Sperm Activation

Immediately after the semen analysis, a special treatment follows, where the embryologist collects the best and the most mobile sperm – it is called sperm activation. This treatment simulates the physiological activation of sperm in vivo, which enables them to fertilize ovaries.

Sperm activation is usually performed by the method called “swim up”. In this process, the sperm is placed in a test tube and centrifuge. At the top of the sperm pellet, culture medium is carefully placed in a stationary position for one hour in the incubator. During this process, the mobile sperm swim well in the culture medium, while the sluggish one or immobile is left behind together with most semen impurities. Finally, we collect the supernatant (ie the upper level) containing the most motile sperm that is used in fertilization.