Diseases and Conditions
Low sperm count
Overview
Symptoms
Causes
Risk factors
Complications
Prevention
Diagnosis
Treatment
Lifestyle and home remedies
Alternative medicine
Preparing for an appointment
Overview
Low sperm count means that the fluid (semen) you ejaculate during an orgasm contains fewer sperm than normal.
A low sperm count is also called oligospermia (ol-ih-go-SPUR-me-uh). A complete absence of sperm is called azoospermia. Your sperm count is considered lower than normal if you have fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen.
Having a low sperm count decreases the odds that one of your sperm will fertilize your partner's egg, resulting in pregnancy. Nonetheless, many men who have a low sperm count are still able to father a child.