equipped with high-power optics and enhanced by digital imaging is used to achieve a magnification above x6000, which is much higher than the magnification used habitually by embryologists in spermatozoa selection for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (x200 to x400). A potential finding on MSOME is the presence of sperm vacuoles, which are associated with sperm chromatin immaturity, particularly in the case of large vacuoles. Volume According to one lab test manual semen volumes between 2.0 mL and 5 mL are normal; WHO regards 1.4 mL as the lower reference limit. Low volume, called hypospermia, may indicate partial or complete blockage of the seminal vesicles, or that the man was born without seminal vesicles. In clinical practice, a volume of less than 1,4 mL in the setting of infertility is most likely due to incomplete ejaculation or partial loss of sample, asides this, patient should be evaluated for hypoandrogenism and obstructions in some parts of the ejaculatory tract, azoospermia, given that it has been at least 48 hours since the last ejaculation to time of sample collection. The human ejaculate is mostly composed of water, 96 to 98% of semen is water. One way of ensuring that a man produces more ejaculate is to drink more liquids. Men also produce more seminal fluid after lengthy sexual stimulation and arousal. Reducing the frequency of sex and masturbation helps increase semen volume. Sexually transmitted diseases also affect the production of semen. Men who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) produce lower semen volume. The volume of semen may also be increased, a condition known as hyperspermia. A volume greater than 6mL may indicate Prostate inflammation. When there's no volumen, the condition is named as aspermia, which could be caused by retrograde ejaculation, anatomical or neurological diseases or anti-hypertensive drugs. Appearance Semen normally has a whitish-gray colour. It tends to get a yellowish tint as a man ages. Semen colour is also influenced by the food we eat: foods that are high in sulfur, such as garlic, may result in a man producing yellow semen. Presence of blood in semen (hematospermia) leads to a brownish or red coloured ejaculate. Hematospermia is a rare condition. Semen that has a deep yellow colour or is greenish in appearance may be due to medication. Brown semen is mainly a result of infection and inflammation of the prostate gland, urethra, epididymis and seminal vesicles. Other causes of