Ep 282: "Shape, Swim, and Count: A Deep Dive into Sperm Health "

Fertility Docs Uncensored is hosted by Dr. Carrie Bedient from the Fertility Center of Las Vegas, Dr. Susan Hudson from Texas Fertility Center, and Dr. Abby Eblen from Nashville Fertility Center. In this episode, the docs welcome special guest Dr. Sam Ohlander, a reproductive urologist and the Head of Urology at the Fertility Centers of Illinois, University of Illinois at Chicago. Together, they take a deep dive into one of the most common and foundational tests in male fertility: the semen analysis.

Dr. Ohlander explains why timing is everything—specifically, the importance of an abstinence period of 2 to 5 days before testing. More is not better here; longer abstinence can negatively affect sperm motility. The team unpacks the meaning of sperm motility, including the distinction between progressive and non-progressive motility and how this can influence the total motile sperm count. They also discuss agglutination (clumping of sperm) and why it may not be as clinically relevant as once thought. Finally, they tackle the often misunderstood topic of morphology. Even when sperm shape is abnormal, this doesn’t necessarily indicate issues with DNA integrity or a poor overall count. You won’t want to miss this episode sponsored by ReceptivaDx.