Fertility tests for men can help provide the full picture for hopeful parents
When patients are struggling to conceive, male factor infertility plays a role about 50% of the time. To naturally achieve pregnancy, a man must produce enough normally shaped sperm with the ability to swim in the right direction. Fertility tests for men can help the team at our Las Vegas fertility center determine whether there are problems with any parameters of sperm health.
Our doctors will combine these male fertility testing results with the test results from the female partner. After doing this, a complete picture of the patients’ infertility causes becomes clear. Then, using this vital information, our doctors can work with the patients to create a customized fertility treatment plan to make parenthood possible.
What are some common fertility tests for men?
Male infertility testing starts when the fertility doctor takes a medical and family history. This will involve a discussion of the man’s lifestyle, past injuries or illnesses, and whether he has fathered any children in the past.
The next step of the diagnostic process is ordering a semen analysis. Through masturbation, the male partner will provide a semen sample that is immediately analyzed by the andrologists at our affiliated IVF lab, Ovation® Las Vegas. They will look at the following parameters of sperm health as they examine the sample.
- Volume of semen produced
- Concentration, or total number of sperm in each milliliter of semen
- Motility, or percentage of sperm that are moving
- Morphology, or percentage of sperm that appear to have a normal shape
- Signs of infection in the reproductive system
A doctor from our Las Vegas fertility center will then review the test results. The goal is to determine whether male factor infertility is a concern.
Are there other types of testing for male patients?
Most of the time, a basic semen analysis is enough to make a diagnosis. However, the fertility specialist may sometimes order additional fertility tests for men to gain more information before making a diagnosis.
- Vital staining tests locate living sperm that may not be moving.
- An antisperm antibody test checks for proteins that can attack a man’s sperm.
- Staining and culture tests look for infection or inflammation.
- Bloodwork can measure testosterone, FSH, LH, estradiol or prolactin.
- Genetic tests can check for chromosome count and chromosomal defects.
Our team may also make a referral to a urologist for an evaluation. This type of doctor specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the male reproductive tract. As a result, he or she can rule out other issues that could contribute to a very low sperm count or problems with sperm or semen.
Get the help you need to welcome a healthy baby
If you have been trying to conceive without success for at least a year (or six months if the female partner is over 35), we encourage you to visit our Las Vegas fertility center. Contact us to schedule a consultation and get answers with fertility tests for men and women.
