A semen analysis test or male infertility test is undertaken to know the strength of a man’s sperm. Infertile couples also have to undergo a semen analysis test – an important fertility test before any prescribing any medicines.
Also known as the sperm count test, the semen analysis test involves many other results and is not just a normal sperm count test. Often men feel nervous and anxious about undergoing the test and waiting for the results, then after.
Here’s everything about the semen analysis test that you must know.
What Does a Semen Analysis Test Entail?
You can refer to the test of sperm and semen as sperm analysis. The results of a sperm count indicate how many sperm get released, sperm movement and morphology.
On the other hand, a semen analysis test is a lab test that uses a microscope to assess a sperm sample. The semen analysis test assesses factors like sperm count, motility, and shape (morphology).
Semen is the creamy fluid that comes from a man’s penis when he ejaculates during sexual interaction. It transports sperm from the body of a man to fertilize the egg and form an embryo.
Why Do You Need a Semen Analysis?
There could be a number of reasons why a man needs to undergo a semen analysis. The common ones are:
- Male Infertility – If you and your partner are having trouble conceiving, then there could be a possibility of sperm abnormality. Infertility cannot always be a woman’s problem. Sometimes even men have sperm issues. A semen analysis test indicates the chance that a man will be capable to create a pregnancy.
- Post Vasectomy – You can know whether a vasectomy was effective or not with a semen analysis. In a vasectomy, the sperm-depositing tubes in the sperm are closed. So, if a vasectomy had been successful, there would be no sperm, and the man won’t be able to create a pregnancy.
What are the Ways to Conduct a Semen Analysis?
For getting your semen analysis test done, you will have to provide your doctor with a semen sample. The main ways to collect a semen sample are as follows. However, masturbation is considered a preferred method for a clean semen sample.
- sex with a condom
- masturbation
- ejaculation prompted by electricity
- sex with withdrawal before ejaculation
Sperm Count Test – Process
Healthcare providers use research-based methods of managing and evaluating sperm. If you go to a lab that deals exclusively in sperm analysis, you’ll get accurate results. Your doctor will ask for a sample of your sperm to be tested:
- You’ll most likely have to ejaculate into a collecting cup in a private room at your doctor’s office. This method is chosen because it produces a clean sample. Because sperm counts vary from day to day, you may have to provide several samples separated by a few weeks.
- On infrequent occurrences, you could be able to gather your sample from home. If this is the matter, keep it at room temperature and get through to your doctor or lab within one hour.
- Do not use lubricants while collecting the sample because that cannot hamper the movement of the sperm.
What Do You Need to Prepare While Undergoing a Male Fertility Test?
For ensuring that a sample is usable, your doctor will ask you to follow some instructions to get accurate results in your test. Here are the common instructions you have to follow to get correct results:
- Do not have sex or ejaculate for 24-72 hours before the test
- Avoid consumption of substances such as marijuana, tobacco, alcohol and more 5 days before the test.
- Refrain from caffeine intake from 5 days before the test
- Do not take hormone medications
- Avoid consumption of herbal, ayurvedic, and other natural medications.
Inform your doctor about any medicines that you are taking currently so that your doctor can give you an alternative solution for the same.
Semen Analysis Test – Result Table
Below is the healthy and normal semen analysis test result, as defined by the World Health Organization. Because results can differ from person to person, they are presented in a range.
| Total sperm count in ejaculate | 39–928 million |
| Ejaculate volume | 1.5–7.6 mL |
| Sperm concentration | 15–259 million per mL |
| Total motility (progressive and non-progressive) | 40–81 per cent |
| Progressive motility | 32–75 per cent |
| Sperm morphology | 4–48 per cent |
What Do the Semen Analysis Test Results Indicate?
A lot of factors are considered when assessing sperm health using a sperm analysis test. Look below for factors and what they indicate:
- Motility – The ability of the sperm to move smoothly is sperm motility. Your fertility specialist will evaluate the number of sperm flowing and how smooth is their flow. In a normal sample, at least 50% of your sperm needs to be active.
- Volume – At least 1.5 millimetres of sperm volume is considered to be normal. If your sperm sample is lesser than that, your seminal vesicles might not be creating sufficient fluid or are obstructed. Lower sperm volume also indicates a prostate issue.
- Concentration – A normal sperm count refers to at least 15 million sperm per millilitre of sperm. If your sperm count is less than that, it is low.
- Morphology – The size and shape of sperm affects the ability to fertilize an egg. Abnormally shaped sperm find it difficult to reach, penetrate and fertilize the egg. At least 4% of sperm with normal shape should be in normal semen.
- Viscosity – Generally, a semen analysis sample turns into liquid within 15-20 minutes. If there is a lack of liquefication even after 15-20 minutes, it may indicate male infertility.
- Appearance – An opaque or whitish appearance of semen is normal. The semen may appear yellow, brown, clumpy or watery in case of the presence of blood, pigments and extracellular debris in sperm analysis.
- pH level – The pH level measures the acidity of your sperm. Ideally, your sperm pH should be between 7.1 to 8.0. If your pH is low, you have acidic sperm, and if it’s high, you have alkaline sperm. An irregular pH level may have an impact on the health and effectiveness of your sperm.
- Smell – Any bad or foul-smelling sample may indicate infection, which may need further analysis.
- Fructose level – If no sperm is in your sperm sample, your doctor will mostly look for seminal fructose, which comes from seminal vesicles. No or low fructose level implies that you may have a blockage.
What do Abnormal Test Results Suggest?
Abnormal sperm face difficulty reaching and penetrating eggs, which make conception hard. There could be several reasons for abnormal tests, some are:
- infection
- hormonal imbalance
- infertility
- diabetes
- radiation exposure
- gene defects
Your doctor may suggest you undergo additional tests such as:
- hormone testing
- urinalysis after ejaculation
- test for anti-sperm immune cells
- genetic testing
- taking tissue from the testicles
In a nutshell, evaluation is essential for a man as for a woman if the couple is having trouble conceiving. If you have been trying to conceive without protected intercourse and are unable to do so, visit Banker IVF – The Best IVF Center in Ahmedabad and get your semen analysis test done.