Have you ever thought about how long sperm can survive after intercourse before it can fertilize the egg? If so, you are not alone; most people do not exactly know how long sperm live after sex, especially those trying to get pregnant.
The lifespan of sperm is a very important study because it can help with pregnancy planning at the right time. Let’s get into the details of how many days sperm lives inside the uterus and associated factors.
Lifespan of Sperm Inside the Uterus
Average Lifespan
On average, sperm can live inside the uterus anywhere around 5 to 7 days. This is more than the adequate time required for the sperm to fertilize an egg. The longevity of the sperm depends on the health condition of the woman and the characteristics of the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes.
When the sperm exists outside the body, it can only last for a few minutes after ejaculation due to the open environment. It is important to note that the sperm stays for around 74 days in the man’s body before ejaculation. After that, the sperm cells die, and the body reabsorbs them.
Ideal Circumstances
Sperms are subjected to fry and die on any dry surface. Thus, warmth and moisture are ideal for sperm to live longer.
Surfaces hot tubs or human skins are two of the ideal surfaces, where sperm survival chances are long. Despite the dry or wet conditions, temperature also has a critical role in determining the sperm.
Even if the water temperature is equal to the body temperature, there are chances that the sperm disperse from the protective fluids in the semen.
Factors Affecting Sperm Lifecycle
Uterine Environment
The uterine environment significantly influences the lifespan of sperm inside the uterus. Fertile cervical mucus has a better chance of increasing the life of the sperm still nestled in the vagina. Only the mobile sperm make it through the layers of cervical fluid that surrounds the uterine opening.
This fluid is then produced and released from the cervix. During ovulation, the cervical barrier gets thin and the acidity alters, which creates a more accommodating atmosphere for sperm. Therefore, the cervical fluid acts as a sperm reservoir and allows the longevity of sperm.
Woman’s Health
As we already discussed, sperm survival is determined by the health of women’s uterus, fallopian tubes, and vagina. The fluid produced in a woman’s reproductive system contains all the necessary nutrients for sperm to survive.
If the woman is healthy and if the vaginal fluids are normal, sperm can last for a long time. Suppose, the state of a woman’s health is unfavorable; then the sperm will die within a few hours.
pH Level
The pH level of the vaginal canal is naturally acidic, but it alters the acidic levels and thins out the cervical mucus during ovulation.
This helps in preventing sperm damage and helps them survive better. Although the pH level favours, only the healthiest sperm will survive during the first 12 hours in the vaginal canal.
Importance of Understanding Sperm Survival
Understanding the survival of sperm is important when it comes to fertility and conception. In the case of planning for pregnancy, this helps in increasing your chances of conception through the right planning.
It helps you understand that it is not mandatory to have intercourse during a particular day of ovulation, as sperm can survive five to seven days during the phase
This gives a clear note that the sperm cannot survive outside the body, as it dies out quickly, which helps in planning your pregnancy or avoiding it.
How to Improve Sperm Health?
- Quitting smoking before planning for a baby is essential to keep your sperm health optimum. Not only active smoking but also passive smoking like standing near to the smoke, can also have chances of affecting sperm health negatively, leading to infertility.
- Similar to smoking, alcohol should also be stopped before planning to conceive, as it has a chance of influencing sperm quality.
- Leading a healthy lifestyle by following a nutritious diet, regular exercising, and reducing stress can be done. Although some stresses cannot be avoided, meditation, yoga and mindfulness can be practised.
- Avoid wearing non-breathable underwear, having hot baths, using a laptop on your lap, or keeping the heated substance near your testicles should be avoided.
- Maintain a healthy weight, as it can help improve the production and quality of the sperm.
Conclusion
To sum it up, sperm can live in the uterus for around 5 to 7 days, which is more than the time needed to fertilize an egg. Nevertheless, the survival time is affected by the woman’s vaginal, fallopian tubes, uterus, and other reproductive factors.
Awareness of the lifespan of sperm, inside or outside the body, can help in planning the timing of intercourse to maximise the possibility of pregnancy.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
It only takes a few minutes for the sperm to reach the uterus. During ovulation, the cervical mucus becomes thin, and it favours the sperm to reach the uterus easily within minutes.
Although millions of sperm are released per ejaculation, only one sperm is all that is required to fertilize a female egg, leading to a successful pregnancy.
No, it is not mandatory to have intercourse only during ovulation. Since sperm can survive from 5 days to 7 days inside the uterus, five days around ovulation time can be ideal for impregnating a woman.
