# Please explain what sperm analysis terms mean. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 8, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-what-sperm-analysis-terms-mean/492416 "2009-04-08T18:58:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-what-sperm-analysis-terms-mean/492416/1 "2009-04-08T18:58:03Z")
I have googled, but I still don’t know what they mean, and what the normal range is in general. Number of sperm - what is the low end? Motility - is this how they move? Morphology - I think this means shape? For example, lets say you had an analysis come back that looked like this: Number ~ 100 million Motility at 80% Morphology at 25% How does that look (yes, I’m talking about my husband)? Can anyone provide me with a reference that is in laymen’s terms? ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-what-sperm-analysis-terms-mean/492416/2 "2009-04-08T19:03:13Z")
All those parameters are normal. Try this wikipedia article: [Semen analysis - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sperm_count) Sorry; in a hurry. If you have a specific question I’ll try to get back but prob not til tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-what-sperm-analysis-terms-mean/492416/3 "2009-04-08T19:03:50Z")
Thanks!