The cart time

The cart time is three to five days. This means that you should not have sexual intercourse during this time. Prolonged abstinence does not improve the result and is therefore not recommended.

The time until a result is obtained

Since a spermiogram must be examined directly in the laboratory, the results are also available quite quickly. In most cases, you will receive verbal feedback within one day. You usually have to wait a few days for the written results. However, the duration of the evaluation can vary in each practice. For this reason it is recommended to discuss this with your treating physician in advance.

The spermiogram values

When analyzing the spermiogram, there are standard values for all the values measured in the spermiogram, which can be used as a basis for evaluation. First of all, the appearance of the ejaculate can be assessed. Normally, it is a homogeneous mass with a grayish to whitish and opaque color.

The spermiogram is used to determine the volume of the seminal fluid. A normal ejaculation results in a fluid volume of more than 1.5 milliliters (on average 2-6 ml). It is important that the man has not had sexual intercourse or masturbated for about three days prior to the examination.

The next value that is determined during the spermiogram is the so-called pH value of the seminal fluid. It serves to determine the acidity of the ejaculate. The more acidic the ejaculate is, the more likely it is to kill the sperm and can therefore be a possible reason for male infertility.

Normally, the sperm fluid is rather basic/alkaline. It has a pH value greater than 7.2. The spermiogram can also be used to determine another value, namely the concentration of sperm.

The number of sperm in one millilitre of sperm fluid is ideally more than 15 million. This value can also be lowered by previous sexual intercourse.It can also be subject to strong fluctuations, so that in case of abnormal findings, a new analysis of another spermiogram should be performed. The spermiogram can also be used to determine the mobility of the sperm cells.

The reference value for this is a percentage of the total number of sperm cells with good motility. The motility is divided into three degrees. Progressive motility describes good motility and the sperm move in large circles or straight forward.

Non-progressive motility means limited sperm motility. The third group is the immotile spermatozoa, which are immobile. Of all the sperm in the ejaculate, at least 32% must be counted as progressive motile sperm.

At least 40% of the sperm must be motile. So, at this value, the progressive form and the non-progressive form are added together. The motile sperm do not automatically have to be dead.

Therefore, in addition to motility, the vitality of the sperm is also assessed. White blood cells can also be found in the sperm fluid. However, the number of these should be below one million per millilitre.

The morphology of the sperm is also assessed as a value in a spermiogram. On the basis of all these values, conclusions can be drawn about possible reasons for the unfulfilled desire for a child. The causes of infertility?