A man’s thickness & volume of his semen determine his fertility
First of all, let us understand the meaning of the word Fertility. Fertility is the physiological ability to reproduce. Now what does semen contain? Semen contain spermatoids, secretions from the testicles and the eqididymis, prostatic liquid as well as liquid from the seminal vesicles. Much of the thickness and volume of semen come from the prostatic liquid and liquid from the seminal vesicles. The spermatoids represent only a small part of the semen that it ejaculates. Is it the total fluid or the spermatoids that determines a man,s fertility. To understand this, let us see what is investigated in a semen analysis:
- Sperm count : The normal sperm count is between 20 million to 300 million spermatoids per milliter.
- Mobility : Mobility is regarded as normal when more than 40-50 percent of spermatoids are mobile. Normal movement is progressive and in a forword direction.
- Morphology: If there are more than 20 percent of amorphous spermatoids, and in a forward direction.
- pH : The normal pH of semen is 7.2-7.6.
When all these parameters are normal the diagnosis is Normospermia. So which factor determines the fertility of a man? Well, they are: a) Sperm Count, b) Mobility. If there are no spermatozoa (a Zoospermia) or none of the sperm is mobile then the man becomes infertile. If someone tells you that they can predict your fertility by looking at your ejaculate, he is certainly a quack. If you do want to improve the quality of your semen; do the following.
- Reduce stress
- Quit smoking or other drugs
- Eat a diet that contains proteins
- Reduce obesity
- Consult a doctor if you are taking antidepressants, tranquillizers, antibiotics etc.
- Wear loose underwear.