Q: Ma’am, I did some test on semen analysis and culture, and the result was ok, but they detected infection. What drugs do you prescribe for a quick cure?

A: Several factors could affect the results of a semen analysis.  The results also vary from man to man such that results outside of the ‘normal’ do not necessarily mean fertility or having a baby is out of the question. Your doctor will work with you according to your specific context.

You have to be sure to follow all instructions given before the test. This includes abstaining from sexual intercourse for at least 3-5 days before sexual intercourse.

Using WHO reference values, a normal semen sample should fulfill the following:

• Volume amount of sperm produced in one ejaculation): Greater than or equal to 1.5 ml
• pH (whether acidic or alkaline. If less than 7, it’s acidic and greater than 7 is alkaline): Greater than equal to 7.2
• Viscosity (being semi-fluid):  viscous
• Transparency: opaque
• Motility (percentage of sperm that move forward normally):  This should be more than 40%
• Morphology (percentage of sperm that have normal shape): This should be greater than or equal to 15% normal, oval sperm heads
• Liquefaction (time taken for the semen to become ‘liquid’): This should be complete within one hour
• Total sperm count: This should be greater than or equal to 15 million.
• Pus cells should be less than 1 million/ml or less than 5/hpf

If you have an infection, this can be easily treated with antibiotics under your doctor’s guidance.

All the best.

Have a good evening, everyone 😀