The possibility of planning and conceiving a long-awaited child, as well as the fear of an unwanted pregnancy, concerns almost every love couple or couple. Although these pairs have different goals, they can still be united by interest in the same information: what is the life span of sperm cells? It is immediately worth noting that this time may vary depending on the conditions in which male reproductive cells are located. In this article we will try to answer in more detail the question of what is the life expectancy of spermatozoa in various conditions of their presence.
Life cycle
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of sperm in all of human life. The outcome of the entire sexual intercourse, as well as the birth of a new life within a woman, will depend on their mobility and vitality in the course of certain favorable circumstances. Before you figure out what is the life span of sperm, it is necessary to consider the main periods of the existence of these cells:
- Birth and maturation in the male body. As a rule, it takes about 2 months for the sperm to become an adult, get its own set of chromosomes and grow stronger. For another month, he waits for the moment of ejaculation, and then dies, becoming unable to fertilize the female egg.
- Life cycle in the external environment. Such a life begins from the moment of the male orgasm, during which the sperm leaves its parent body. In this case, he can get into the female vagina, where there is a chance of fertilization, or dies in the open air.
It is important to know how long sperm live after intercourse, maintaining their activity after the moment of ejaculation. In this case, life expectancy will range from a few minutes to several days. This time will depend on where the sperm cells are located: in the external environment or in the female body.
In addition, several factors can affect sperm life expectancy. We will talk about them in the next section.
Factors Affecting Sperm Life
Speaking about how many sperm live, factors also need to be considered, which can significantly affect their life expectancy. They are as follows:
- The state of reproductive function of men, as well as women. The absence or presence of any acute or chronic diseases, as well as the inflammatory process.
- Speaking about the life span of sperm cells, it is worth noting that this will also depend on the body temperature of the man or on the ambient temperature.
- A special role is played by the type of environment into which the spermatozoa are caught after intercourse.
- When answering the question of how long sperm can live, it should be noted that exposure to light, including exposure to sunlight, is of great importance.
- If a man applies lubricants during sexual intercourse, this can also affect the life expectancy of germ cells.
- If we consider the lifespan of a sperm in the female body, then this can be affected by the acid-base balance indicator directly in the vagina itself. If this environment is alkaline, then sperm, as a rule, live longer.
- The life expectancy of sperm in the uterus may be affected by the use of contraceptives or medications.
- The set of chromosomes of a particular sperm also plays a role in its lifespan.
- It is also necessary to take into account individual indicators of the condition of the seminal fluid of a man: composition, number, and activity of cells.
- If sexual intercourse is performed with a condom, then substances that are in the contraceptive lubricant can affect the lifespan.
X and Y chromosomes
We continue to consider how many sperm live in the air, in the body, in the uterus. An important role in life expectancy is also played by X- and Y-chromosomes. This is especially important for couples planning to conceive specifically a boy or girl.
For example, male Y chromosomes, which are responsible for the birth of a boy, are active for only 24 hours. Therefore, if you plan to conceive a boy, it is necessary to take into account the given lifespan of sperm in the fallopian tubes. In this case, fertilization should occur before ovulation or immediately after it.
As for female X chromosomes, they can remain active for two days. If the couple wants to have a daughter, then sex must be done a couple of days before the moment of ovulation.
Body temperature
As mentioned earlier, temperature also affects how much spermatozoa live in or outside the female body.
In addition, the temperature of the male body, as well as the environment where it is located for a sufficient amount of time, plays a special role for the life span of sperm. The most favorable temperature for sperm is up to 37 degrees. If the couple is planning a pregnancy, then the air temperature in the house should also be optimal for the life of sperm.
Fever
If a man works in conditions of high temperature, for example, in a mine or a production workshop, then the majority of sperm die, and those that manage to survive are not particularly active and viable. As a rule, such sperm are not capable of fertilizing the egg.
It should also be noted that a decrease in sperm motility can be observed in the summer, when the air temperature in the street is more than 38 degrees.
In order for sperm cells to be active and viable, a man must avoid wearing tight, narrow underwear, and even more so underwear that is made from synthetic materials.
Lovers to take a steam bath in the sauna or bath should be very careful, as they may have problems conceiving the baby.
Low temperature
The effects of low temperature on the male body are also fraught with various consequences. If a man has been in conditions where the air temperature is below 4 degrees Celsius for a long time, then not only gametes can die, but an imbalance in the function of the entire reproductive system can begin. That is why you should not ignore wearing warm underwear in the winter, do not touch the snow and ice with your hands, and also do not sit on the cold. This is especially true of the period when you want to conceive a baby.
Female longevity
When a sperm is in the female body, it can behave in completely different ways. The time of viability and the possibility of fertilization will depend on various factors that are associated with the state of the woman's body, as well as the menstrual cycle.
If the vagina is very acidic, which is supported by special lactobacilli, then under its influence the main amount of sperm can die within a couple of hours. In this case, only those sperm remain that are the most mobile and strong. It is they who reach directly the cervix.
In the cervix, the life span of spermatozoa increases from 4 to 8 days, which can be explained by the alkaline environment in this organ. Here, sperm move much more actively, and half an hour after intercourse, they reach the uterus, as well as the fallopian tubes.
During ovulation, a mature egg can already be waiting for them in the tubes. If it is not, then sperm are able to live there for a week, but they lose their fertilization ability after 3-5 days.
Significantly affects the life expectancy of sperm and the condition of the female body. Any inflammatory process in the woman’s reproductive system changes the pH of the environment in the direction of increasing acidity, which is detrimental to spermatozoa. The presence of a sexually transmitted infection, such as chlamydia, has a detrimental effect on male germ cells.
Life expectancy in the environment
As part of the ejaculant, sperm are located in the secretion of the prostate, which contains biologically active elements that support them and have a protective effect in the female vagina from an acidic environment. That is why it will be quite easy to imagine what exactly can happen to sperm if it is in the external environment and loses this protection. In this case, she will live for a short time.
In water
Sperm, once in the water, which is present in the ejaculant, can survive for a maximum of ten minutes. But if they find themselves without a nutrient medium, then sperm die in one second.
On underwear and penis head
Under such conditions, sperm die within thirty minutes. Sometimes it happens that the most active sperm during this time, with a positive set of circumstances, penetrate the vagina, uterus, and also fertilize the egg.
Light and sun rays
As mentioned earlier, light is fatal to sperm. Life expectancy under the influence of light and sunlight will be no more than twenty minutes.
In a tied condom
Under such conditions, sperm can survive for 30 minutes if there is no synthetic lubricant on the contraceptive. If there is such a spermicidal lubricant on the condom, then sperm die instantly.
On open air
If ejaculation occurred outside the female body, then sperm can last no more than two hours. Even if they will have great activity, overcoming the acidic environment of the vagina, then they are unlikely to be able to move on.
High fertility of a man implies the release of a large amount of ejaculant. In this case, the death of sperm occurs within the next five hours.
On the hands, in the mouth, in the anus, in saliva, in any area of the skin and household items, sperm die within 3-5 hours. In this case, do not worry about whether pregnancy can occur.
On a towel and sheets, the sperm die as soon as the ejaculant dries, and the risk of pregnancy in this case, of course, is reduced to zero.
How to increase vitality
To increase the viability of sperm, it is necessary to refuse to wear tight underwear, giving preference to free models. It is necessary not to supercool, and also refuse to go to the sauna or bath at least a couple of weeks before conception. During intercourse, do not use different gels and lubricants that reduce the life of sperm. It is best to get rid of bad habits, you need to sleep at least 8 hours a day. It is recommended to increase physical activity, change the diet, excluding fatty and harmful foods.