More sperm facts

Blog written by GIVF Compliance Officer Amy Erickson Hagen

How long does sperm live?

Animal

Fertile life of sperm (hours)

Mouse

6

Rat

14

Guinea Pig

21-22

Human

24-48

Rabbit

30-32

Sheep

30-48

Cow

28-50

Horse

144

Bat

135 (days)

 

They die as they dry out, so it depends on how quickly they dry. They also are killed by fresh water due to osmotic shock. Soap and detergents such as those used for laundering and hand washing also kill them, as these substances strip off the cell membrane of the sperm.

Motile (moving sperm) have been found in the human Fallopian tube up to 85 hours after coitus, although the ability to fertilize an egg is usually lost before motility is lost.

Reference: http://www2.oakland.edu/biology/lindemann/spermfacts.htm

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