At-Home Male Fertility Tests: A Convenient Way to Assess Your Reproductive Health
A man can choose an at-home fertility test for males. Using such an at-home sperm test kit is a convenient and time-saving approach to determine if you are having fertility issues. It has the further benefit of privacy since you can take the test at-home and avoid any embarrassment. Taking an at-home test can also be more cost-effective than completing a conventional test.
There are sperm test kits available on the market. For at-home sperm tests we recommend Fellow. This is a mail-in test kit that provides a comprehensive analysis of your semen. It can give you a good idea of your fertility level.
The best male fertility test kits evaluate several factors to provide an indication of your level of fertility.
Factors that are tested include:
Amount of semen: An at-home semen analysis includes recording the volume of semen in ml. This will fluctuate from one man to another.
Sperm concentration: The concentration of sperm is the amount present per ml of the semen sample. This is a useful parameter tested in an at-home sperm test.
Sperm count: The sperm count is the total amount of sperm, which is determined by multiplying the concentration of sperm by the total volume of the sample.
This is an important variable that can influence fertility because a low sperm count can mean a lower chance that sperm will successfully fertilize an egg.
Sperm motility: Motility is the movement of the sperm. How easily your sperm can move is another factor that can impact fertility. This is because the sperm need to travel some distance to reach the egg for fertilization to occur. It is believed that at least 40% of sperm need to be motile for pregnancy to be possible.
Total sperm motility: This is the total number of sperm that are moving, which is computed by multiplying motility, sperm concentration, and the volume of the sample.
Sperm morphology: The shape of your sperm is also recorded during the analysis. Sperm should have an oval-shaped head and long tail if they are normal. Abnormally shaped sperm may not be a direct cause of infertility unless almost all the sperm are abnormal.
There has been debate among experts on exactly how many abnormal sperm you need before fertility is impacted, particularly since it is normal for a man to have many abnormally shaped sperm. However, sperm with an unusual shape may have lower motility, which can then impact your fertility.
Viscosity and vitality: These are other parameters that are sometimes measured in semen analysis. Viscosity is the thickness of the semen sample. If your semen is too thick it can compromise the ability of sperm to easily move, which again, can affect fertility. Vitality is how many of the sperm are active and alive. The lower the number of live sperm you have in a sample, the lower the chances of fertility since only live sperm will travel to the egg.
When to do the test
When to do the test
In general, for a test where sperm count is being considered, it is advisable to avoid having intercourse for a few days before completing the test. This can help make sure you can produce a higher volume of semen for your test when you ejaculate. There does need to be enough semen for the analysis to be completed.
How to do the test
It’s a very simple process to do an at-home male fertility test. You just need to carefully read and follow the directions given with your test kit.
A semen sample needs to be produced, which can be achieved through self-stimulation. The sample is collected into a jar that is sterile. There are also special condoms that can be used, which you can get from your doctor. You can collect a sample during intercourse using this type of condom. Note that you cannot use just any type of condom, since it may contain spermicide, which would obviously compromise the sample. You should also avoid the use of any lubricant as well, which would also contaminate the sample.
Normal values for a male fertility test
Normal values for a male fertility test
It can be helpful to know what are considered normal values for a male fertility test. How much your sample deviates from these values can provide insight into your level of infertility.
For a test of sperm count the following are normal values:
Sperm count and volume:
- About 15 to 150 million sperm per ml of semen (a good sperm count means there are at least 15 million sperm per ml of semen).
- 1.5 to 5 ml ejaculate total volume.
Sperm shape and motility:
- Optimally, most of the sperm should be of a normal shape (however, the shape may not impact fertility too much as mentioned before).
- One of the signs a man is fertile is that 40% of the sperm are highly motile; in other words, they are showing good movement, hence increasing the chances of reaching the egg.
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Vitality: At least 59% or more of the sperm are alive and active.
Viscosity: A thread of less than 2 cm should occur when the sample is dropped from a pipette onto a surface.
It is important that men have their fertility tested, since up to 50% of cases of infertility are due to male infertility. Even if tests reveal that a woman is infertile, it is still useful for her male partner to know his level of fertility. Another reason for taking a male fertility test is if you have had a vasectomy and want to evaluate if the procedure was successful.
An OB-GYN can create a reference for you to do a male sperm test, a fertility clinic has this option. There is no need to be a patient in the clinic to have a fertility test done. Upon receiving the results of your at-home sperm test, you should make an appointment to see your doctor to discuss the findings.
A fertility specialist can suggest further tests and options based on the findings of your at-home sperm test kit.
PhD in Quantitative Biology. She has extensive experience in research, writing, and teaching having worked as a tenured Associate Professor of Biology at Northwestern State University. She is passionate about education and ensures that complex topics in medicine, healthcare, and science are easily understandable and helpful.