What Does a Male Infertility Test Include?
Despite the fact that many people still tend to think of infertility as the woman’s problem, approximately one third of infertile couples struggle to get pregnant because of the ‘male factor’, and in a small fraction of couples both the man and the woman have infertility issues. Both of you will therefore need to be tested to find out precisely where the problem lies. Each person or couple will have to go through different tests determined by the unique circumstance.
Your doctor will need to examine your full medical history – any childhood diseases, any operations , any STDs, any medication – be ready to lay it all out! This is not the time to be timid; your doctor has to know everything to be able to reach an accurate diagnosis. Smoking, alcohol, recreational drugs, caffeine – all of these can affect your fertility. The doctor will also require an account of your full sexual history: the number of sexual partners, when you reached puberty, any high risk sexual behaviors, your first sexual encounters, any STDs – all of these are significant. Even if you are timid about talking about past STDs or similar things you don’t want to waste time and money running tests for the doctor to find out anyway. Besides, those doctors really have seen it all, and they are there to help.
Noticeable irregularities such as variococeles (enlarged veins on the scrotum) or undescended testes can be discovered through a full physical examination. The physical exam may also assist the doctor to identify any hormonal problems.
A semen analysis is very important. Consistent results can only be gained through repeating the test three times. This means ejaculating into a cup or container provided by the doctor. You may be advised not to ejaculate for a few days before to get a more accurate reading of your sperm count.
A number of characteristics will be tested:
· [Quantity|How much|Total volume]? – They look at the total amount of semen produced – usually a teaspoon is enough.
· Sperm movement – Are the sperm cells swimming well? Backstroke, crawl, it makes no difference – are they strong?
· Sperm count – Are there adequate numbers of sperm in the semen? The testers will take a small sample of the semen and count how many sperm cells there are and then extrapolate that number for the full volume of semen. At a usual rate of about 40 million sperm cells for each ejaculation no one is counting exactly!
· Quality of sperm – Immature or deformed sperm might not be able to get through the hard layer of the egg, if they even get to the egg to start with.
· pH levels – The semen should be a little bit acidic.
· Semen – The seminal fluid has to be just the right consistency for the sperm to be able to move effectively.
Depending on the outcomes of these tests you might need additional testing. This might include:
· Blood testing to establish the various hormone amounts and establish your general health.
· Testicle tissue test – to look for healthy sperm producing cells.
· Scans – will check for variococeles or obstructed pipes.
· A sperm penetration assay to confirm that the sperm can penetrate an egg by testing them out on a hamster egg or a dead human egg. Clearly none of these tests could result in a living embryo.
· Sometimes women’s or men’s bodies produce anti-sperm antibodies so this possibility must be excluded.
· Irregularities with sperm manufacture can be picked up through genetic testing.
· A post-coital test. Strictly speaking this is a combined test in that both the man and the woman are tested. This test checks how many sperm actually get to the cervical opening by obtaining samples from the cervix a day after intercourse, usually close to the time of ovulation.
It is helpful to undergo the male infertility test series near the beginning of the treatment process as this might save the woman much discomfort, as verifying infertility in women is much more invasive.
Here is more information on Signs of Infertility. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Infertility.
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