Sperm survival outside the body depends heavily on environmental conditions such as temperature, moisture, and exposure to air.
- Generally, sperm can live up to about 15 to 60 minutes outside the body at room temperature (around 68°F or 20°C) before they die
- Once exposed to air and as semen dries, sperm die quickly, often within minutes
- In warm, moist environments, sperm may survive longer, but outside the body, they rarely live beyond an hour
- In water (like bath water), sperm might survive a few minutes, but pregnancy from sperm in water is extremely unlikely due to dilution and chemicals like chlorine killing sperm quickly
- If sperm is cryogenically frozen under proper conditions (liquid nitrogen at -196°C), it can survive for years or even decades without losing viability
In summary, outside the body and exposed to air, sperm typically live from a few minutes up to about an hour, depending on conditions. Only in special environments like freezing can they survive for very long periods.
