What happens if an abnormal sperm fertilizes an egg

Many of the things that can cause low sperm count also may lead to asthenozoospermia. Possible causes of poor sperm motility include:. Even though the World Health Organization WHO defines poor sperm motility by the percentage of properly moving sperm, research has found that the total number of motile sperm is a better measure of fertility.

For example, according to a study, less than 5 million motile sperm would be considered to severe male infertility, 5 to 20 million would be moderately infertile, and over 20 million motile sperm would be considered normal. Teratozoospermia is when a large percentage of a man's sperm has an abnormal shape. Normal sperm have an oval head with a long tail. Abnormal sperm may have an oddly shaped head, more than one head, or more than one tail. Sperm shape is essential to the ability of the sperm to move or swim.

If the sperm are not of normal shape and cannot move well, they might not be able to fertilize an egg. Poor sperm morphology can have a variety of genetic causes.

In rare cases, some specific genetic causes lead to all the sperm being the same abnormal shape. For example, globozoospermia is a specific kind of teratozoospermia where the sperm head is round instead of an oval shape. The condition is caused by a specific genetic mutation. Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia OAT. Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia OAT is when all sperm parameters sperm count, movement, and shape are abnormal. OAT can be mild, moderate, or severe. The condition's severity will determine the treatment and prognosis.

Necrozoospermia is when all the sperm are dead. Necrozoospermia is a rare cause of infertility. The treatment options for necrozoospermia differ from those for other conditions related to sperm health. For example, when sperm are non-moving but still viable, treatments like IVF with ICSI when a sperm cell is directly injected into an egg to, hopefully, allow for fertilization are available.

However, if the sperm is dead as with necrozoospermia these types of treatment are not an option. However, this does not mean there are no treatments available. When a cause can be determined, hopefully, treatment will resolve or improve the situation. During this procedure, your doctor removes immature but viable sperm cells directly from your testicles, matures them in the lab, then uses them for IVF-ICSI.

Leukocytospermia is a high number of white blood cells in the semen. With leukocytospermia, the sperm is not necessarily abnormal, but the semen might be a problem. High levels of white blood cells may lead to sperm damage, which can decrease fertility. A high white blood cell count can indicate an infection.

In some cases, it can be a sign of an autoimmune disease. Many causes of a low sperm count can also cause leukocytospermia. The normal and abnormal ranges for semen analysis are based on percentiles.

Your semen health might be subpar, but you may still be able to conceive. Likewise, normal results on a basic semen analysis do not necessarily guarantee fertility. Semen analysis is not a test of fertility ; rather, it's a tool to investigate the possible causes of infertility. For example, a low sperm count is not a diagnosis itself, but a symptom that can be only discovered through semen analysis.

There are a variety of causes for low sperm count. Sometimes, a cause is never found. If your semen analysis shows that you have a low sperm count, your doctor's goal will be to find out the cause and determine what can be done to help you and your partner have a baby. Your doctor will usually want to repeat the semen analysis.

If you had trouble producing a sample the first time, your doctor might suggest that you do so via intercourse. For this process, you use a specialized condom that is meant for the collection of semen samples. You should not use a regular condom for collection, as it can kill sperm—even without added spermicide.

Beyond basic semen analysis, your doctor might also want to perform other tests depending on your results. Other tests your doctor might order to assess fertility include:. After additional testing is performed, your doctor might recommend treatment to improve your semen health. Another possibility is that your doctor will recommend considering a sperm donor. I view ICSI as the great equalizer of abnormal sperm and if there is one problem to have, abnormal sperm is it! Sperm regenerates every three months while we are born with our entire supply of eggs.

If a positive action is made—ceasing cannabis use, losing weight, halting excess alcohol intake—we will see a benefit from that action.

Treatment is not always straightforward or quick. It's possible that your doctor will recommend one treatment and, if it does not work, recommend that you try another. Yes, it can. However, having higher amounts of abnormally shaped sperm has been associated with infertility in some studies. Usually, higher numbers of abnormally shaped sperm are associated with other irregularities of the semen such as low sperm count or motility. Men with abnormally shaped sperm may also have no trouble causing a pregnancy.

Once the sperm enters the egg, fertilization has a good chance of taking place. No one is sure why the sperm shape matters. Men with abnormally shaped sperm tend to have more trouble causing a pregnancy, but we cannot say for sure whether that difficulty is caused by the shape of the sperm itself or by another reason that causes the sperm to be shaped differently and at the same time causes a problem with fertility.

These sperm are the most likely to be able to fertilize an egg, so the percentage can give you a clue about your chances for conceiving with your partner. The ranges will differ from lab to lab, depending on the criteria used to assess the sperm.

Stricter criteria will result in a lower normal range. Your doctor will discuss your range with you and help you determine what effect it has on your fertility. According to Dr. Ten to 14 percent is still good fertility potential, 5 to 10 percent is decreased fertility, and less than 5 percent is poor fertility potential.

Sperm morphology affects fertility because sperm have to be a certain shape to be able to penetrate an egg. But morphology is only one of many factors when it comes to fertility. Your doctor will also look at the number of overall sperm and how easily they move. Find out more about semen analysis and what your results mean. If your doctor tells you that you have small-headed sperm morphology, in vitro fertilization IVF may be an option. IVF is a procedure where your doctor extracts semen and injects it directly into eggs that have been removed from your partner.

This is an invasive procedure, but it can be an effective method for pregnancy. Talk with your doctor if you and your partner are ready to become pregnant. Your sperm is usually healthier the younger you are. Your body is always producing new sperm, so changes to your diet or lifestyle can impact the health of your future sperm, including:. Some natural supplements and vitamins may be helpful for promoting normal sperm morphology too.

Learn more ways to improve your sperm health. Sperm morphology is only one of many possible causes. There are many medical conditions that could make conceiving difficult. Conditions like varicoceles , infections, and hormonal imbalances can affect fertility.

Even being diagnosed with celiac disease can be a factor.