Is it true that penis size affects male fertility?

“My penis is small, doc. Can I have children? ”This is a question that often arises from some men in the community. Because, not many people know whether penis size can affect male fertility.

Not surprisingly, until now the size of the penis is often used as an indicator of sexual satisfaction and virility of a man. In fact, this is not right.

Normal penis size in men
Male penis size depends on ethnic and genetic factors. The length of a man’s penis in normal conditions is generally 7.6 – 10.2 cm and 12.7-17.8 cm when erect. The penis is considered small (micropenis) if the length is less than 7.6 cm when experiencing an erection.

Many factors affect a man’s penis size, ranging from genetic, ethnicity, weight, hormonal disorders to nutrition. Based on research that has been done by experts, penis size is still not proven to be one indicator that affects male fertility.

More detailed research is needed to ensure this. But what underlies a man is said to be fertile or not is the quality of the sperm he produces.

Factors that affect sperm quality
Prime sperm quality is a milestone in the successful conception until the formation of the fetus. Therefore, a man is said to have good fertility if the quality of his sperm is also good. To find out, sperm examination is needed from the following factors:

1. Volume
Normal volume of sperm released is 2-5 ml in one ejaculation. If consistently released sperm fluid is less than 1.5 ml (hypospermia) or more than 5.5 ml (hyperspermia), then the volume of sperm fluid is said to be abnormal.

This fluid volume usually decreases if ejaculation often occurs and more volume will be obtained after a long “fasting”.

2. Sperm concentration
Men are said to be fertile if they have a sperm cell count above 20 million per ml or 40 million overall. If the amount is below 10 million per ml, then male fertility is classified as very low.

In plain view, male semen without sperm looks the same as male semen in general. So, if the cement looks runny, it does not mean the man is infertile or infertile. Only a microscope examination can prove it.

Morphology or form of sperm
Good sperm has an oval head shape with a long, straight tail in the middle.

If the sperm head is not normal, such as round, flat, too large, double-headed, or even not tailed, the sperm has the potential to be unable to fertilize an egg. At least, men are said to be fertile when producing 30 percent of normal-shaped sperm.

Sperm movement
Sperm consists of two types, those that can swim forward and those that do not. For fertilization to occur, the sperm must be able to swim fast until it reaches the egg. Based on its movements, sperm is divided into several classes:

  • Class A: sperm that swim quickly in a straight line like a guided missile.
  • Class B: sperm that swim forward but in curved or wavy lines, or in straight but slow lines.
  • Class C: a sperm that moves its tail but does not move.
  • Class D: sperm that do not move at all.

Class C and D sperm are bad sperm. Fertile men produce at least 50 percent of class A and B. sperm. If the proportion is less than that, it is likely to be difficult to have children.

The movement of sperm can also be constrained when sperm coincide with each other, making it difficult for their movements towards the egg. From the results of this analysis of sperm can be assessed whether a man is said to be fertile or not.

Pay attention to this before checking for sperm
In researching sperm quality, it turns out there are several things that need attention. Usually medical personnel will take samples of sperm with the following conditions:

The condition of the body on the day of the examination should be quite healthy, not in a state of fatigue, hunger and enough rest before.
In accordance with recommendations from the WHO World Health Organization, sperm are excreted after being preceded by sexual abstinence (not ejaculated in any way) for 3-4 days or not having sex for 2 to 7 days.
If you really want to ensure sperm quality, obey the rules above. Thus, the analysis results obtained are more valid.

So, penis size is not merely an indicator of male fertility. Because sperm analysis determines the ability of a man to have offspring.