What are the Signs of Unhealthy Sperm?

UPDATED ON 9 OCT. 2021

If you are planning a pregnancy, then the first thing you must think about is the sperm's health.

It is important to understand the factors that can affect your male partner's fertility. Many men do not pay much attention to their sperm quality, but healthy sperm play a vital role in successful conception. If you have concerns about male fertility, consider undergoing an Infertility Assessment for Men to identify any underlying issues.

There are several steps you can take to improve healthy sperm production before starting a family. For a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby, following the right lifestyle habits can help enhance sperm quality and fertility.

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Sperm that move well and are present in adequate numbers are essential for fertilizing a woman's egg. In many couples who struggle to conceive, the issue may be related to sperm quality, sperm count, sperm morphology, the reproductive tract through which sperm travel, or erectile function.

A detailed Semen Analysis (CASA Test) can help evaluate sperm count, motility, and morphology accurately.

Fortunately, there are many ways to protect and improve healthy sperm, increasing the chances of becoming a father.

Since it takes about three months for a man to produce new sperm, maintaining a healthy lifestyle during the three months before conception is especially important. Men with low sperm count, poor sperm motility, abnormal sperm morphology, or other male fertility concerns should seek early evaluation and treatment.

The health of the sperm

Testosterone, the male sex hormone, and the sperm are being made in the testes. Sperm is accompanied by fluid while travelling to the reproductive system and is further ejaculated or released during the time of intercourse.

The health and the quality of the sperm of a man are affected by:

• Smoking
• Consuming alcohol
• Age
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Overweight
• Anabolic steroids
• Injury
• Heat

If a man is overweight, his sperm's quality reduces, and it causes issues with erections. His sex drive is also affected by being overweight.

How does heat lead to unhealthy sperms?

To make good sperm quality, the testes have to be more relaxed than the other parts of the body. The scrotum is like an "evaporative air conditioning system" where the testes sit.

It helps the testes to be a few degrees cooler compared to other parts of the body. If the temperature around the testes is too hot, a problem arises while making sperm. Some of the ways by which a testis can be kept more relaxed than other parts of the body are: 

• Try to maintain your weight and avoid being overweight
• Try to avoid hot spas and baths
• Do not wear tight undergarments
• Keep your laptop and mobile phone away from your lap

Testes will be able to produce sperm once the scrotum reaches its average temperature. It may take a few months too.

How do anabolic steroids affect the quality of sperm?

Muscle building exercises and lifting weights increases the mass of the muscle and also the strength. They are responsible for improving general health along with bone health.

The production of sperm stops in case you consume anabolic steroids. It even has many side effects.

What can you do to keep your sperm healthy?

If you and your partner want to start a family, try to think about the sperm's quality first. It's never too late to start taking care of your fertility. It would be best if you thought about it:

• Avoid smoking and consuming alcohol
• Get into a regular exercise schedule
• Keep track of your weight
• Try to eat healthy foods

What determines that your sperm is not healthy?

The sperm's health depends on the various factors, including its movement, structure, and quantity.

Movement

Sperm is supposed to move to be able to reach and fertilise the egg. The sperm wrinkles and swims through a woman's cervix, her uterus, and the fallopian tubes. This movement of the sperms is known as motility.

Structure

The structure of the sperm is known as its morphology. Sperms generally have long tails and oval heads, which can work together and also move. The more chances of fertility you will have if the sperms have standard structure and shape.

Quantity

If you ejaculate, the chances of fertility also increase. The semen that is being discharged in single ejaculation contains almost 15 million sperm per millilitre. It becomes difficult to get pregnant if the ejaculation is of too little sperm.

How do you understand that your sperm is unhealthy?

There are many reasons why you can understand that your sperm is unhealthy. You need to monitor a few things:

• You need to monitor the colour of the semen. If the semen is yellow, you are sure that you are having jaundice and is not suitable for your health and also if you are planning for a family.

• You may sometimes have blood in your semen, which indicates that you are having high blood pressure, which is not suitable for the couple to conceive.

• The yellow colour of the semen can also be caused by drinking alcohol or eating food rich in sulphur. That semen is harmful to the foetus as it has some side effects.

• If your sperm is of a yellowish-green colour, it indicates that the sperm is not healthy, as it contains bacteria that travel from the urinary tract to the prostate gland.

• If you find blood in your semen, it may also be because of sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhoea, herpes, and chlamydia.

• Sometimes the blood is black, which might indicate that your body has old blood because of spinal cord injuries.

• If the texture of the semen changes because of low physical activities, consumption of alcohol, use of marijuana, and diet, you can consider the sperm to be unhealthy.

• If testicular swelling happens due to epididymis or inflammation of the orchitis (testicle), it can lead to unhealthy sperm.

• The normal production of testosterone is affected by the abnormality in the pituitary gland when it releases hormones to the testicles. The sperm released that time are unhealthy in nature.

The bottom line

Before you start family planning, you must monitor the texture of the sperm for a few days to find out whether the sperm is of good quality or not. Good quality of sperm will increase the chances of pregnancy without any complications.

If the sperms are not of good quality, they will not move well and will fail to reach the eggs and fertilise. If fertilisation does not occur, there will be no chance of pregnancy. Consult a doctor before you start to plan for a family.