[Lisap2008]

World Health Organization updated reference values for human semen characteristics
The WHO has published new reference guidelines for semen parameters. These were generated by evaluating 4,500 men in 14 countries whose partners had less than or equal to 12 months time to pregnancy (TTP). The WHO authors found that with a 95% confidence, men whose partners had TTP of 12 or fewer months had NO LESS than the following:

Semen volume: 1.5 ml
Total sperm in the ejaculate: 39 million
Sperm per ml: 15 million/ml
Vitality: 58% live
Progressive motility: 32%
Total Motility: 40%
Morphologically Normal: 4%
(There was a typing error here on 12.15, the values are correct now).

This group of fathers had significantly better semen quality than semen samples tested in the general population. It is important to note that falling below these levels does not mean that a male factor is causing a couples infertility, but rather that male infertility is a possible factor in the couple’s failing to conceive.

It is IMPERATIVE that any clinic performing a semen analysis for a couple use WHO guidelines to evaluate and interpret the sample. There is NO excuse to not be performing up to date analysis methods on something this important.

Your physician can find the entire study at Human Reproduction Update Advance Access Nov 24,2009.

[*Mommy2Remington*]

That is awesome!!!

[*KittyCat*]

wow!! Things look loads better now. Although, in light of these new guidelines, i hope that this now doesn't make us ineligable for IVF. Have you got the link to the WHO website?

Thanks for posting, that really cheered me up!

[Lisap2008]

Here is the link for WHO search engine for semen analysis: Search results: semen analysis

its give us new hope too other then the motility, my DH's was way lower then normal. hopefully the vitamins are helping though.

[danabee52]

Oh yay! They said ours was abnormal with a 49% motility, "normal" being 50-70%. I'm going to have to pull out the test results and compare our other abnormal results. Thanks!