Written by Dr Samuel Watson, male fertility specialist and pioneer of the Male Fertility Regeneration Treatment Program.
It is a common misconception especially amongst many males that when there are fertility problems it is primarily a female issue. However amongst those experiencing difficulty with conception, a male fertility problem is considered important in around 41 per cent of couples. In 18 per cent of couples it will be solely a male fertility problem and in around 23 per cent, there will be a problem in both partners.
Whenever a couple are having problems trying to conceive it is vitally important that when they go for fertility testing, that the male undergoes a semen analysis in order to asses how well his sperm work.
Testing will normally be done at a Fertility Clinic, where they will attempt to ascertain what the problem is. I will however warn you that in many cases the Clinic has a hidden agenda and for many men with fertility problems, they will guide them down the costly route of assisted reproductive techniques, without exploring other remedies. In many cases there are other options such as our Male Fertility Regeneration Treatment Program.
Male Fertility Tests
Infertility EValuation From Your Doctor:
Your doctor will give you basic interview regarding your past medical and reproductive history, along with some lifestyle questions regarding exercise, smoking, drugs, stress. He will then proceed to give you the standard answers such as where loose fitting boxer shorts, stop taking hot baths etc.
Sperm and Semen Analysis:
This is the most common and important test regarding a males ability to father a child. The best way to collect a semen sample is through masturbation into a sterile cup, and we would recommend that this is done at the fertility centre, for the simple reason that it ensures that the sample is in perfect condition and arrives on time.
An analysis of the males semen is used to determine whether he is fertile or not. To get an accurate result, tests should be done on at least two samples, which are at least a month apart.
The sperm sample will be tested by an urologist who will assess the man’s sperm count, their shape, movement and various other variables. Normally higher levels of normal shaped sperm indicate higher fertility, but of course there are always exceptions. Also many men with love sperm counts or abnormal semen are still fertile.
Normal Sperm levels are as follows:
Volume: 2-5mls
Concentration: more than 20 million per ml
Motility: more than 50% progressively motile
Form: more than 30% normal appearance
White blood cells: less than 1 million per ml
Sperm Testing And Analysis
Sperm can be compared to tadpoles because of their shape and during a semen analysis, sperm are assessed on their volume, motility, morphology, and the presence of clumping.
Sperm Count: How many sperm are present in your semen sample is important as too few can drastically decrease your chances of fathering a child. A man is considered to have a low sperm count if his sample is found to have less than 20 million sperm per ml. A diagnosis of a very low sperm count is given when sperm volume falls below 10 million per ml.
Sperm Motility: This part of the test assesses how well your sperm can swim. Obviously, the stronger the swimmers, the better as it is quite a journey for the sperm to make it from the uterus to the fallopian tubes. Sperms are evaluated according to a four-level grade system:
Grade 4 sperm are known to have progressive motility meaning they are the strongest and swim fast in a straight line.
Grade 3 sperm (non-linear motility) also move forward but tend to travel in a curved or crooked motion.
Grade 2 sperm are labeled as non-progressive motility because they do not move forward despite the fact that they move their tails.
Grade 1 sperm are immotile meaning that they fail to move at all.
Ideal sperm quality dictates that a man should have grade 3 or 4 sperm in order to fertilize an egg.
Morphology: A sperm’s shape is also an important factor when it comes to conception. Ideally, sperm should have an oval head that is connected to a mid-piece and a long, straight tail. Abnormally shaped sperm will likely not be able to fertilize an egg. If too many abnormally shaped sperm are present in a semen sample, then it is likely that all sperm have some type of problem with them.
Clumping: Obviously, if sperm is sticking together, there is a problem as clumping prevents proper motility of the sperm.
In addition to this criteria, the presence of white blood cells (or pus cells) will also be assessed. While a few white blood cells are normally found in semen, an abundance of these cells can indicate a seminal infection.
The sperm and semen analysis test will let you know for sure, whether there is a problem and start the process of sorting things out.
Blood Tests:
If the sperm count analysis indicates problems with your sperm, your urologist will recommend a blood tests, which will test testosterone, FSH and prolactin levels.
Physical Examination:
This should be performed by a urologist as opposed to your normal doctor, a thorough exam should detect varicoles and give some indication as to whether there is any hormone problem. They will also check testicular size to make sure there isn’t any abnormalities.
Further male factor testing is unlikely to occur in most cases but further testing might possible be required depending on the circumstances and may include, Hormone Evaluation, Genetic Testing, Sperm Agglutination, Testicular Biopsy, Vasography, Ultrasonography to name but a few.
Male infertility is a problem that can quite simply be a soul destroying thing for any man to discover. But the good news is that our Male Fertility Regeneration Treatment Program offers a cure that will work for al large percentage of men.
