… the lifespan of sperm extends the fertile days in the cycle? In total, there are 6 days per cycle on which it is possible to get pregnant. With cycle tracking you can calculate this window individually, from cycle to cycle.
The lifespan of sperm varies greatly and depends on where the sperm cells are and what conditions prevail there.
How long do sperm survive in certain environments?
It matters whether the sperm are outside or inside the female body. Their lifespan can range from a few seconds (in bath water) to several days (in the female body). In a condom or in the open air, living conditions are different again. In a man's epididymis, sperm can survive for a maximum of one month.
What you will find on this page:
- How long do sperm survive inside a woman?
- How long do sperm survive in the open air?
- How long do sperm survive in water?
- How long do sperm survive in a cup or a condom?
- Which sperm live longer, male or female?
- Never guess again: with cycle tracking you know where you stand
- And a few more fun facts about sperm
How long do sperm survive inside a woman?
How long sperm survive in the vagina depends on which phase of the cycle the woman is in. This is because the pH value of the so-called cervical mucusdiffers depending on the phase. Sperm survive longest in an environment with the pH value that is optimal for them.
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How long do sperm survive during the infertile days?
During the infertile days, after ovulation and at the beginning of the cycle, the vaginal discharge at the cervix is rather acidic. It thus presents a hostile environment for sperm. The acidic vaginal pH of around 3.5–5.5 during the infertile phase reduces their lifespan. The acidic vaginal environment causes the sperm to die off quickly. In addition, a thick plug of mucus seals the cervix.
Sperm survival time in the fertile phase
If, however, the woman is in her fertile days shortly before the day of ovulation, the consistency of the cervical mucus changes. The vaginal environment becomes less acidic. In the fertile phase, the pH value is slightly alkaline, now at around 7.5.
In the fertile phase, they move hyperactively. This helps them swim to the egg after ovulation, penetrate it and trigger fertilisation. They are also attracted by the alkaline, sperm-friendly environment of the cervical mucus.
Because of the many obstacles in the female body, under normal conditions only about 500 to 800 sperm reach the uterus. A constant selection process means that only fully functional sperm reach the egg itself and trigger fertilisation. Shortly before the goal, further obstacles such as the cervical mucus reduce their number sharply once more, until in the end only one sperm makes it into the egg.
How long do sperm survive at the vaginal opening?
Sperm are not able to move across the skin. They have to come into direct contact with the entrance to the vagina. Only then can the sperm cells make their way through the vagina and the uterus into the fallopian tube. Pregnancy is therefore possible if the vaginal opening is touched with enough ejaculate on the fingers, or if a finger is inserted into the vagina and a sperm cell can thus reach the egg.
How long do sperm survive in the open air?
In the open air, sperm survive a maximum of 24 hours depending on environmental conditions. For sperm to survive longer, the temperature, humidity and pH value have to be right.
Some sperm cells may survive longer than a day, but they are no longer capable of fertilisation. As soon as the ejaculate is exposed to air, it dries and the transformation processes in the seminal fluid begin. Sperm that have dried on a bed sheet or towel cannot be 'reactivated', even if the sperm cells come into contact with liquid again.
How long do sperm survive in water?
In hot water, sperm immediately stop moving and usually die after just a few seconds.
Of course, it makes no difference to the sperm whether they are in bath water or in a pool. The reason for their poor chances of survival is that the pH value of the water does not match that of the vagina.
How long do sperm survive in a cup or a condom?
In a condom and in a sterile cup, sperm remain viable for a few hours if the latex or a screw cap protects them from drying out. However, many condoms are coated on the inside with a substance that kills sperm.
Which sperm live longer, male or female?
Sperm carry either an X or a Y chromosome in their nucleus. The lifespan and characteristics of sperm carrying the female X chromosome and of sperm carrying the male Y chromosome are said to differ:
There are also studies that do not agree with this distinction and that show, for example, a longer lifespan for sperm with the male Y chromosome.
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Never guess again: with cycle tracking you know where you stand
Or are you hoping that today was a successful day for conceiving a baby?
Whatever your motivation, the answer is never a universal one, but always an individual one.
There are 6 fertile days per cycle, which result from
- the lifespan of the female egg and
- the lifespan of the male sperm.
But these are not always the same days in the cycle: it always depends on when the woman ovulates.
cyclotest mySense recalculates the fertile days from cycle to cycle based on your individual ovulation symptoms. Cycle tracking gives you a knowledge advantage and takes away uncertainty.
You might also be interested in:
What is cervical mucus?
Cervical mucus is a watery or jelly-like secretion produced by the glands in the cervix. Over the course of the menstrual cycle, the discharge changes in consistency and appearance. Observing and analysing the cervical mucus provides clues about ovulation and the fertile days. Cervical mucus is analysed by sensation, sight and touch.
When are the infertile days?
The menstrual cycle consists largely of infertile days. A distinction is made between the infertile days at the beginning of the cycle and the infertile phase after ovulation. In this article, you will learn how to calculate your infertile days reliably.
Ovulation symptoms
If you are interested in hormone-free alternatives, various natural options are available to you. The focus here is on the different ovulation symptoms to observe. As a woman, you can perceive various body signs during a cycle that are relevant for determining the fertile and infertile days, for example the waking temperature or the cervical mucus.
And a few more fun facts about sperm
Sources:
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- World Health Organization: WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination of Human Semen and Sperm-Cervical Mucus Interaction. 5. Auflage. Cambridge 2010.
- Skibbe, X. und Löseke, A.: Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe für Pflegeberufe. 3. Auflage. Stuttgart 2007.
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- France, J. T.: A Prospective Study of the Preselection of the Sex of Offspring by Timing Intercourse Relative to Ovulation. Fertility and Sterility, Vol. 41. 1984.
- Datenbank GENESIS-Online: Basisdaten zur Statistik der Geburten – Lebendgeborene nach Geschlecht und Bundesländer (12612-0100). 2014.
- Gnoth, C. et al.: Time to pregnancy: results of the German prospective study and impact on the management of infertility. Human Reproduction, Vol. 18. 2003.
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- Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe: Lusttropfen. HIVreport.de. 2011.