Sperm Lifespan Inside the Female Body.
How long can the male sperm actually live inside the female body? This is a question that many men have asked themselves – some in a higher state of panic than others!
When sperm are inside a woman’s body, they generally live for about 5 days.
In some cases, sperm can live inside a woman’s body for up to 7 days. If you’re a man and you have sex even a few days before your partner ovulates, there’s chance she may get pregnant.
The fluid in a woman’s reproductive tract has all of the nutrients that sperm need for their survival during that time.
Once inside the female reproductive tract, the sperm cells must swim through the cervix and into the uterus to reach the fallopian tubes and female egg. It is a very long journey for sperm cells to make and very few survive.
How long does sperm live for?
Many people know surprisingly little about sperm, which shouldn’t come as a huge surprise considering they are invisible to the naked eye. One of the most common questions we hear about sperm is: “how long does sperm live?”
This question has two different answers, depending on if you’re talking about how long sperm lives inside the man’s testicles – or how long sperm can live outside of the body. On a dry surface, such as clothing or bedding, sperm usually are dead by the time the semen has dried. In water, such as a warm bath or hot tub, they’ll likely live longer because they thrive in warm, wet places.
Inside the man’s body, sperm can live for several months. It is generally known that most men produce millions of new sperm every day. However, you might not know that these new sperm take about 2 ½ to 3 months to fully mature. You might not also realize that when sperm are initially formed within the testicles, they lack the ability to swim forward or fertilize an egg until they make their way through the reproductive tract.
Overall, the sperm “regeneration cycle” takes about 74 days.
How long can sperm survive inside a woman and get her pregnant?
Seeing as how sperm can live up to a week inside the female body, a woman can get pregnant for about 7 days after intercourse. For pregnancy to happen, the egg must be fertilized by a sperm within this time. Sperm can live for up to 7 days inside a woman’s body. So if you’ve had sex in the days before ovulation, the sperm will have had time to travel up the Fallopian tubes to “wait” for the egg to be released.
It takes just one sperm to fertilize a woman’s egg. Keep in mind, though, for each sperm that reaches the egg, there are millions that don’t.
On average, each time a man ejaculates he releases nearly 100 million sperm. Why are so many sperm released if it takes only one to make a baby? The mortality rate of sperm is extraordinarily high – and only a select few will ever survive the arduous journey to have a chance to fertilize the egg.
To meet the waiting egg, semen must travel from the vagina to the Fallopian tubes, a tough journey that few sperm survive. Experts believe this process may be nature’s way of allowing only the healthiest sperm to fertilize the egg, to provide the best chances of having a healthy baby.
Does the “Withdrawal Method” work for birth control?
The ‘withdrawal method’, or when the male “pulls out” of the female before ejaculation, is notoriously unreliable. Before ejaculation occurs, a small amount of semen, also known as “pre-cum,” leaves the penis. There is some debate as to whether this fluid contains sperm cells. Until researchers are sure, it is best to assume that pregnancy is possible if this fluid comes into contact with a woman’s vagina.
According to Planned Parenthood, if the withdrawal method is performed correctly 100 percent of the time, it is about 96 percent effective. However, most people are not able to perform it correctly every time, making the actual effectiveness somewhere around 78 percent. This means that each year, 22 out of 100 women using this method will get pregnant, or around 1 in 5.
Withdrawal is more effective when combined with other methods of contraception, such as male or female condoms or spermicide.
When using this method, it is also essential to make sure that ejaculation occurs away from the vaginal opening. It is still possible for pregnancy to happen if the sperm spills onto the vagina or vulva.
Can you make your sperm healthier?
Many men aren’t sure if there is anything you can do to improve the health of your sperm. In fact, there are many steps men can take to improve their sperm health. Many of the things you can do to improve your overall health will also make your sperm healthier as well. Improving sperm health is a must for any couples experiencing problems conceiving a child.
Luckily there are several things men can do to improve their overall sperm health.
6 Tips for Sperm Health
- Maintain a Healthy Weight: Being overweight or obese can directly impact sperm production and the hormones needed to support the process.
- Quit Smoking: Smoking cigarettes has been associated with a lower sperm count when compared with men who do not smoke.
- Reduce Alcohol Use: Alcohol use can impact testosterone levels, which will, in turn, decrease sperm count.
- Take a Sperm Supplement/Vitamin: Taking a sperm supplement can provide the body with the perfect combination of vitamins and minerals needed for optimal semen production and sperm health
- Stop Using Drugs: Anabolic steroids, marijuana, and cocaine have all been linked with decreased sperm production.
- Keep the Testicles Cool: Spending time in saunas or hot tubs, wearing tight underwear or pants, and placing a laptop computer directly on the lap may all increase the temperature of the scrotum and reduce sperm production.
Healthy sperm is a cornerstone of male fertility and vital for impregnating your partner if you’re trying to conceive. Taking steps to having healthier sperm will result in several spin-off benefits to both your sexual function and your overall health.
Keep in mind that sperm take about 2-3 months to reach maturity. This means that the things you do to improve your health may not be fully reflected in your sperm for a couple of months or more. For example, once a lifestyle change has been made—such as quitting smoking—it takes about 2 ½ to 3 months for those healthier sperm to appear in the ejaculate.
Improving your sperm health and male fertility is not a complex situation. Generally, a “heart-healthy” lifestyle is also a “sperm-friendly” lifestyle: eating a good diet, exercising regularly and moderately to maintain a healthy weight, avoiding tobacco use, and consuming alcohol and caffeine in moderation are wise choices.
If you need to improve your sperm health as quickly as possible, we recommend taking a specially formulated sperm supplement which will go a long way to restoring your body’s levels of crucial vitamins, minerals, proteins, and amino acids.
We hope this article answers your questions about sperm and how long they can live under various circumstances. If you have more questions regarding semen or sperm just let us know as we’re always on the lookout for new sperm topics to write about!
