Does higher quality sperm mean better likelihood of fertilization? Here’s what one expert says – CTV
April 20, 2026
Sperm cells are at their highest quality during summer months, a new study has found, although that doesn’t mean it will lead to a higher likelihood of fertilization.
Published in the Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology journal in February, the study looked at data from the sperm samples of nearly 16,000 men in from Florida and Denmark, examining different metrics including speed and volume.
They found that the sperm were strongest during June and July, with sperm in Denmark 29 per cent faster, while the ones tested in Florida were 12 per cent faster.
“There’s a category for the fastest of the sperm and a higher percentage of sperm tend to be in that speedy category when you have a sperm sample from the summer,” explained CTV News’ science expert Dan Riskin.
The study examined nearly 10,700 men in Danish cities and almost 5,000 men from Orlando, Fla. The subjects were between 18-45 years old.
“Our analyses of semen parameters in a large number of men between 2018 and 2024 in Florida and Denmark show clear seasonal patterns in sperm quality,” the study said.
