Post Date November, 16 2024
How long can sperm live in a woman's body? Generally speaking, sperm have a certain lifespan because they wait for the egg's sister, otherwise fertilization will be difficult. So, how long can sperm live in women's bodies? Let's know together.
How long can sperm live in a woman's body?
Sperm survival time in the female reproductive tract:
The acidic secretion of the vagina is usually pH 3.5-4. Although in theory, as long as there are live sperm, fertilization can be achieved, in fact, in the acidic environment of the vagina, most sperm will die shortly after entering the vagina. Only with a certain amount of semen buffering can the survival time of a few live sperm be extended, and the opportunity to enter the uterus and fertilize can be obtained.
Without the sacrifice of a large number of sperm and a certain amount of semen buffering to improve the acid-base environment in the vagina, it is impossible for a single sperm or a small number of sperm to survive and fertilize in the acidic environment of the vagina.
In general, the survival time of sperm in the vagina is 2 hours after sexual intercourse, and 90% of them die within 90 hours; 36 hours without even seeing death. The stronger the acidity in the vagina of a pregnant woman, the faster the sperm death. This is the foundation of male physiology.
2. Survival time of cervical sperm:
The change in pH value of cervical mucus has a significant impact on sperm penetration. When the pH is less than 6.5, the sperm stops moving. At pH 7, there is a mild penetration ability. At pH 7.5, the penetration ability is normal, while at pH 8.2, the penetration ability is stronger.
There is a lot of mucus blocking the outer opening of the cervix, causing many sperm to be unable to penetrate and die outside. Just after menstruation, the cervical mucus is thick and resilient; As ovulation approaches, due to an increase in estrogen in the blood, mucus increases, becomes clear, and the degree of filamentous changes increases; During ovulation, there is a lot of mucus that becomes clear and flows out, making it easier for sperm to penetrate.
Sperm penetration into cervical mucus depends on enzymatic hydrolysis. Trypsin, chymotrypsin, and hyaluronidase can hydrolyze cervical mucus, reduce viscosity, lose mucilaginous fibers, and facilitate sperm passage.
Generally speaking, the survival time of sperm in the cervix is: within the cervix, after 15 minutes of sexual intercourse, sperm can be found in cervical mucus; After one hour, the sperm enters the inner mouth; In the uterine cavity, after 1 hour of sexual intercourse, the sperm are in the uterine cavity. After 6 hours, all the sperm move. After 12 hours, 5 hours/6 of the sperm are still alive, and after 36 hours, 1/1 of the sperm is still alive. After three days, they are not alive. But sometimes some sperm have a particularly long survival time.
