Your Swimmers
For the Nerds!
Did you know - initial gonadal development is identical in the male and female. Meaning…. You could have been a girl. Sorry what?!
Thankfully for you, the SRY gene on the Y chromosome (brought to you by your father) decided to have a say (at around 6 weeks of development) and directed you into becoming male! 'Wahay!'
The normal Karyotype for a woman is XX and for a man XY. The SRY gene is on the Y chromosome. During gestation, the cells of the gonad are in a ‘bipotential state’ meaning that they possess the ability to become either male or female. So, during the 6th week of development, Voilà......the basic anatomy of the testis is formed.
Gonads: an organ that produces gametes (eggs or sperm); a testis or ovary
As a man, it's important to know that the testis are the primary male reproductive organs. They have two, very important functions that are necessary for the male reproductive system: they produce gametes, or sperm, and they secrete hormones (androgens), primarily testosterone.
Function
Hormones
The testicles produce male hormones called androgens. Androgens are in control of how the male reproductive system grows and responsible for what are called the secondary sexual characteristics; growth of body hair, including underarm, abdominal, chest hair and pubic hair, growth of facial hair, increasing size and mass of muscles, enlargement of larynx (Adam's apple) and deepening of the voice. Testosterone is the most common form of androgen.
It is responsible for:
sperm production
sex drive
bone mass
fat distribution
muscle size and strength
red blood cell production
growth of male genitals
Sperm Production
Testicles can produce about 6 milligrams of testosterone each day and produce on average 200,000 sperm per minute. However, as a man gets older and into his 30s, the amount of testosterone the testis produces starts to drop and continues to decline over time.
Lets get technical:
The Spermatozoon -
'Sperm'
Head: The DNA or nucleus, containing your DNA that when combined with an egg will produce a new individual. The Acrosome, very important for penetrating the egg.
Midpiece: The battery pack, responsible for getting that sperm where it needs to be. The Mitochondria is the energy source propelling the sperm forward.
Tail: The tail gives the sperm movement, it whips its tail back and forth. We call this 'Motility'.
The testis can make 200,000 sperm per minute on average.
What is Normal?
The World Health Organization considers a normal sperm count range to be from 15 million sperm to more than 200 million sperm per milliliter (mL) of semen. Anything less than 15 million sperm per milliliter, or 39 million sperm per ejaculate, is considered low. A low sperm count is often referred to as Oligospermia. Motility of the sperm is important and >32% of the sperm in the ejaculate should be progressively motile 'i.e moving forward'. The morphology, shape of the head of the sperm also matters and as per the WHO, there should be >4% normal shaped sperms per ejaculate.
If you are having difficulty conceiving a basic semen analysis at a fertility clinic can assess the vitality, count (number), morphology (shape), motility and several other parameters that are important for sperm function.
The Semen Analysis: Why it's worth the trip to the clinic
A semen analysis is a simple test that can be done at your local fertility clinic and it is relatively quick and easy. The most widely used parameters for sperm testing are sperm concentration, progressive motility, and sperm morphology. A semen analysis can assess these parameters to determine if everything is normal or detect any abnormalities, and so is definitely worth the trip to the clinic.
Preparing for your test
Refrain from both intercourse and masturbation for 3-5 days before the test. Abstinence of more than five days is counterproductive as there is likely to be an accumulation of ageing and dead sperm in the ejaculate
Avoid alcohol, caffeine and drugs 2-5 days before the test
If you are on medication, discuss this with your fertility specialist as they may need to be avoided in the days leading up to the sample production
You will need to wash your hands thoroughly before producing the semen sample.
The sample should be produced into a sterile specimen pot (provided by your fertility center). The pot will need to be labeled with your full name, date of birth, and date and time of ejaculation
If you choose to produce a sample from the comfort and privacy of your home, please keep in mind that the sample must be kept warm and delivered to your fertility center within exactly one hour of ejaculation. Also, you cannot use a condom to transport the sample, as condoms contain spermicide
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