Semen Analysis

General

Synonym/Acronym:
N/A

Rationale
To assess for male infertility related to disorders such as obstruction, testicular failure, and atrophy.

Patient Preparation
There are no food, fluid, or medication restrictions unless by medical direction. Instruct the patient to refrain from any sexual activity for 3 days before specimen collection.

Normal Findings
Method: Macroscopic and microscopic examination.

TestNormal Result
Volume2–5 mL
ColorWhite or opaque
AppearanceViscous (pours in droplets, not clumps or strings)
Clotting and liquefactionComplete in 15–20 min, rarely over 60 min
pH7.2–8
Sperm countGreater than 15 million/mL
Total sperm countGreater than 39 million/ejaculate
MotilityAt least 40% at 60 min
Vitality (membrane intact)At least 58%
MorphologyGreater than 25%–30% normal oval-headed forms
The number of normal sperm is calculated by multiplying the total sperm count by the percentage of normal forms.

Critical Findings and Potential Interventions
N/A

There's more to see -- the rest of this topic is available only to subscribers.