Here at Natural Cycles we know a thing or two about sperm survival. In fact, knowing how long sperm live is one of the key factors our smart algorithm takes into account when it calculates your daily fertility. This article is also available in Spanish. Ovulation is the point in your menstrual cycle where one of your ovaries releases an egg.

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Sperm cells cannot survive for long once they are exposed to the air outside of the body.

Knowing that sperm live for 3—5 days in the female reproductive system, for example, means you could have sex several days before your partner ovulates and still result in a pregnancy. One widely believed myth is that sperm only survives for a very short time. Studies show that the average length of time that sperm live, once ejaculated or inserted into the female reproductive system, is around three days. This depends on where she is in her menstrual cycle, however—with just the right timing, stronger sperm could last up to five days.