{"id":6988,"date":"2026-02-28T01:30:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T01:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=6988"},"modified":"2026-02-28T01:30:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T01:30:13","slug":"sperm-discovery-finds-why-it-may-be-easier-to-get-pregnant-in-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=6988","title":{"rendered":"Sperm discovery finds why it may be easier to get pregnant in summer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Maybe every summer is the summer of 69.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1186\/s12958-026-01537-w\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New research<\/a> reports that summer is the best season for swimming \u2014 and not just in the pool. Turns out that sperm motility may actually be higher at certain times of the year than others, a finding that could lead to changes in guidance for couples trying to conceive \u2014 and even in the way sperm banks are run.<\/p>\n<p>Scientists affiliated with three universities across the UK, Canada and Denmark analyzed semen samples collected between 2018 and 2024 from over 15,000 men who had applied to be sperm donors at Cryos International clinics in Denmark and Florida.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"38625016\"><br \/>\n\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\"><path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<\/button><br \/>\n<figcaption>Temperature, once thought to play an outsized role in sperm quality, may not be as important as other factors. <span class=\"credit\">stockbusters \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>They assessed three criteria across all months of the year: ejaculate volume, sperm concentration and sperm motility, or how well the sperm can swim and propel themselves forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>While seasonal changes did not appear to impact total sperm concentration and ejaculate volume, the effects were noticeable on the sperm\u2019s speed.<\/p>\n<p>In dramatically different locales \u2014 northern Europe and the southern US \u2014 the fastest sperm were in their highest numbers during June and July and at their lowest in December and January.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Clearly, it\u2019s not just summer temperatures that account for this discrepancy, co-author Allan Pacey <a href=\"https:\/\/medicalxpress.com\/news\/2026-02-seasonality-affect-male-fertility.html#google_vignette\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were struck by how similar the seasonal pattern was in two completely different climates,\u201d he said. \u201cEven in Florida, where temperatures stay warm, sperm motility still peaked in summer and dipped in winter, which tells us that ambient temperature alone is unlikely to explain these changes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The findings could point to certain lifestyle factors, like exposure to daylight or other environmental shifts, playing a larger role in sperm success than previously thought.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"38625048\"><br \/>\n\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\"><path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<\/button><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.49926794;display:block\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-modal-image=\"38625048\" width=\"885\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Illustration of many sperm cells swimming across a red background.\" class=\"wp-image-38625048\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 4500w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=300,200&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 300w, 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https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=105,70&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 105w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=81,54&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 81w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=200,133&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 200w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=231,154&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 231w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=322,215&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 322w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=662,441&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 662w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=90,60&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 90w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=120,80&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 120w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=1200,800&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1200w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=1038,692&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1038w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=87,58&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 87w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=50,33&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 50w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/movement-sperm-egg-red-background-122360813_51e853.jpg?resize=150,100&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 885px) 100vw, 885px\"\/><figcaption>Emerging details about the seasonal fluctuations in sperm motility could change the way sperm banks operate.  <span class=\"credit\">katestudio \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Notably, the study results don\u2019t line up with conventional thinking about fertility and childbirth.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Countless motherhood and baby blogs claim that fall and winter are the <a href=\"https:\/\/rightasrain.uwmedicine.org\/life\/parenthood\/winter-baby-conception-trend\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">best times to conceive<\/a>.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignright\">\n\t<\/aside>\n<p>And some data reflects this theory as well. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/nvss\/vsrr\/provisional-tables.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The CDC<\/a> notes that in 2023, the most babies were born in August, while the fewest were born in February. This would mean the most babies for that year were conceived in the late fall and early winter.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, a <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/humrep\/article\/35\/3\/565\/5717667?login=false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2020 study of menstrual cycles<\/a> found that fall and winter had the highest fecundability, or probability that babies would be conceived.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The authors of this most recent research even acknowledged that most other studies \u201chave reported peak sperm motility in colder months\u201d and cautioned that \u201cdifferences in sample sizes, methodologies or local climates\u201d may have played a role in the conflicting results.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Regardless, these new findings contribute valuable insights into an ancient biological process that still mystifies medical professionals to this day.<\/p>\n<p>Pacey said that moving forward, it will be important to consider seasonality when evaluating semen quality, suggesting that fertility clinics may start looking at seasonal patterns to best treat patients who are trying to conceive.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, he said, \u201cthese findings deepen our understanding of male reproductive health and may help improve fertility outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/02\/27\/health\/sperm-discovery-finds-why-it-may-be-easier-to-get-pregnant-in-summer\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maybe every summer is the summer of 69. New research reports that summer is the best season for swimming \u2014 and not just in the pool.&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6989,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6988","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6988"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6988\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6989"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}