What does the pH in semen say about fertility?

Semen is just a "vehicle" to transport sperm. Not only that, semen also helps nourish and create favorable conditions for sperm to contact the egg. Semen is composed of many different components and factors, including pH. This number is too high or too low also indicates abnormality of semen and is not favorable for pregnancy.

pH stands for "hydrogen power", which is understood as "power of the hydrogen atom". The pH is used as a scale to determine how acidic or basic (alkaline) a solution is, ranging from 0 to 14. If the solution has a pH of 7 it is neutral, above 7 is alkaline and Below 7 is acidic. So, as the pH value decreases, the acidity increases and vice versa.
Why is pH in semen important? The reason is because of the environment in the vagina. Under normal conditions, vaginal pH helps maintain the balance of good and bad bacteria, preventing infection. However, to protect itself from bad bacteria and ensure a healthy balance, the vaginal environment tends to be slightly acidic. However, vaginal pH also changes frequently, depending on the time of the cycle, sexual activity, and even a woman's diet and exercise.
Thus, to facilitate the survival of sperm in the female reproductive organs, semen must have a higher pH than vaginal fluid. Accordingly, the pH of semen is slightly alkaline to neutralize. It is this mechanism of semen that will help keep the sperm alive until it reaches the egg.

The pH in semen is easily determined by basic automated tests or by testing technicians using colored litmus paper. The color change of the paper when compared with the standard color chart will know the pH of the patient sample.
Besides the function of determining the pH, the semen analysis also shows the density, structure and motility of the sperm. This is a test that provides all the basic parameters to help determine whether the natural fertility of sperm is good or not.

According to the World Health Organization WHO, the average pH of semen should be between 7.2 and 8. This is the perfect protective environment for sperm.
If your semen has a pH below 7, it is acidic which reduces your chances of conception and is also a sign of a blockage in the seminal vesicles.
On the contrary, if your semen has a pH above 8, it is alkaline which can impair sperm motility and also be a sign of infection.

Build a balanced diet: Give up the habit of skipping meals or useless snacks. Instead, it's important to have a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables and healthy nutrition; Physical exercise: The habit of regularly moving the body not only helps the muscles to stay supple, enhances metabolism as well as blood flow to the organs, including the reproductive organs in men; Avoid exposure to toxins: Exposure to dangerous chemicals, including smoking and drinking alcohol, can make semen highly acidic. You need to limit your regular exposure to these harmful chemicals; Limit stress: Stress causes the body to secrete hormones that fight anxiety and stress in the nervous system, cardiovascular system as well as other organ systems. This causes the metabolic processes to stagnate, increase acid stagnation, and affect sperm quality. In short, sperm abnormalities sometimes inadvertently become factors that prevent conception. In particular, the pH in semen is a factor that is very sensitive to changes in the environment outside or inside your body. Understanding the above issues will partly help you adjust your lifestyle in time to protect sperm health and achieve a happy couple.
Vinmec International General Hospital is applying semen analysis in 2 basic pre-marital examination packages and advanced pre-marital examination packages, which not only help men accurately assess sperm health in many aspects. (including the pH factor in semen) but also offers advice to help couples have the healthiest babies.
For detailed advice on semen analysis in the pre-marital examination package at Vinmec, please contact the hospitals and clinics of Vinmec Health system nationwide

References: nih.gov; webmd.com