Low sperm motility – what is it?
Sperm motility, the ability of sperm to move or 'swim' effectively, is essential for fertilization, as it allows the sperm to reach the egg. Low sperm motility, known medically as asthenozoospermia or asthenospermia, can be influenced by factors like age or testicle damage. Often, the cause of low sperm motility is unclear. This blog post focuses on sperm motility, common reasons for its decrease, and potential ways to improve it.
Can you get pregnant with low sperm motility?
It is possible to achieve a pregnancy with low sperm motility, especially if the sperm cells are otherwise healthy. Most fertility doctors recommend trying naturally for a year with intercourse every 2-3 days, even though you have low sperm motility. If you struggle with very low or zero sperm count, you will probably need to enter fertility treatment.
During the first year, many couples succeed and natural conception occurs. If not, assisted reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI) are an option. These methods help to increase the chances of conception by making the sperm cell's journey towards the egg easier.
What is low sperm motility?
Sperm motility is the sperm’s ability to move forward efficiently and is one of three elements that determines sperm quality alongside sperm count and sperm morphology. These factors determine overall sperm quality and can be diagnosed through a semen analysis.
The World Health Organization's 2021 report states that a healthy ejaculation should contain at least 40% motile sperm cells and at least 30% progressive sperm cells moving in a straight line. If your sperm motility is below 40%, it is considered low, which can impact your chances of conceiving. Here's a quick overview:
| Motility level | Description | Percentage of motile sperm cells | Progressive motility range |
| Low | The sperm cells' movement is limited, making it harder to conceive. | 0 - 39% | 0 - 30% |
| Normal | There is a sufficient number of sperm cells moving progressively, thus ensuring normal fertility | 40 - 100% | 31 - 100% |
Tips for getting pregnant with low sperm count
It is possible for men struggling with low sperm count to become fathers. Click on the button below to read our tips on how to get pregnant with a low sperm count.
Diagnosing low sperm motility
There are no physical signs of low sperm motility. To diagnose low sperm motility, a semen analysis is necessary. During the analysis, a lab technician counts moving sperm cells and evaluates their progressive movement to determine motility.
Types of sperm motility issues
Once the semen is analysed, it should become clear which type of sperm motility issue you are struggling with. The two most common types of sperm motility issues are:
- Necrozoospermia: Men diagnosed with necrozoospermia suffer from little to no live sperm cells in their semen. Almost all sperm cells are dead after ejaculation.
- Teratozoospermia: Teratozoospermia is a condition where a high amount of abnormally shaped sperm cells is found in the semen. If more than 96% of the sperm cells are abnormally shaped, you will be diagnosed with teratozoospermia.
If you are struggling to conceive and want to explore other potential causes, follow the link to our guide on why you are not getting pregnant.
An illustration of a normal sperm cell with progressive motility and a sperm cell with abnormal motility
Causes for low sperm motility
There can be different causes of low sperm motility – some are temporary and easy to change, while others are more long-lasting and perhaps even permanent. Some of the causes of low sperm motility are:
- Unhealthy lifestyle: One of the most common causes of low sperm motility is an unhealthy lifestyle. Factors such as smoking, an unhealthy diet, stress, and alcohol can affect sperm quality negatively.
- Exposure to heat: Avoid hot tubs, saunas, solarium, and tight underwear, as the heat can affect sperm motility negatively.
- Genetic factors: Some men inherit low sperm motility, making it difficult for them to become a fathers.
- Genital infections: Low sperm motility can also be caused by a genital infection such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea.
Remember, sperm motility can vary from one month to another and it does not always mean permanent infertility. In most cases, fertility treatment or donated sperm can be an option.
In the video below, Allan Pacey, an expert in male infertility talks about the problem of low sperm motility and quality and how men experience this.
How to increase your sperm motility
Sperm motility can for most men be improved through a couple of lifestyle changes: e.g. maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, and exercising regularly Just be aware that it takes about three months for the sperm quality, in general, to visibly improve, which means you should begin at least three months before you start trying for a baby.
Sperm motility is not the only factor affecting your chances of conceiving, sperm count is also an important part of sperm quality. If you want tips for getting pregnant with a low sperm count, then follow the link.
Eat food that helps increase your sperm motility
A focus on diet is an important factor in increasing sperm motility. A healthy and varied diet with fruit and vegetables contains a lot of antioxidants, which are linked with high sperm quality. In the list below, we have gathered some food that is said to have a positive impact on sperm motility including:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Nuts
- Whole cereals
- Maca roots
- Seafood
- Shellfish
Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/
Raising your low sperm motility through exercise
Another way of improving the quality of your sperm could be through regular exercise. Studies have shown that men who exercise regularly have a higher level of sperm count. If you start to exercise to raise your sperm motility, it is important to do it regularly and not overdo it. Too much exercise can have the opposite effect and lower sperm motility.
If you want to read more about sperm count and how it can affect your chances of conceiving, then follow the link to our blog post on the subject.
Other articles about sperm motility
Types of treatment for men with low sperm motility
If you have been trying to get pregnant for a year or longer without success, you are, according to WHO, experiencing infertility, and you might need help in your journey towards parenthood. In most countries there are fertility treatments available at hospitals or privately at fertility clinics, that can help you and your partner become parents. In the following, we introduce you to three different types of fertility treatment.
If you need to use a fertility clinic to fulfil your dream of becoming a parent, then it is important finding the right clinic for you. If you want tips on how to find the right fertility clinic, then follow the link to our blog post on the subject.
IUI treatment
IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) is a type of treatment where the doctor injects sperm directly into the woman’s uterus. If you have low sperm motility, using IUI treatment allows your sperm cells to start closer to the egg, which increases the chance of a sperm cell fertilizing the egg.
The procedure is very popular because it is both quick and nearly pain-free. If you wish to receive IUI treatment it will be performed at a fertility clinic.
IVF treatment
IVF treatment, also known as In Vitro Fertilization, is a method of assisted reproduction. The term in vitro means “in a glass” which the method is called because the egg is fertilized manually with the sperm in a petri dish. After fertilization, an embryo takes form, which the doctor then transfers from the Petri glass to the uterus where, hopefully, a successful pregnancy occurs.
ICSI treatment
ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) is a type of IVF technique where a single sperm cell is injected directly into the egg to fertilize it. Because the sperm cell is injected directly into the egg, fertility treatment is a good option when dealing with low sperm motility. The treatment can also be recommended if no or few eggs have been fertilized at previous attempts with IVF treatment.
ICSI treatment with donor sperm is an option if the man has no healthy sperm cells. Luckily, there are other options as well. Follow the link to read about treatment options for men with low sperm count or motility.
What are your options if you cannot achieve pregnancy using your own sperm?
If you do not achieve pregnancy after having fertility treatment, and infertility is caused by low sperm quality, using donor sperm for fertility treatment can be a good option to achieve your dream of a child. Many couples turn to this solution when facing infertility problems, and even though it might not be the way you initially imagined starting your family, the couples using a sperm donor to conceive, become happy parents to healthy children. If you are experiencing male infertility problems and are curious about conceiving with help from a sperm donor, you can read more about the reasons for using donor sperm to get pregnant and see our selection of donors in our Sperm Donor Search.
If you want to read some personal stories on male infertility, also called childlessness, we can recommend our blog post about Johan and his role as a dad to a donor-conceived child.