Semen analysis normal values (WHO 2021)
Every parameter on a standard semen analysis, the WHO 2021 lower reference limit, and the clinical term for a result below it. These are population thresholds, not a verdict on whether you can conceive.
| Parameter | WHO 2021 lower limit | Normal range | Below reference | Clinical term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semen volume | 1.4 mL | 1.4–6 mL | <1.4 mL | Hypospermia |
| Sperm concentration | 16 million/mL | 16–250 million/mL | <16 million/mL | Oligozoospermia |
| Total sperm count | 39 million | 39–900 million | <39 million | Oligozoospermia |
| Sperm motility | 42% | 42–80% | <42% | Asthenozoospermia |
| Progressive motility | 30% | 30–70% | <30% | Asthenozoospermia |
| Normal morphology | 4% | 4–30% | <4% | Teratozoospermia |
| Vitality (live sperm) | 54% | 54–90% | <54% | Necrozoospermia |
| pH | 7.2 | 7.2–8.0 | <7.2 | Acidic semen |
Important: Reference limits describe the lowest 5% of men known to be fertile, not a cut-off for fertility. Results vary between samples, so a finding below range is normally confirmed with a repeat test two to three months later.
Where these numbers come from
The World Health Organization publishes reference values in its laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. The sixth edition, published in 2021, is the current one. The figures are drawn from men whose partners conceived within twelve months, and the published limit is the 5th percentile of that group.
That is worth sitting with, because it changes what a low result means. The threshold is not the point at which fertility stops. It is the point below which a man is unusual among men who are known to have conceived. Plenty of men below the line conceive naturally, and some men above it struggle. The number tells you where to look, not what will happen.
Reading your own report
Check which edition your laboratory used. A report benchmarked to the 2010 edition can flag the same sample differently from one using 2021 values, and the edition is not always printed. Ask if it is missing.
Read the parameters together rather than one at a time. Concentration, motility and morphology interact: a sample can have an acceptable count while too few sperm are moving forward, and total motile count captures that better than either figure alone.
One result is a snapshot. Semen quality varies between samples in the same man, and illness, fever, a long or short abstinence period and stress all move the numbers. Anything abnormal is normally repeated before it is acted on.
Check your own numbers
Our semen analysis parameter checker compares the figures on your report against the table above and tells you which sit inside the reference range and which do not. It stores nothing and produces no score — just an honest reading of where each value falls.
If you want the underlying biology first, the Learn course covers how sperm are produced and what each parameter is actually measuring.
About these reference values
The WHO 2021 lower reference limit is 16 million sperm per millilitre, and 39 million in the whole sample. A result above that sits within the reference range. It is a population threshold, not a pass mark.
The WHO limits come from men whose partners conceived within twelve months. The published figure is the 5th percentile of that group, so it describes the lowest 5% of men known to be fertile. Falling below it means your result is unusual among fertile men, not that conception is impossible.
Yes. The 6th edition published in 2021 revised several thresholds from the 2010 edition. A laboratory still reporting against older criteria can flag a result differently, which is why the edition used should appear on your report.
No. Semen parameters vary considerably between samples in the same man, affected by illness, fever, abstinence period and stress. A single abnormal result is normally confirmed with a repeat test after two to three months before anything is concluded from it.
They are read together rather than ranked. Progressive motility and total motile count carry more weight for natural conception than concentration alone, because sperm that cannot move forward do not reach an egg however many there are.