Reading your semen analysis
This is the heart of the course. We go through every value on a standard semen analysis, what each one means, where the healthy thresholds sit, and why the numbers only tell the full story when read together.
Once you understand that a semen analysis is a snapshot of quantity, movement, form and fluid, the report itself becomes readable. Let us go through each parameter and what a healthy value looks like against the WHO 2021 reference limits.
Key takeaways
- Each parameter describes a different part of sperm health.
- Reference limits are population thresholds, not pass/fail lines.
- Parameters interact, one low value rarely tells the whole story.
Count and concentration
Concentration is the number of sperm per millilitre; total count is concentration multiplied by volume. The WHO lower limits are 16 million per millilitre and 39 million total. Below these is called oligozoospermia. More sperm means more candidates making the journey, but a lower count does not rule out conception.
Motility
Motility is the share of sperm that move, split into total motility (any movement, lower limit 42%) and progressive motility (swimming actively forward, lower limit 30%). Progressive motility matters most for natural conception, because only forward-swimming sperm reach the egg.
Morphology
Morphology is the percentage of sperm with a normal shape, assessed under strict criteria. The lower limit is just 4%, which surprises most people. Even fertile men typically have a small share of normally shaped sperm, so a low morphology figure in isolation is rarely the sole problem.
Volume, vitality and pH
The fluid matters too. Volume should be at least 1.4 mL, vitality (the share of live sperm) at least 54%, and pH at least 7.2. Abnormalities here can point to blockages, infection or problems with the glands that produce semen.
See the full reference table. The normal vs abnormal values table on the Learn hub lists every parameter, its healthy range and the clinical term for a low result, side by side.