What You Should Know About Hyperspermia

What is hyperspermia?

Hyperspermia is a condition in which a man produces a larger than normal volume of semen. Semen is the fluid a man ejaculates during orgasm. It contains sperm, along with fluid from the prostate gland.

This condition is the opposite of hypospermia, which is when a man produces less semen than usual.

Hyperspermia is relatively rare. It’s much less common than hypospermia. In one study from India, fewer than 4 percent of men had a high sperm volume.

Having hyperspermia doesn’t negatively affect a man’s health. However, it could reduce his fertility.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptom of hyperspermia is producing a larger than normal amount of fluid during ejaculation.

One study defined this condition as having a semen volume of more than 6.3 milliliters (.21 ounces). Other researchers put it in the range of 6.0 to 6.5 milliliters (.2 to .22 ounces) or higher.

Men with hyperspermia may have more trouble getting their partner pregnant. And if their partner does become pregnant, there’s a slightly increased risk that she might miscarry.

Some men with hyperspermia have a higher sex drive than men without the condition.

How does it affect fertility?

Hyperspermia can affect a man’s fertility, but it doesn’t always. Some men who have a very high semen volume have less sperm than normal in the fluid they ejaculate. This makes the fluid more dilute.

Having a low sperm count decreases the chance that you’ll be able to fertilize one of your partner’s eggs. Although you can still get your partner pregnant, it may take longer than usual.

If your semen volume is high but you still have a normal sperm count, hyperspermia shouldn’t affect your fertility.

Are there other complications?

Hyperspermia has also been linked with an increased risk for miscarriages.

What causes this condition?

Doctors don’t know exactly what causes hyperspermia. Some researchers have theorized that it’s related to an infection in the prostate that causes inflammation.

When should you see a doctor?

See a doctor if you’re worried that you produce too much semen, or if you’ve been trying to get your partner pregnant for at least one year without success.

Your doctor will start by giving you a physical exam. Then you’ll have tests to check your sperm count and other measures of your fertility. These tests might include:

• Semen analysis. You’ll collect a semen sample for testing. To do this, you’ll either masturbate into a cup or pull out and ejaculate into a cup during sex. The sample will go to a lab, where a technician will check the number (count), movement, and quality of your sperm.
• Hormone tests. A blood test can be done to see if you’re making enough testosterone and other male hormones. Low testosterone can contribute to infertility.
• Imaging. You may need to have an ultrasound of your testicles or other parts of your reproductive system to look for problems that can contribute to infertility.

Is it treatable?

You don’t need to treat hyperspermia. However, if it’s affecting your ability to get your partner pregnant, treatments can improve your odds of conceiving.

A fertility specialist can give you medicine to improve your sperm count. Or your doctor can use a technique called sperm retrieval to pull sperm from your reproductive tract.

Once the sperm is removed, it can be injected directly into your partner’s egg during in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The fertilized embryo is then placed in your partner’s uterus to grow.

What to expect

Hyperspermia is rare, and it often doesn’t have any effect on a man’s health or fertility. In men who have trouble getting their partner pregnant, sperm retrieval with IVF or ICSI can increase the odds of a successful pregnancy.

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