Dr. Aruna Ashok MBBS, MS OG, DNB OG
- Clinical Director
Aruna Ashok | 22 September 2025
Pregnancy doesn’t occur only with mere sex. Lots of biological things have to take place beyond sex to transform the egg into an embryo. Some of them may include transportation of the sperm towards the egg, fertilisation within the fallopian tubes, and again transportation of the fertilised egg to the uterus, and its implantation in the uterine lining (uterus).
Only when there are disruptions in any of these series, people would try to understand what actually happens inside the body. Even though disruptions arise due to various issues, the survival of the sperm inside the female body plays a key role.
This blog has come up to clarify everything about sperm’s survival with the topic’s name, “How many days sperm live in female body?”.
When it comes to planning for conception, for that matter, even for prevention, understanding the basics of male and female fertility is crucial.
The female fertility health relies on the regular menstrual cycle, ovulation, clear fallopian tubes, and a healthy uterus. While male fertility health depends on the adequate production of healthy and motile sperm.
A healthy man can consistently produce sperm from puberty to old age. He can also be fertile every single day throughout the month, unlike women, who are fertile only on ovulation days. At every ejaculation, he can release about 40 to 300 million sperm per millilitre of seminal fluid. The numbers may widely change depending on his age, medical condition, and lifestyle factors.
On average, when ejaculation takes place inside the vagina, the sperm can effectively be viable for up to 3 to 5 days. The most viable sperm can sometimes potentially live for up to 7 days. For these reasons, many fertility specialists recommend that couples have unprotected intercourse every other day around the ovulation period. As the sperm can extend to live for a maximum of seven days inside the vagina, having sex more often can increase the chances of sperm meeting the egg. Therefore, it increases the chances of fertilisation and conception.
However, it is essential to understand that the cervical environment inside the female body plays an essential role in extending the lifespan of the sperm. This environment can either encourage or prevent sperm transportation. This typically depends on at which phase the sperm is introduced inside the woman.
The movement of healthy sperm is encouraged when released around the ovulation days. This is because the changing consistency of the cervical mucus in these days can create a hospitable pathway for sperm to move effortlessly towards the egg. The lifespan of the sperm can also be extended as the mucus contains certain nutrients that can help their survival.
Sperm from a healthy man can generally extend its survival inside the female body for up to 3 to 5 days. With the help of fertile cervical mucus, it can sometimes potentially live for up to seven days. All these days, sperm strive to travel from the cervix to the egg or the fallopian tubes. Only the most viable sperm can finish this journey of fertilisation.
At every ejaculation, a man can release about 40 to 300 million sperm per millilitre of seminal fluid. However, a very small number can reach the outer layer of the ruptured egg. And eventually, only one breaks into the egg. As soon as it happens, the fertilisation begins.
Sperm can extend its lifespan when the cervix has a sperm-friendly environment. When the cervix is filled with thin, stretchy and watery mucus, it is considered a sperm-friendly environment. This mucus extends the sperm lifespan by shielding them from drying out, providing nourishment, and facilitating their movement towards the egg. The condition is generally evident predominantly around the time of ovulation. This mucus is also responsible for preventing the entry of bacteria and other infections inside the vagina.
Except on ovulation days, the cervix contains thick and sticky mucus rather than thin and watery mucus. This makes the cervical environment unfriendly for the sperm. It also degrades its viability by compromising its survival.
Where your sperm is ejaculated can significantly determine its survival rate. This applies even outside the body. When the sperm is ejaculated outside the body, it can live for only 15 to 30 minutes. However, in optimal conditions like a laboratory, it can survive for a few hours. Sperm are extremely sensitive when exposed outside the body. They can die rapidly by drying themselves out.
Couples choose the sperm freezing option (Cryopreservation) when they plan to postpone their pregnancy. Frozen sperm can live for indefinite years. Some studies indicate the cases of successful pregnancies even after using the sperm that is stored for 15 years. However, the sperm can be stored and used even beyond that.
Cryopreservation is done by freezing the most viable sperm at - 196°C using liquid nitrogen. Even though the sperm is frozen, they do not have any negative impact on its longevity and DNA integrity, several fertility researchers claim.
During IVF (in vitro fertilisation) treatment, these very same cryopreservation methods are used to store the sperm and egg.
The following are influencing factors that can certainly affect the sperm survival when ejaculated inside the female body. They may include:
The cervical mucus creates a friendly environment for the sperm to extend their survival and enhance their movement towards the egg. During the ovulation days, the mucus becomes thin, stretchy and alkaline, which is optimal for sperm’s movement. The changes in cervical mucus at these times are sometimes referred to as fertile mucus. This is because of the mucus’s support and nourishment the sperm receives to reach the egg and become fertilised, which is why it is called this name.
On the contrary, during the non-fertile days, the cervical mucus becomes thick and sticky. This makes the cervical environment unfriendly for the sperm. It also degrades its viability by compromising its survival.
The changes in cervical mucus happen all through the menstrual cycle in women. These are typically driven by the hormonal fluctuations. The rise of estrogen (thin mucus) during ovulation creates a supportive environment for the sperm. Whereas, the rise of progesterone (thick mucus) after ovulation makes it less favourable and hostile for its survival.
pH levels in women’s vagina are naturally acidic. This can degrade the lifespan of sperm. During the ovulation period, this condition becomes less acidic. This creates the most favourable condition for the sperm to extend its survival and movement.
Sometimes, the immune response in the female body treats sperm cells as foreign invaders and strives to kill most of them. This is done by producing anti-sperm antibodies that can potentially damage the sperm cells from reaching and fertilising the egg. This plays a key role in hindering its survival and fertility chances.
Sperm health has a significant influence on sperm survival in the female body.
A healthy sperm is generally denoted if they have an adequate sperm count, good morphology, and motility. This can swim rapidly and reach the egg by potentially surviving for a maximum of seven days.
On the contrary, unhealthy sperm are denoted if they have an inadequate sperm count, poor morphology, and motility. These sperm can most probably die within hours of ejaculation by struggling to swim and reach the egg.
Healthy sperm can survive inside the vagina for up to seven days. However, factors like cervical mucus and pH levels can largely affect their lifespan. Understanding when sperm can extend their survival in the female body allows couples to plan their intercourse timings. This can significantly help in maximising their conception chances.
If you need more guidance regarding conception, having a consultation with fertility experts is highly suggested. They can provide personalised insights by identifying appropriate issues.
Get help from professionals and see the progress!
1. What happens to the unfertilised sperm inside the female body?
Unfertilised sperm are generally expelled from the woman’s body through vaginal discharge. Even though healthy sperm can survive for a maximum of seven days under optimal conditions, most of them die within two to three days. The woman’s reproductive system can potentially clear away the dead or unfertilised sperm from the body.
2. Can I become pregnant with the withdrawal method?
The answer to the question is yes. At times, it is possible to become pregnant even when the penis is withdrawn right before ejaculation. Many fertility experts claim this to be an unreliable birth control option. This is because the pre-ejaculatory fluid can sometimes contain sperm cells, which potentially result in pregnancy.
3. How long can sperm live inside the fallopian tubes?
Inside the fallopian tubes, sperm can live for a maximum of 7 days and a minimum of 5 days, specifically if the conditions are optimal.
4. Can sperm reach the ovaries and fertilise the eggs in them?
The answer to the question is no. Fertilisation cannot take place inside the ovaries. Rather, sperm can travel from the vagina through the cervical canal and then into the fallopian tubes. Fallopian tubes are where the sperm and egg meet and get fertilised.
5. How long can sperm live during menstruation?
Sperm can live inside the female body for a maximum of 7 days, and a minimum of 5 days. For better understanding, if you had unprotected intercourse on the day of menstruation, and ovulation happens within a few days following it, pregnancy is still possible. This is because, as sperm can remain viable inside the body for a maximum of 7 days, it fertilises the egg as soon as it ruptures. This makes pregnancy possible when having sex during menstruation.
