Sperm Life

Q: How long do sperm live?

A: In general, sperm can live in the right environment for up to 5 days. The right environment would be inside the uterus and the cervix. In certain environments, such as the cervix, uterus and fallopian tubes sperm have a life-span of up to five days. That's why a woman can get pregnant if they ovulate within 5 days after intercourse.

Most sperm, however will die within 1-2 days after ejaculation, even inside the uterus. In other environments, such as the vagina, sperm live only a few hours and outside the human body, exposed to the open air, they will usually die within minutes. 

The egg, on the other hand, has a life-span of only about 12-24 hours at most from the time it bursts from the ovary. So, fertilization can occur anytime live sperm meet up with a live egg, which can happen even if the sperm are deposited up to five days in advance of ovulation.

Source : Babymed