Question
I’ve read that watery semen isn’t a great sign when it comes to male fertility. My partner and I are having some trouble conceiving and I’ve noticed this might be a thing for us. Is it true? What can we do?
Answer
The cloudiness of semen is affected by how often you ejaculate, how hydrated you are, whether you’ve been drinking alcohol and whether you’re looking at your ejaculate or vaginal discharge after sex.
The concentration of sperm is what makes the semen cloudy and thick, so if your ejaculate is watery it is possible that you have a low sperm count. This doesn’t mean you’re infertile (so precautions to prevent pregnancy still need to be taken for couples that don’t want to get pregnant). Your GP can arrange for you to have your semen tested but you need to wait at least two days after your last ejaculation before you produce the specimen.
Read more on sperm health here.
Magdalena Simonis AM
General Practitioner
A/Professor Magdalena Simonis AM is a General Practitioner with interests in health equity, chronic disease prevention and preconception health. She’s a representative of the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA) and has represented the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) in national health policy development and at senate enquiries.
People also ask
What does unhealthy sperm look like?
You can’t always tell how healthy sperm is by looking at your semen. Men can have perfectly normal looking semen but still be infertile. Some signs that indicate there could be an issue with your sperm is discoloured semen (yellow, green, pink or red can be a sign of infection), watery semen or low semen volume.
Can a man recover from a low sperm count?
Whether you can improve low sperm count depends on the cause. While many men can recover from low sperm count with appropriate changes (like maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, not smoking or drinking alcohol, and avoiding environmental toxins) some underlying conditions and health issues may require more advanced treatments. Learn more about improving sperm health here.
How can I check if I’m fertile?
Aside from conceiving a child, the only way to know if you’re fertile is with a semen analysis. A male fertility test will involve a semen analysis at a pathology laboratory. Your doctor will give you a referral to have this done. This involves examination of freshly ejaculated semen under a microscope to determine the number of sperm, their size and shape and their movement. Learn more about semen analysis here.
