Press Enter to search or ESC to close
Pregnancy

What Are the Causes of Abnormal Sperm Morphology?

Cashie Evans
· · Updated Jan 16, 2026 · 1 min read
Abnormal morphology refers to the shape of the sperm being mutated to some degree, which can prevent the sperm from reaching the egg and achieving fertilization. It is sometimes a factor in male factor infertility.

 

Abnormal Sperm Morphology

 

Normal Sperm

A normal sperm cell has an oval head and a straight tail that is between seven and 15 times longer than the head. Any deviation from this shape is considered abnormal morphology.

 

Smoking

According to the World Health Organization, smoking and exposure to cigarette smoke has been linked to abnormal morphology.

 

Testicular Defects

Defects in the testicles that are present from birth are linked to abnormal morphology. These defects may not be ordinarily visible without medical examination.

 

Drug Use

Use of illegal drugs has been shown to affect sperm morphology, according to the World Health Organization. This includes drugs such as cannabis, heroin, cocaine and LSD.

 

High Fever

The presence of a high fever can affect the quality of a man's sperm. Repeating the analysis of the sperm in four to six weeks can determine whether the morphology problem is temporary or permanent.

 

What Are the Causes of Abnormal Sperm Morphology?

Save for later

Found this helpful?

Pin this article to your Pinterest board and come back to it whenever you need a reminder.

Save to Pinterest
Written by

Cashie Evans

Cashie is a freelance writer covering a variety of topics, including parenting, tips and tricks. She took her love of writing to the Web. Cashie attended Louisiana State University and received her bachelor’s degree in 2009.

More posts
Cashie Evans

Responses (0)

0%