Semen Analysis - Maybe It's The Guy Who's Infertile
When a couple is having difficulty getting pregnant, the reason may be due to male factor issues. In fact, about half the time, it is. After a year of unprotected sex (or six months if the woman is 35 or older), it's time for an infertility work-up. While the female partner may be subject to a host of embarrassing and uncomfortable tests, the male partner is often asked to provide a semen sample for a semen analysis.
It is non-invasive, relatively inexpensive, and slightly embarrassing. Basically, to provide a semen analysis, a man needs to provide a semen sample in a sterile container by masturbating, either at home or in the doctor's office. If you provide a sample from home, it will need to be tested within an hour of ejaculation. If you give a sample at the office, you will be provided with a private room.
You will be asked to refrain from ejaculating for two to three days before giving the sample, and to avoid using any lubricant while doing so.
The top three criteria in a healthy sperm sample is morphology, motility and sperm count.
Morphology refers to the shape of the sperm. It should have an oval head with a long tail. Abnormal sperm may impair the ability of the sperm to reach and fertilize an egg.
The sperm's motility refers to its ability to swim through the cervix, and into the fallopian tubes, where it could fertilize an egg. Lastly, the sperm count is also important. Anything below 20 million is considered a low sperm count, while a count between 20 and 100 million sperm is considered normal.
If the sperm analysis turns up less than ideal results, it does not mean that making a baby will be impossible. It may, however, mean that more tests will need to be done by a urologist and treatment is often possible.
