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What does it mean to have oligoasthenospermia?

By Silvia Azaña Gutiérrez B.Sc., M.Sc. (embryologist).
Last Update: 05/15/2026

Silvia Azaña, an embryologist at inviTRA, tells us in this video what a diagnosis of oligoasthenozoospermia entails:

Oligoasthenozoospermia, also called oligoasthenospermia, is defined as a sperm alteration consisting of a combination of the following conditions:

Oligospermia: a low sperm concentration of less than 15 million per milliliter.
Asthenozoospermia: impaired sperm motility where more than 60% are immobile or less than 32% of sperm have progressive motility.

And here it's important to note that although the World Health Organization published an update to the laboratory manual for the examination and processing of semen in 2021, constituting the sixth edition, the truth is that it's most common to continue following the criteria of the fifth edition from 2010.

In short, men suffering from oligoasthenozoospermia have a low sperm count in their semen and, additionally, they don't move properly. The consequence of this sperm factor is that the chances of sperm reaching the egg to fertilize it are lower, which delays a natural pregnancy and causes male fertility problems.

 Silvia Azaña Gutiérrez
Silvia Azaña Gutiérrez
B.Sc., M.Sc.
Embryologist
Graduate in Health Biology from the University of Alcalá and specialized in Clinical Genetics from the same university. Master in Assisted Reproduction by the University of Valencia in collaboration with IVI clinics.
License: 3435-CV
Embryologist. Graduate in Health Biology from the University of Alcalá and specialized in Clinical Genetics from the same university. Master in Assisted Reproduction by the University of Valencia in collaboration with IVI clinics. License: 3435-CV.