In fertility medicine, ejaculatory abstinence simply means the interval between your last ejaculation and the sample being tested. It has nothing to do with moral or lifestyle abstinence. It matters because it is one of the main influences on a semen analysis result that you can control.
The effect runs in two directions. Longer abstinence reliably increases semen volume and total sperm count1,2. Shorter abstinence, on the other hand, is linked with better sperm motility, especially the proportion of sperm swimming forwards1. The ideal gap depends on what you are measuring or trying to achieve.
Because of these trade-offs, one systematic review concluded that no clear recommendation on the ideal abstinence period can yet be made2, and another called for the current guidelines to be revisited1.
How many days of abstinence before a semen analysis?
The WHO recommends at least 2 and no more than 7 days. Your clinic will tell you the exact window it wants.
The 2 to 7 day window comes from the WHO laboratory manual1. Tell the lab exactly how many days it has been, even if you fell outside the window, because the result is interpreted in light of it.
If you need a repeat test, try to match the same interval so the two results can be compared fairly.
What happens to semen the longer you wait?
Volume and sperm count climb, while sperm movement and shape can slip after long gaps. Semen pH stays the same.
Here is what the research shows:
- Volume: 23 of the 24 studies that examined it found volume rose with longer abstinence; one found the biggest average daily increase, 11.9% per day, in the first four days1.
- Sperm count: longer abstinence is associated with a higher total sperm count2.
- Motility and morphology: in 5,983 normal samples, motility and normal morphology were significantly lower after 11 to 14 days of abstinence3.
- pH: not affected by the length of abstinence2.
Does abstinence affect sperm DNA?
The evidence is mixed. There is a trend towards better results with shorter abstinence, but the studies do not agree.
A systematic review of 28 studies found results on motility, morphology and sperm DNA fragmentation contradictory and inconclusive, with a general trend towards improvement after shorter abstinence2. A second review reached a similar verdict: there is not yet enough data to draw firm conclusions about DNA damage or oxidative stress1.
Viability, the share of sperm that are alive, did not differ much with abstinence time in most studies, although the total number of live sperm rises with longer gaps simply because there are more sperm overall2.
Is a short abstinence better when trying to conceive?
For many men, yes. Shorter gaps tend to produce better-moving sperm, even if each ejaculation is smaller.
In an analysis of 9,489 semen samples, men with low sperm counts had their best average motility after just one day of abstinence, and the authors suggested men with male-factor infertility collect after one day3. Some studies have also linked short abstinence with better outcomes in IUI, IVF and ICSI, though the evidence is not consistent2.
Saving up for days to make a bigger load is not a fertility strategy. If you have been trying for a baby for a year without success, see your GP or a fertility clinic, who can advise on timing for your situation.
Common questions
How long does it take semen volume to build back up?
Volume rises fastest in the first few days after ejaculating; one study found an average increase of 11.9% per day over the first four days. There is no fixed point at which you are 'full'.
Is it bad to ejaculate every day?
Not for sperm quality. Short abstinence is linked with better sperm movement, although each ejaculation will contain less fluid and fewer sperm than after a longer gap.
Does abstaining for weeks improve fertility?
No. In a large analysis of normal samples, sperm motility and normal shape were lower after 11 to 14 days, and the authors advised men with normal results and sperm donors not to exceed 10 days.
Read more on this
Is it normal for semen volume to change day to day?
How long does it take sperm to regenerate?
How to increase semen volume: what actually works
Sources
- Ayad BM, Horst GV, Plessis SSD. Revisiting the relationship between the ejaculatory abstinence period and semen characteristics. Int J Fertil Steril. 2018;11(4):238-246. PubMed
- Hanson BM, Aston KI, Jenkins TG, et al. The impact of ejaculatory abstinence on semen analysis parameters: a systematic review. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2018;35(2):213-220. PubMed
- Levitas E, Lunenfeld E, Weiss N, et al. Relationship between the duration of sexual abstinence and semen quality: analysis of 9,489 semen samples. Fertil Steril. 2005;83(6):1680-1686. PubMed
Not medical advice. Written by Eric Stephens from the research cited above; not reviewed by a doctor. If something worries you, see a GP.