Sperm can die within a few minutes outside the body. But inside a woman, they live for several days in sperm-friendly cervical mucus.
The human body produces millions of sperm each day. They are mixed with whitish fluids from the prostate and seminal vesicles to create semen, which exits the body through the penis during orgasm.
How Does Sperm Regeneration Work?
In a healthy man, the male body can produce up to 8 billion sperm cells in one day.2 The sperm cells are then transported through the seminal fluid and urethra to be released as semen during sexual stimulation. Once the sperm are in the semen, they can enter the female reproductive tract and fertilize an egg.
Sperm production, known as spermatogenesis, begins with the division of diploid pre-sperm cells into haploid sperm cells that carry genetic information. During the maturation process, hormones help sperm develop a head that contains DNA and a tail that helps them swim to and fertilize an egg.3
The sperm acquire energy from nutrient molecules found in the semen and the female reproductive tract environment. This energy is transformed into ATP, which provides the energy needed to perform sperm functions such as fusion events and ion-channel regulation during the acrosome reaction.
In healthy men, sperm cells are constantly regenerated, meaning that the body does not “run out” of sperm and will always have enough to fertilize an egg. However, poor lifestyle choices, such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, can decrease sperm counts and impair sperm quality. Therefore, men who are trying to conceive should be careful about their health choices and try to avoid habits that can lead to low sperm count.
How Long Does It Take for Sperm to Regenerate After Ejaculation?
During sex, the body produces sperm that are then pushed out through the urethra and penis. This whitish fluid is called semen and contains sperm cells that are about 55 millionths of a millimeter long. The sperm that are produced during sexual stimulation travel to the vas deferens, a tube that takes them to a cavity in the pelvis. Along the way, a man’s seminal vesicles and prostate gland contribute fluid that mixes with the sperm to create semen.
Once sperm are fully mature, they move into the epididymis, tubes that connect to each testicle and store sperm. Here they’re preserved and allowed to gain mobility, so they can swim long distances when released in semen during ejaculation.
A single ejaculation may contain anywhere from 40 to 250 million sperm cells. That’s a lot of little wrigglers! It’s also important to note that a man’s body is constantly producing new sperm cells, so it’s impossible for him to run out.
The best ways to help your sperm production is to get regular exercise, have a healthy diet, and avoid alcohol and smoking. Certain health conditions, like gonorrhea or diabetes, can inhibit sperm production and affect fertility, as can some medications, including birth control pills, steroids, and some antibiotics. However, the good news is that many ejaculatory issues can be reversed with lifestyle changes and medical interventions.
How Long Does It Take for Sperm to Reach the Egg?
When a man’s body ejaculates, about 40 million to 150 million healthy sperm start swimming upstream toward the fallopian tubes in their quest to find and fertilize an egg. But not all sperm make it all the way to the egg. Only a few hundred of them will ever get close enough to penetrate it and form a fertilized egg (a zygote).
Fertilization is an epic struggle for a single sperm cell. Hundreds of sperm frantically surround each egg, all trying to penetrate it and reach the cytoplasm inside where the eggs carry their own genetic contribution. Eventually, one lucky sperm will succeed in penetrating the egg and fertilizing it, and pregnancy is born.
The best chance for conception occurs when a woman is in her “fertile window.” This usually happens three days before and at the time of ovulation — the moment each month during the menstrual cycle when an egg is released from an ovary.
For this reason, women who want to conceive are advised not to have unprotected sex until they reach their fertile window and stay protected for the rest of the day. A woman should also be careful about what she eats and drink, as well as avoid certain sexually transmitted diseases by practicing good hygiene and using condoms. Taking all these precautions will increase the odds of conception.
How Long Does It Take for Sperm to Reach the Ovum?
Each time a man ejaculates 40 million to 150 million sperm cells are released with the sole goal of meeting up with an egg and fertilizing it. It’s no small feat. The sperm must battle against many barriers to get there.
They start by swimming upstream towards the fallopian tubes. Once they reach the tubes they must first encounter a thick layer of the female’s reproductive tract called the zona pellucida. Then they have to reach and penetrate the egg itself. But only one sperm is allowed to break through the outer shell of the egg (called the cortex) and enter it where fertilization happens. The rest of the sperm cells are kept from entering and are destroyed (1).
After sperm have successfully made it to the egg, they begin to divide and multiply and eventually become a group of 100-300 cells called a blastocyst. It then spends several days traveling down the fallopian tube to the uterus where it is implanted into the lining of the womb. This process is known as implantation and usually takes place within 24 hours of ovulation (1).
The chances of a woman getting pregnant increase with the number of times she has sex during her fertile window. This is why it’s important for women to practice safe sex, avoid using barrier methods and have regular medical checkups. Taking prenatal vitamins, staying healthy and avoiding tobacco, alcohol, caffeine and drugs can also improve fertility and sperm health (2).
