Life is all about asking the right questions and finding the answers. But questions like "Does sperm die when it hits the air" or "How long will it live?" might render you clueless. This article will highlight the life span of the sperm under different situations and give all the answers you want to know.
Does Sperm Die When It Hits the Air?
If a sperm hits the air, it will lose their moisture really quickly. Once a sperm dries out, it is dead and ineffective for fertilizing an egg. If a sperm is dried, it cannot be rejuvenated even if it is re-moistened! However, with the proper environment like a warm and moist one, sperms may survive for 3-5 days when it is out of the body.
Can Dry Semen Get You Pregnant?
We have known the answer to "Does sperm die when it hits the air?" then what about sperms in dry semen? Many people think that this kind of semen can make girls pregnant. This is a myth which has spread across platforms because of ignorance. Dry semen will not get you pregnant as sperms have a very short half-life and don't survive in dry conditions.
Some woman even worries that if she has semen in her hands which touches the vagina later, she may get pregnant. Yeah, if you wipe some semen into your vagina just after ejaculation, you are at risk of getting pregnant. But these fluid dry quickly and sperms will become inert and infertile with time.
How Long Can Sperm Live in a Male Reproductive System?
Sperms are reproductive cells produced through spermatogenesis in the men's testicles. In spermatogenesis, the continuous division of spermatogenic cells occurs in the seminiferous tubules, which leads to the formation of spermatids, immature sperm cells. These cells are then sent to the epididymis for maturation which takes about 2-3 weeks. This is also where sperms are stored before they are ejaculated.
The life span of a sperm in the male body is about 74 days. If sperms aren't released within this period, they will degenerate and get dissolved into the male body. It's worth mentioning that there are various factors in play, which determine the survival rates of the sperm and their penetrating abilities.
How Long Can a Sperm Live In a Female Body?
Except the question "Does sperm die when it hits the air", the most concerned question is "How long can a sperm live in a female body?" Sperms' survival time in a female body depends on certain scenarios. When a man ejaculates into a woman's vagina, out of several million sperms only a few have the capability to successfully fertilize and reach the cervix. If the sperms fail to make it, they cannot survive for long in the vaginal canal due to the acidic conditions. If sperms manage to get to the cervix, they can survive for nearly 3-4 days. Sometimes sperms can survive for 7 days. How so? At the time of ovulation, a woman’s body produces cervical mucus that provides ideal or favorable conditions for sperms to travel into the fallopian tubes with ease.