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Understanding your test score

Thanks for taking your latest test, your score is in the below normal total motile sperm count range. On this page we’ll take you through what your score means, give you some tips on how to improve your sperm health, as well as explaining further support available to you from our team.

What does a below normal test score mean?

Understanding the Total Motile Sperm Count.
The ExSeed Home Sperm Test measures the Total Motile Sperm Count (the total amount of sperm cells moving forward per ejaculate). It’s one of the best predictors of male fertility because it measures the amount of sperm cells that could possibly reach the egg after intercourse. We categorise sperm TMSC into 2 bands, below normal and normal. The TMSC figure consists of three measurements: volume, concentration, and motility. A below normal score means the combination of these three parameters equates to a TMSC of less than 7.5 million, which we categorise as below the threshold considered normal. The tables below show the categorisation of the individual parameters, as well as how this affects pregnancy chances.
Below normal
Normal
Total Motile Sperm Count (million)
< 7.5
> 7.5
Semen Volume (mL)
<1.5
>1.5
Sperm Concentration ( million/mL)
<15
>15
Sperm Motility (%)
<32
>32
TMSC Range
Chance of pregnancy per cycle
<7.5 million motile sperm cell
6-12%
7.5 – 45 million motile sperm cells
12-18%
>45 million motile sperm cells
18-24%
Volume measurement

Volume

Semen volume is the total quantity of fluid ejaculated. A normal volume is more than 1.5ml. Below that is called Hypospermia and can, for example, be caused by hormonal abnormalities or ductal blockage..

Concentration

Sperm concentration is a measurement of how many sperm cells there are in each milliliter of semen. A normal concentration is above 15 million sperm cells per milliliter. Being below 15 million sperm cells per milliliter is referred to as oligospermia, and it is called azoospermia if there are no sperm cells at all.

Motility

Sperm motility is the forward motion of sperm cells. For a sperm to fertilize the egg, it must travel quickly through the female reproductive system, which requires strong forward swimming motion. Our algorithm tracks forward motility, which is also referred to as progressive motility. Normal motility is above 32% of the sperm cells moving, below that is called asthenozoospermia.

What causes below normal score?

There are a number of factors that can lead to low total motile sperm count. Some of the key causes of this specific male fertility issue

Lifestyle

Lifestyle factors including diet, weight, bad habits, medication and even heat affect your sperm health.
Read more...

Medical

Certain medical conditions impact your sperm production or the journey of your sperm from testicles to your semen.
Read more...

Genetic

Some men who experience low sperm count and infertility are impacted by genetic defects that can cause sperm count and quality to be abnormal.
Read more...

What next? How to improve my score

Take a test

Our immediate recommendation is to take a second test after a minimum of 48 hours. There are a number of factors that can create natural variation in sperm samples and by taking additional tests you'll get a more accurate picture of your sperm health overtime (which you can track in the ExSeed app).

Introduce healthy habits

There are a number of lifestyle changes you can start making including exercising more, improving nutrition and limiting bad habits. You can find more by reading our lifestyle blog or heading to general advice with the app.

Start taking supplements

We have a fertility supplement multipack that includes all the necessary vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fish oils to improve your sperm health.

Continue testing

It will take time for the changes you make to impact your sperm health so it's important to keep monitoring your sperm. We recommend testing once per month.

Got a question? Ask our medical team

If you have any questions about your test or upcoming tests our medical team is at hand to help. Whether you prefer a call, email or message, we’ll be here for you.

How your lifestyle affects fertility

Many aspects of your current lifestyle can impact your fertility. here are general recommendations on what you can do to improve sperm count and motility.

Age

With an age under 40, you shouldn’t have to worry about age as a factor in itself.

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BMI

There is a clear association between obesity and reduced sperm quality.

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Cigarette smoking

The exposure to tobacco smoke has significant negative effects on semen quality.

Read more

Stress

With an age under 40, you shouldn’t have to worry about age as a factor in itself.

Read more

Nutrition

Processed foods damage the health of sperm-producing cells and cause oxidative stress, which leads to poorer sperm quality.

Read more

Physical activity

Scientific studies show that men who are physically active have better semen parameters than men who are inactive.

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Heat

Direct heat can inhibit optimal sperm production and cause Sperm DNA damage.

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Alcohol

A beer or glass of wine now and then do not really harm sperm quality - but excessive drinking does.

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Cell phone

When you have your cell phone in your front pocket, your testicles are exposed to electromagnetic radiation, which studies have shown to damage the sperm cells.

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Wearing tight pants and underwear

Studies show that men who wear looser underwear have higher sperm concentration and total sperm count compared to men who wear tighter underwear.

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