Although many people still are inclined 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 percentage of couples both the man and the woman have infertility problems. The two of you will thus need to be tested to discover exactly where the problem lies. Each person or couple may need to go through different tests determined by the unique circumstance.

Your doctor will have to examine your complete medical history – any medication, any STDs, any operations, any childhood diseases – be ready to lay it all out! You doctor must be fully clued-up to make an accurate diagnosis so try to remember all the details. Smoking, alcohol, recreational drugs, caffeine – all of these can affect your fertility. The doctor will also need an account of your full sexual history: when you reached puberty, your first sexual encounters, any STDs, the number of sexual partners, any high risk sexual behaviors – all of these are significant. As embarrassing as that may seem, think of it this way – if you had a couple of STDs back in the day and you choose not to tell the doctor about them now he (or she) will learn about them the hard way – through tests and examinations – so why not just be direct about it to start off with? You’ll save yourself money, time and lots of awkwardness. Besides, those doctors really have seen it all, and they are there to help.

Obvious abnormalities such as variococeles (enlarged veins on the scrotum) or undescended testes could be discovered through a full physical examination. The physical exam may also assist the doctor to identify any hormonal irregularities.

A semen analysis is essential. You could need to test up to three times to confirm that results are consistent. This entails ejaculating into a container or cup provided by the doctor. Be sure to check if you need to abstain beforehand as a reliable sperm count can only be acquired if you have not ejaculated for a few days prior to the test.

Various characteristics will be looked at:

· Total volume? – They measure the total amount of semen produced – typically a teaspoon is enough.

· Sperm movement – Are the sperm cells swimming well? It doesn’t make a difference what stroke they swim – as long as they are swimming well!

· Sperm quantity – How many sperm cells are there in total? The testers will take a small sample of the semen and count how many spermies are present and then extrapolate that number for the full amount of semen. At a typical rate of about 40 million spermies per ejaculation no one is counting exactly!

· Quality of sperm – Underdeveloped or deformed sperm will not be able to get through the hard shell of the egg, if they even make it to the egg to begin with.

· pH levels – Slightly acidic semen is most helpful to sperm.

· Semen – The semen has to be just the right viscosity for the sperm to be able to move effectively.

Additional testing (if necessary) could include:

· Blood testing – to determine general health and hormone quantities.

· Testicle tissue test – to check for healthy sperm producing cells.

· Scans to check for obstructed ducts or enlarged veins.

· Sperm might be tested by putting them in a dish with a dead human egg or a hamster egg. Clearly none of these trials could result in a living embryo.

· Sometimes men’s or women’s bodies manufacture anti-sperm antibodies so this possibility must be ruled out.

· Abnormalities with sperm production can be picked up through genetic testing.

· A post-coital test. Both the man and the woman are tested – although the woman is the one who is examined. This test should be performed the day after sex, which obviously occurs during ovulation. This is to confirm the number of sperm that actually make it to the cervical opening and how healthy they are.

Don’t let arrogance interfere with your plans to get a male infertility test. You might save yourself and your partner much pain and discomfort!

Here is more information on Signs of Infertility. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Infertility.

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