Living (motile) sperm survival in the vaginal cavity is approximately

• A. 1-2 days.
• B. 4-6 hours.
• C. 1-2 hours.
• D. 2-4 weeks.

Answer: (B)

Living, motile sperm don’t last long in the vaginal environment because it is acidic and hostile to sperm. Semen is initially alkaline, but once it mixes with vaginal secretions the pH becomes more acidic and components in the vaginal environment rapidly reduce sperm motility. Under typical conditions, most motile sperm survive only a few hours in the vagina—roughly four to six hours. After this window, their motility is lost, though non-motile sperm can persist longer. Survival is longer in other parts of the female tract, like the cervical mucus and uterus, especially around ovulation when the mucus is more favorable to movement.