As a guy, if you and your partner aren’t getting pregnant, even after trying for long, then it’s time you visit our Apollo Fertility Clinic. Today, there are several tests for both men and women to find out about the cause of their infertility and the various treatments to help rectify the same.
Fertility tests for men
• General Evaluation
This is the first step where you will meet urologist who will do a general physical checkup and take a look at your medical history. He is likely to ask you about your lifestyle, the past surgeries that you have had, your daily exercise routine, and about other habits, such as smoking or taking drugs. It is important to be very frank and open with him. He will also have a discussion with you about your sex life. He may also ask you if you have ever contracted any sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s). You will probably have to give a semen sample for further analysis.
• Semen and Sperm Analysis
At Apollo Fertility, a skilled and qualified expert takes a look at your sperm count, its shape, movement, and its other various characteristics. Normally, if the correct shape of sperm present in your semen is higher in number then you have higher fertility. However, they are several exceptions. For instance, a guy with low sperm count or abnormal sperm can also be fertile. Once the doctors confirm the normal sperm count in the semen, they might do a retest, just to confirm it. But, despite testing twice, if the doctors find something abnormal, they might order more retests. When the sample shows zero sperm count, it is usually because of obstructions, which can be rectified with the help of a surgery.
• Physical Exam
During the physical exam, your doctor will look for varicoceles, which is an abnormal formation in the veins above the testicles. This can be corrected with a surgery.
• Hormone Evaluation
Testosterone and a few other hormones are responsible for making sperm. However, in almost 97% of cases, hormones are not the factor for infertility.
• Genetic Testing
This helps to identify the problems and fertility issues with the sperm. However, if and when the testing must be done depends on the doctor’s call.
• Anti-Sperm Antibodies
Despite the sperm count is normal, a few antibodies in the body starts attacking the sperm, which is on the way to bind with the egg. This prevents your partner from getting pregnant. And, for some men, despite having normal sperm, it might be low in the semen or sometimes even zero.
• Retrograde Ejaculation
This is a condition where your sperm ejaculates backward, and a surgery is required to rectify the same.
• The Vas Deferens
This is a genetic condition where some men are born without the main pipeline to transport the sperm.
• Blockage
The obstruction can be present anywhere between one’s testicles and the penis.
• Unexplained causes
Sometimes your doctor cannot pinpoint the exact reason for low or abnormal sperm count and it is known as Idiopathic.
