Normal male fertility

The Private Healthcare UK guide to infertility treatment contains articles on infertility and IVF treatment which are aimed at improving your knowledge of treatments for infertility, their benefits and potential risks.

The guide is sponsored by The London Women's Clinic, leading fertility specialists who have been involved in fertility management since 1984.

The London Women's Clinic (LWC) provides IVF and fertility treatments to assist couples and individuals overcome their difficulties in conception and pregnancy.

With over 20 years’ experience in the treatment of fertility problems, their team delivers a full range of diagnostic and treatment programmes for fertility disorders. Their clinics based in London, the North of England and Wales operate one of the most successful IVF programmes in the world.

The LWC in Harley Street is rated in the top three amongst all UK licensed centres for women aged up to 35 and the HFEA has published the centre specific IVF success rates for the period 1st January – 30th June 2007 showing verified results of 55.7% success.

The LWC have also championed the practice of egg-sharing, and their egg donation programme provides hope to many women, who previously believed they could not have children. The assisted reproduction services are complemented by gynaecology services such as a pre-conception and Well Woman check-ups.

For more information about The London Women’s Clinic:

The London Women's Clinic London

113 - 115 Harley Street

London W1G 6AP UK

Tel:         +44 (0) 20 7487 5050         (main switchboard)

Tel:         +44 (0) 20 7563 4309         (appointments & enquiries)

Fax:         +44 (0) 20 7487 5850

Email: info@londonwomensclinic.com  

In this section

"Normal" fertility could be defined as conception occurring within a 12 – 15 month period of regular unprotected sex.

Fertility is a highly complex process and infertility can be attributed to either male or female factors, or both. A male must produce semen that contains sufficient numbers of healthy motile sperm, and have the ability to achieve erection and ejaculate semen into the vagina.

The male genital tract includes the testes, the epididymis, the vas, the prostate and urethra. The testes, situated in the scrotum, are mainly made up of loops of fine tubes (seminiferous tubules) which produce the sperm. The sperm cells mature as they pass through the epidiymis (a narrow system of tubes on the surface of the testes). The vas is a hollow tube, which carries the sperm from the epididymis to the urethra.

It takes 3 - 4 months for sperm to develop, during which time production may be affected by febrile illness, exposure to drugs, toxins, radiation, local trauma or infection.

The primary laboratory test for male fertility is "semen analysis". The sample is obtained by masturbation or collected from a special condom following intercourse. Sterile containers must be used to collect the sample following three days of sexual abstinence.

A normal assessment should show: 

• Semen volume - 2-4mls
• Sperm count - more than 20 million per ml
• Sperm motility - more than 50% moving
• Sperm morphology - more than 30% of normal shape
• White blood cells - should be less than 1 million per ml
• Anti-sperm antibodies test - should be negative

In this guide

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