduces sperm density but also makes it easy to flow out of the vagina, leading to a decrease in total sperm count. This is commonly seen in seminal vesiculitis. A volume less than 2 ml is considered too low, but usually, a volume below 1 ml is considered excessively low. In this case, the contact area between semen and the female reproductive tract is small, or it may be too viscous, hindering sperm from entering the cervix of the female, resulting in infertility. This is commonly seen in severe accessory gland inflammation, low testosterone levels, ejaculatory duct obstruction, or retrograde ejaculation.
(2) Color: Normal semen is grayish-white or slightly yellowish. Milky white or yellowish-green indicates inflammation in the reproductive tract or accessory glands; pink, red, or the presence of red blood cells under a microscope indicates hematospermia, which is commonly seen in accessory gland or posterior urethral 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7.2 is seen in ejaculatory duct obstruction or urine contamination; a pH above 7.8 is seen in seminal vesiculitis or outdated samples.
(4) Liquefaction time: After ejaculation, normal semen becomes gelatinous due to the action of seminal vesicle coagulase, and then turns into a liquid within 15–30 minutes under the action of prostatic liquefying enzymes. This is known as semen liquefaction. If semen remains unliquefied 30 minutes after ejaculation, it is considered abnormal.
(5) Viscosity: When a glass rod touches liquefied semen and is gently lifted, it forms a semen thread. Normally, the length of the thread is less than 2 cm.