Semen analysis – what men should know about their fertility

In about 40% of all cases of an unfulfilled wish to have children, the cause lies (also) with the man. The semen analysis is the most important examination for assessing male fertility.

What is examined?

• Volume: amount of ejaculate
• Concentration: number of sperm per ml
• Motility: movement of the sperm
• Morphology: shape and structure

When is a semen analysis abnormal?

According to WHO criteria, normal values are: over 15 million sperm per ml, over 32% progressive motility and over 4% normal morphology. A single abnormal result is not yet a cause for concern – stress, fever or infections can temporarily affect the values.

What to do about a poor semen analysis?

• Mildly reduced: insemination (IUI) or IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) may be sufficient.
• Severely reduced: ICSI is the method of choice.
• No sperm in the ejaculate: TESE can retrieve sperm from the testicular tissue.

New: sperm DNA fragmentation

Current research (ESHRE 2026) increasingly shows the importance of the DNA integrity of the sperm. A HALO sperm test can provide additional information.