How many sperm to produce a baby?

Answer 1

A good healthy baby only requires one sperm, as a mater of fact only one sperm can be a part of a baby. However it takes a large number of sperm to ensure tha fertilisation occurs as so many of them get lost on the way to the ovum. There is a lot involved in evaluating the sperm. Following are some numbers from WIKIPEDIA to give you an idea

The average sperm count today is around 60 million per milliliter in the Western world, having decreased by 1-2% per year from a substantially higher number decades ago

Chips for home use are emerging that can give an accurate estimation of sperm count after three samples taken on different days. Such a chip may measure the concentration of sperm in a semen sample against a control liquid filled with polystyrene beads.

Total sperm countTotal sperm count, or total sperm number, is the total number of spermatozoa in the entire ejaculate. By WHO, lower reference limit (2.5th percentile) is 39 million per ejaculate. MotilityThe motility of the sperm is evaluated. WebMD defines normal motility as 60% of observed sperm, or at least 8 million per millilitre, showing good forward movement. The World Health Organization has a similar value of 50% and this must be measured within 60 minutes of collection. WHO also has a parameter of vitality, with a lower reference limit of 60% live spermatozoa. A man can have a total number of sperm far over the limit of 20 million sperm cells per milliliter, but still have bad quality because too few of them are motile. However, if the sperm count is very high, then a low motility (for example, less than 60%) might not matter, because the fraction might still be more than 8 million per millilitre. The other way around, a man can have a sperm count far less than 20 million sperm cells per millilitre and still have good motility, if more than 60% of those observed sperm cells show good forward movement.

A more specified measure is motility grade, where the motility of sperm are divided into four different grades:

• Grade 4: Sperm with progressive motility. These are the strongest and swim fast in a straight line. Sometimes it is also denoted motility a.
• Grade 3: (non-linear motility): These also move forward but tend to travel in a curved or crooked motion. Sometimes also denoted motility b.
• Grade 2: These have non-progressive motility because they do not move forward despite the fact that they move their tails.
• Grade 1: These are immotile and fail to move at all.

MorphologyThe morphology of the sperm is also evaluated. With WHO criteria as described in 2010, a sample is normal if 5% or more of the observed sperm have normal morphology.[8]

Morphology is a predictor of success in fertilizing oocytes during invitro fertilization.

VolumeThe volume of the sample is measured. WebMD advises that volumes between 1.0 and 6.5 mL are normal; WHO regards 1.5 ml as the lower reference limit. Low volume may indicate partial or complete blockage of the seminal vesicles, or that the man was born without seminal vesicles. In clinical practice, a volume of less than 2 mL in the setting of infertility and absent sperm should prompt an evaluation for obstructive azoospermia. A caveat to this is be sure it has been at least 48 hours since the last ejaculation to time of sample collection. Fructose levelThe level of fructose in the semen is measured. WebMD lists normal as at least 3 mg/mL. WHO specifies a normal level of 13 μmol per sample. Absence of fructose may indicate a problem with the seminal vesicles. pHThe pH of the sample is measured. WebMD lists a normal range of 7.1-8.0;[2] WHO criteria specify normal as 7.2-7.8.[1] Acidic ejaculate (lower pH value) may indicate one or both of the seminal vesicles are blocked. A basic ejaculate (higher pH value) may indicate an infection. A pH value outside of the normal range is harmful to sperm.[2] LiquefactionThe liquefaction is the process when the gel formed by proteins from the seminal vesicles is broken up and the semen becomes more liquid. It normally takes less than 20 minutes for the sample to change from a thick gel into a liquid. An abnormally long liquefaction (more than 30 minutes at 37 24°C) time may indicate an infection.[citation needed] MOTMOT is a measure of how many million sperm cells per ml are highly motile, that is, approximately of grade 4, or sometimes also taking grade 3 into account. Thus, it is a combination of sperm count and motility.

With a straw volume of 0.5 milliliter per straw, the general guideline is that, for intracervical insemination (ICI), straws making a total of MOT40 is recommended. This is equal to 8 straws with MOT5, or 2 straws of MOT20. For intrauterine insemination (IUI), straws making a total of MOT10 is regarded sufficient. In WHO terms, it is thus recommended to use approximately 20 million grade 3+4 sperm in ICI, and 5 million ones in IUI.

Total motile spermatozoaTotal motile spermatozoa (TMS) or total motile sperm count (TMSC) is a combination of sperm count, motility and volume, measuring how many million sperm cells in an entire ejaculate are motile.

Use of approximately 20 million grade 3+4 sperm in ICI, and 5 million ones in IUI may be an approximate recommendation.

OthersThe sample is tested for white blood cells. A high level of white blood cells (over 1 million per milliliter) may indicate an infection.

Answer 2

Just 1, about 1 million sperm cells are in each droplet.

Answer 3

Only one sperm will get inside the egg unless there will be twins. Then there'll be two.

Answer 4

You only need one sperm in order to create one child. Though there are over 100 million sperm produced for each ejaculation, most do not take part in the fertilization process.

Answer 5

Enough to fill the average sized mouth