Sperm Motility

According to WHO criterion normal motility is -
Progressive motility ( A+B) = More than 32%
Total Motility (A+B+C) = More than 40% 

Motility is also indirectly an indicator of normal health of a sperm.  

Poor sperm motility may be because of poor sperm production along with many other causes. 

1. Prolonged abstinence: This causes low motility as sperm stays stored in the epididymis where DNA damage may occur. Repeated ejaculation prevents this.
2. Local Infection: Semen where sperm has poor motility could be indicative of local infection in the genital tract like epididymitis, prostatitis, orchitis
3. Deficiency in antioxidants: This causes a DNA damage to the sperm resulting in poor motility and abnormal sperm shape (morphology)
4. Hormonal Imbalance: The hormones of the brain which stimulate spermatogenesis may be deficient due to a cause in the brain Alternatively, the testis due to some reason may not be secreting the hormone – Testosterone
5. Local factors: Hot baths or laptops in the lap causing a local rise of temperature can destroy the sperm motility and cause DNA damage
6. Genetic Cause: Some hereditary causes like Klinefelters syndrome and Y chromosome microdeletion may cause it. 
7. Chronic disease: Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, kidney disorder and liver disease can lead to a poor sperm motility
8. Varicocele: Varicocele is a condition where the veins of the testis can get dilated.  Thus the local temperature rises due to increased blood flow. This damages the sperm and its motility

1. Repeat semen analysis with not more than 5 days abstinence
2. Semen culture to see what infection may be there
3. Local examination to check varicocele and infections
4. Scrotal ultrasound to see size of testis and any varicocele
5. Hormonal profile if severe loss of motility – FSH, LH testosterone, Prolactin, thyroid profile
6. Genetic testing – Karyotyping . If severe decrease in count and motility – Y chromosome microdeletion should be done
7. Check, Blood sugar, Kidney function test and liver function test

Treatment consists of treating the cause - 

1. Antibiotics: In case of infection. Depending on type of infection a specific anibiotic is given. Usually infection in the male genital tract needs a prolonged course  of antibiotics
2. Hormonal injections if hormonal deficiency found
3. Surgery of varicocele: Varicocelectomy
4. Intrauterine Insemination: Here the semen is prepared in the lab to concentrate the most motile sperms and insert in the uterus at time of egg release. This will only work if total motile count is more than 5 million/ml. That means total concentration of moving sperm is at least 5 million/ml. 
5. ICSI: Severe genetic causes and those not responding to treatment would be dealt with IVF – Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). ICSI is done by one sperm being picked up by microneedle and injected into an extracted egg to fertilize and make embryos which are later transferred in uterus. 

Click here to know about: Fertility Treatment Timeline for Low Sperm Motility

If Poor motility is accompanied by low sperm count/poor count (Oligoasthenozoospermia)the prognosis is poor as total motile count is poor.  

Similarly if poor motility is accompanied by poor morphology (asthenoteratozoospermia) the impact on fertility is much more severe. 

If all three are present (Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia) fertility is severely impaired.