From the Guidelines
Normal sperm motility is 42% (40-43%).
Semen Parameters
The World Health Organization Reference Limits for Human Semen Characteristics, as outlined in the 2024 AUA/ASRM guideline 1, provide the following reference limits for semen parameters:
- Progressive Motility: 30% (29-31%)
- Total Motility (Progressive + Non-Progressive): 42% (40-43%) These values are based on semen samples from 3589 males from 12 countries and 5 continents, and are considered the standard for evaluating male fertility.
Evaluation of Male Fertility
When evaluating male fertility, clinicians should include a reproductive history and one or more semen analyses during the initial evaluation 1. It is also important to note that semen parameters are highly variable and may fluctuate substantially from test to test, so at least 2 semen analyses obtained a month apart are recommended, especially if the first analysis has abnormal parameters.
Comparison with Other Guidelines
The 2002 AUA and ASRM recommendations for male infertility 1 suggest a motility greater than 50 percent, which is higher than the current reference limit of 42% (40-43%) outlined in the 2024 AUA/ASRM guideline 1. However, the more recent guideline provides a more accurate and up-to-date reference limit for normal sperm motility.
From the Research
Normal Sperm Motility
The normal sperm motility is a topic of interest in the field of fertility and reproductive health. According to various studies, the following are some key points to consider:
- The World Health Organization (WHO) reference values for human semen characteristics suggest that the lower reference limit for progressive motility is 32% 2.
- A study published in the International Journal of Andrology found that at least 30% of spermatozoa should be motile for IVF or insemination therapy to be successful 3.
- Another study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that the fertile range for sperm motility is greater than 63% 4.
- A study published in Fertility and Sterility found that sperm motility is a superior discriminator of fertility versus infertility, with a minimum overlap range of 46% to 75% 5.
- A study published in Fertility and Sterility also found that pregnancy rates were greater than or equal to 8.2% per cycle when the initial sperm values were a concentration of greater than or equal to 5 x 10^6/mL, a total count of greater than or equal to 10 x 10^6, progressive motility of greater than or equal to 30%, or a total motile sperm count of greater than or equal to 5 x 10^6 6.
Key Findings
Some key findings related to normal sperm motility include:
- Progressive motility of at least 30% is required for IVF or insemination therapy to be successful 3, 6.
- The fertile range for sperm motility is greater than 63% 4.
- Sperm motility is a superior discriminator of fertility versus infertility, with a minimum overlap range of 46% to 75% 5.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) reference values for human semen characteristics suggest that the lower reference limit for progressive motility is 32% 2.