Semen Analysis
Male Fertility Test, Sperm Count
What To Think About
- A semen sample collected at home must be received at the laboratory or clinic within 1 hour. Keep the sample out of direct sunlight and do not allow it to get cold or hot. If it is a cold day, carry the semen sample container against your body to keep it as close to body temperature as possible. Do not refrigerate the semen sample.
- Consistently detecting sperm in the semen of a man who has had a vasectomy indicates that his surgery was not successful, and another form of birth control should be used to prevent pregnancy. A low number of sperm may be present in a semen sample taken initially after a vasectomy. However, sperm should not be present in subsequent samples.
- A man whose mother took the medicine diethylstilbestrol (DES) during her pregnancy with him has a greater-than-normal risk of being unable to father a child (infertile).
- Additional tests may include measuring hormone levels, such as testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), or prolactin. For more information, see the medical tests Testosterone, Luteinizing Hormone, Follicle-Stimulating Hormone, and Prolactin.
- Other fertility testing, including sperm penetration, the presence of antisperm antibodies, or analysis after sexual intercourse (post-coital), may be recommended for infertility problems. For more information, see the medical test Infertility Testing.
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| Author: | Douglas Dana Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS | Last Updated: April 17, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine Avery L. Seifert, MD - Urology Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine | |
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| Topic Contents | |
| Test Overview | |
| Why It Is Done | |
| How To Prepare | |
| How It Is Done | |
| How It Feels | |
| Risks | |
| Results | |
| What Affects the Test | |
 | What To Think About |
| References | |
| Credits | |