What is asthenospermia?

Asthenospermia is an infertility condition in which a person experiences reduced sperm motility. Sperm motility describes the ability of sperm to “swim” through the female reproductive tract to reach the egg. Asthenozoospermia is a condition in which a person has zero sperm motility.

Asthenospermia can significantly reduce the chances of achieving pregnancy and is among the most common causes of infertility in males (along with oligospermia, low sperm count). Asthenospermia is defined as a less than 40% sperm motility or less than 32% progressive motility. Progressive motility refers to sperm moving in straight lines or large circles.

Asthenospermia is also often accompanied by oligospermia, and is typically seen in patients with defects in sperm morphology, known as teratospermia. Furthermore, sperm DNA fragmentation levels tend to be  higher in patients suffering from asthenospermia.