According to research carried out on sperm samples at the University Hospital of Zurich in Switzerland, the time of day and year the sperm was produced affects the quality of the sample. The study analysed 12,245 semen samples from over 7000 men, between 1994 and 2015, and considered factors such as sperm concentration, progressive motility, sperm shape and total sperm count. It is important to note that the causes of the following discrepancies are not certain, particularly as there was limited data on the late evening when sexual activity tends to be at its highest.
Samples collected between the hours of 5am and 7.30am were found to display a statistically higher sperm concentration, total sperm count and a greater percentage of normally shaped sperm, when compared with samples that were collected later in the day. Sperm motility, however, did not seem to be influenced by the time of day that the sample was produced.
As well as time of day, the quality of the semen samples differed depending on which season they were produced. The sperm concentration and total sperm count appeared to be considerably higher in samples collected during spring and considerably lower during summer.
Although the causes of these differences in semen quality are not conclusively understood, the researchers of this study have suggested that certain hormones such as melatonin, testosterone and cortisol could be accountable. Where fertility treatments are concerned, this research could potentially be helpful, after further investigation.
While this type of research is interesting, it shouldn’t be taken at face value, as every patient is different. The likelihood of successful conception depends on various factors, such as the cause of infertility to begin with, rather than things like the time of semen production. If you have any questions about fertility treatments, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
