Customise Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customised advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Low Sperm Motility (Asthenozoospermia)

When a couple fails to fall pregnant despite actively trying for at least 12 months, it is usually suggested that they undergo fertility testing. For the male partner one of the first steps is to submit a semen sample for analysis. The semen sample can be used to check sperm concentration, sperm morphology and sperm motility. If these measurements fall outside of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) reference values, it increases the likelihood that a male factor is contributing to the infertility. However, fluctuations in results are common so if a man’s sperm sample measures below the reference values a second sample will usually be checked before any conclusions are drawn..

Sperm motility is measured as the percentage of sperm showing flagellar movement. The recommended reference value according to the WHO is ≥40%. Progressive motility, or forward movement in a straight line, has a reference value of ≥32%. In isolation, low sperm motility does not mean that a man is infertile. It should be looked at alongside the other semen parameters.

One large-scale study categorised participants as subfertile, indeterminate-fertile and fertile for each semen parameter (concentration, morphology and motility). If a sample fell into the subfertile category for two or more parameters, it increased the likelihood of infertility.

For sperm motility the categories were split as follows:

[table id=9 /]

It is not always possible to discern what has caused low sperm motility, but sometimes it is due to the presence of anti-sperm antibodies. Usually arising after trauma or inflammation, these antibodies are found in the serum, seminal fluid and can also bind directly to sperm. They activate the immune system, block penetration to the cervix and prevent fertilisation. In some cases, the only physical sign of their presence is low sperm motility.

Nabta is reshaping women’s healthcare. We support women with their personal health journeys, from everyday wellbeing to the uniquely female experiences of fertility, pregnancy, and menopause.

Get in touch if you have any questions about this article or any aspect of women’s health. We’re here for you.

Sources:

  • Cooper, T G, et al. “World Health Organization Reference Values for Human Semen Characteristics.” Human Reproduction Update, vol. 16, no. 3, 2010, pp. 231–245., doi:10.1093/humupd/dmp048.
  • Guzick, D S, et al. “Sperm Morphology, Motility, and Concentration in Fertile and Infertile Men.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 345, no. 19, 8 Nov. 2001, pp. 1388–1393., doi:10.1056/NEJMoa003005.
  • Katz, D J, et al. “Male Infertility – The Other Side of the Equation.” Australian Family Physician, vol. 46, no. 9, Sept. 2017, pp. 641–646.