Semen Analysis Results Explained: What Your Numbers Mean and What Comes Next

Opening a semen analysis report full of numbers can feel confusing, and you’re far from alone in wondering how to read one. A semen analysis is one of the most common and helpful first steps in a fertility evaluation, and each number on the report tells your care team something useful.

At Fertility and Surgical Associates of California (FSAC), our team will walk you through every value on your report, explain what typical ranges look like, and help turn your results into a plan that fits your goals.

What a Semen Analysis Measures

A semen analysis is the most common first test of male fertility. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), about 20% of infertility cases are due to a male factor alone, and another 30% involve both male and female factors. Testing early gives your care team a fuller picture from the start.

If you’re building your family with a partner who will provide the eggs, a semen analysis is an essential part of your evaluation together, since sperm make up the other half of the picture.

At FSAC, male fertility testing samples are collected privately and analyzed by our andrology team in our on-site lab, led by a PhD embryologist. Results are ready within a few days, so you won’t be left waiting long for answers.

How to Prepare for Your Sperm Analysis

Your care team will give you specific instructions before your sperm analysis, including a short window of abstaining from ejaculation before the test. Following those steps helps make sure your results are accurate.

Illness, fever, and some medications can temporarily affect results, so be sure to share your full health history with your doctor ahead of time.

Reading Your Semen Analysis Results

Your semen analysis results compare your numbers to reference values from the American Urological Association (AUA) and ASRM guideline on male infertility. The guideline uses World Health Organization (WHO) values drawn from fertile men whose partners conceived within 12 months.

Your report may label some values “normal” or “abnormal.” Both are clinical terms describing where a number falls against a reference value, and neither one is a judgment about you. According to the guideline, values above or below a reference limit do not on their own predict whether someone can or cannot conceive.

The lower reference limits in the guideline include:

• Semen volume of 1.4 mL
• Sperm concentration of 16 million per mL
• Total sperm number of 39 million per sample
• Total motility of 42%
• Progressive motility of 30%
• Morphology (sperm with a typical shape) of 4%

Sperm Count and Concentration

Concentration measures how many sperm are in each milliliter (mL) of semen, while total count measures the sperm in the whole sample. A sperm count test looks at both, since the total depends on concentration and volume together.

If the lab finds very few or no sperm (azoospermia), your doctor will recommend further evaluation, which may include a second analysis one to two weeks later, a physical exam, and hormone blood tests.

Sperm Motility

Sperm motility describes how well sperm move. Total motility counts any sperm that move at all, and progressive motility counts sperm moving forward, the kind of movement that helps sperm reach the egg.

Sperm Morphology

Sperm morphology looks at the shape of sperm, and the results surprise many people. As many as half of the sperm in a typical sample are irregularly shaped, according to ASRM’s sperm morphology fact sheet. Labs use strict scoring that counts even minor irregularities, and some people with a low morphology result have no trouble conceiving.

Volume and Other Values

FSAC’s lab also measures semen volume, pH, and liquefaction, which is how a sample changes from thick to liquid after collection. A low volume can point to an incomplete collection or, less often, a blockage your doctor will want to look into.

Why One Male Fertility Test Is a Snapshot

Sperm values vary from sample to sample, so a single male fertility test captures one moment in time. The AUA/ASRM guideline advises at least two analyses about a month apart, especially when the first shows values below the reference range.

Your numbers can also change over time, and some everyday changes may help. Your doctor may suggest:

• Eating a balanced diet and staying active with regular exercise
• Cutting back on alcohol and caffeine
• Avoiding tobacco and recreational drugs
• Talking with your doctor before using testosterone or anabolic steroids, which can suppress sperm production

According to ASRM, improvements from lifestyle changes can take up to three months to show up in your results, so your first analysis is a starting point.

What Comes Next After Your Semen Analysis Results

Your doctor will review your semen analysis results alongside the rest of your fertility evaluation. From there, your next step may be a repeat analysis, a referral to a male fertility specialist, or a treatment plan built around your results.

Male factor plays a role in up to half of all infertility cases, based on the ASRM figures above, and it’s one of several common causes of infertility your care team will look at before recommending a path. Treatment options for male factor infertility include:

• Intrauterine insemination (IUI), where your provider places specially prepared sperm directly in the uterus
• In vitro fertilization (IVF), sometimes paired with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where an embryologist places a single sperm into each mature egg

There’s good news on cost, too. Since January 1, 2026, California’s SB 729 requires fully insured, large-group health plans regulated in California to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, so your testing may be covered once your plan renews. Our billing team will help you check your benefits, and financing options such as PatientFi are available if you’re paying out of pocket.

Questions to Ask About Your Results

Bringing a few questions to your appointment can help you feel prepared and confident. Consider asking:

• Which values fall outside the reference range, and by how much?
• Does a repeat test make sense, and when?
• Could anything in my health history affect my results?
• Which treatment paths fit my results?
• How does my insurance cover testing and treatment?

However your numbers look today, they’re the beginning of a plan, and you won’t be working through your next steps alone. We’re here for you every step of the way.

Book a Male Fertility Evaluation With FSAC

When you’re ready, contact FSAC to book a male fertility evaluation at our Thousand Oaks, Encino, or Santa Monica office, or start with a telehealth consultation. Your first visit will be a relaxed chance to ask questions and learn which next steps make sense for you.