How long can sperm live outside of the body before it dies? Does it have to remain at a certain temperature?

S.

When sperm are processed and maintained under strict laboratory conditions in a nutrient medium, they can remain alive for up to seven days. Room temperature is best. Sperm samples collected into a sterile container may remain alive for many hours, but their fertilizing capability drops dramatically after 60 minutes. Sperm exposed to room air on clothing, bed linens or toilet seats lose motility (the ability to swim) rapidly. Once the semen dries out, the sperm are usually dead.

There is also data suggesting that conception can occur up to seven days after an episode of intercourse, which indicates that a few sperm may survive that long in the woman's body. On average, though, sperm may not typically survive in the woman's fallopian tubes for a week. So, optimal timing for people trying to conceive dictates intercourse one to three days before ovulation.