What Is Oligospermia?
Oligospermia means low sperm count. When you ejaculate, the fluid or semen that you produce during an orgasm contains fewer than normal sperms it is called oligospermia.
Oligospermia is different from azoospermia, which is the complete absence of sperm. Your sperm count is considered low if you ejaculate less than 15 million sperm per millilitre of sperm. A healthy sperm count increases the odd for fertilization with your partner’s egg, resulting in a pregnancy. Nonetheless, men with a low sperm count may still be able to get pregnant with their partners.
Typically, a male may experience other sexual conditions with oligospermia, such as the inability to get or maintain an erection, as well as produce ejaculation at orgasm.
Having a low sperm count decreases the odds that one of your sperm will fertilize your partner’s egg, resulting in pregnancy. Nonetheless, many men who have a low sperm count are still able to father a child.
Oligospermia is a male fertility issue characterized by a low sperm count and is a common finding in male infertility. Often semen with a decreased sperm concentration may also show significant abnormalities in sperm morphology and motility.
Oligospermia is defined as less number of sperm in the ejaculate of the male. Among infertile couples, 40% are primarily due to the infertility of the male partner, while in 20% of these cases it is a combination of both male and female factors associated which lead to infertility. Out of several causes of male infertility, in clinical practice Oligospermia is considered one of the most prevalent causes.
Sperm count in your ejaculate can vary throughout your life. A healthy sperm amount is often necessary for fertility. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies sperm counts at or above 15 million sperm per milliliter (mL) of semen as average. Anything below that is considered low and is diagnosed as oligospermia.
- Mild oligospermia is 10 to 15 million sperm/mL.
- Moderate oligospermia is considered 5 to 10 million sperm/mL.
- Severe oligospermia is diagnosed when sperm counts fall between 0 and 5 million sperm/mL.
Since Oligospermia tends to have no effect on sexual function, men may not know they have this unless they are having trouble conceiving with a partner.
Oligospermia is one of the main causes of male infertility or sub-fertility. Sub-fertility is a reduced ability to achieve a pregnancy while infertility is defined as the complete inability to produce a pregnancy after about one year of unprotected sexual activity.
Although having oligospermia decreases the odds that a sperm will find and fertilize an egg, it does not completely rule out the possibility of conceiving naturally. The number of sperm in your semen is only one of many factors that determine whether you and your partner can conceive a child.
Many men with oligospermia are able to father a child.
Semen deficiencies are often labeled as follows:
- Oligospermia or Oligozoospermia – decreased number of spermatozoa in semen
- Aspermia – complete lack of semen
- Hypospermia – reduced seminal volume
- Azoospermia – absence of sperm cells in semen
- Teratospermia – increase in sperm with abnormal morphology
- Asthenozoospermia – reduced sperm motility
There are various combinations of these as well, e.g. Teratoasthenozoospermia, which is reduced sperm morphology and motility. Although low sperm counts are often associated with decreased sperm motility and increased abnormal morphology and thus represent “Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia”.
