Low sperm count
Other Qs & As
My husband and I are going to have IVF for assisted conception.
We recently had tests done to see if my ovaries were still producing eggs, and to see if his sperm count was ok.
My ovaries were fine, but they said my husband had a low sperm count. It was only 6 million out of 20 million. Could you please tell me if he is able to get someone pregnant naturally, or will his chances be slim?
Answer
The answer to this situation depends on a number of factors.
The quality of sperm does not just depend on the count, but also on how many normal forms are present, and the motility of the sperm.
A count of between 10 and 20 million is a moderately low count, and 6 million is obviously well below this.
There are treatments may help sperm counts, but evidence that this actually increases fertility is slim. So the chances of your husband fertilising an egg through sexual intercourse are slight.
However it is impossible to be certain. It only takes one sperm to fertilise an egg, and as long as there are some active sperm in the ejaculate, then there is a possibility, albeit small, and I would not like to rule it out completely.
Yours sincerely
Dr Keith Barnard, GP
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