Size of the sperm
The human sperm cell is basically very small. In its entirety, it measures only about 60 micrometers. The head part, in which the chromosome set is also found, has a size of about 5 micrometers.
The remaining part of the sperm, i.e. the neck and the attached tail, is about 50-55 micrometers in size. Later, however, only the head penetrates the egg cell. Since it is often very difficult to imagine the size, a comparison with the female egg cell is useful here. At approx. 120-150 micrometers, the female egg is about twice as large as a male sperm.
What is the sperm count?
Today, the sperm count is based on the WHO (World Health Organization) guidelines. Here, a minimum number of over 15 million sperm per milliliter of ejaculate is the standard value. However, the number of sperm per millilitre of ejaculate can reach 150 million. An ejaculation usually consists of 2 to 6 milliliters of sperm, which according to the WHO results in a total sperm count of at least 39 million sperm per ejaculation.
Survival time of the sperm
The survival time of the sperm depends on the location where it is measured. A distinction is made here between the life span of sperm in the male testicles, the survival time in the female reproductive organs and the survival time in the air. After the sperm have matured in the testicular tissue and completed their development there, their survival time here is up to one month.
During ejaculation, the sperm reach the male urethra via the sperm duct.After ejaculation, the sperm swim in the sperm fluid, which protects them from environmental influences. Within the female reproductive organs, the survival time of the sperm is on average three to five days. In some cases, the survival time of the sperm can be as short as seven days.
The survival time of the sperm in the air is significantly shorter than in the female reproductive organs. Sperm are very sensitive to the environment and have little ability to survive. They are protected for some time by the sperm fluid.
However, this liquid dries out in the air, so that the sperm eventually lose their protection and die. The survival time of the sperm in the air therefore depends on when the ejaculate has dried up. Depending on the quantity, this can take from a few minutes to a few hours.
