Blog written by GIVF Compliance Officer Amy Erickson Hagen
How long does sperm live?
|
Animal |
Fertile life of sperm (hours) |
|
Mouse |
6 |
|
Rat |
14 |
|
Guinea Pig |
21-22 |
|
Human |
24-48 |
|
Rabbit |
30-32 |
|
Sheep |
30-48 |
|
Cow |
28-50 |
|
Horse |
144 |
|
Bat |
135 (days) |
They die as they dry out, so it depends on how quickly they dry. They also are killed by fresh water due to osmotic shock. Soap and detergents such as those used for laundering and hand washing also kill them, as these substances strip off the cell membrane of the sperm.
Motile (moving sperm) have been found in the human Fallopian tube up to 85 hours after coitus, although the ability to fertilize an egg is usually lost before motility is lost.
Reference: http://www2.oakland.edu/biology/lindemann/spermfacts.htm
