Semen Analysis
Factor* | Normal (accepted 5th percentile [95% confidence interval]) |
|---|---|
Volume | 1.4 mL (1.3-1.5) |
Viscosity | < 2 cm after liquefaction |
Gross and microscopic appearance | Opaque, cream-colored, ≤ 1–3 WBC/high-power field No agglutination present |
pH | 7.2 |
Total sperm number | 39 million sperm per ejaculate or more (35-40) |
Total motility | 42% (40-43) |
Progressive motility | > 30% (29-31) |
Nonprogressive motility | 30% (29-31) |
Morphology | > 4% normal forms using the Tyberberg method (3.9-4) |
Fructose | > 13 micromoles per ejaculate (indicating at least 1 ejaculatory duct is patent) |
Vitality | > 54% (50-56) |
WBC count | < 1,000,000/mL |
WBC = white blood cells *Reference: World Health Organization (WHO): WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen, sixth edition. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2021. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO | |