Fertility specialists usually prefer to work with both partners. So, no matter what your female fertility test suggests, most men will also be tested during fertility testing for men. However, the main difference is that a man can be referred to the urologist if any surgery intervention is required.
Unsurprisingly, fertility testing for men is usually much easier and more convenient than fertility testing for women. Another factor is that male hormones are generally more stable and not subject to monthly cyclical changes vs. female ones. Hormone tests (testosterone, FSH and LH, prolactin), and tests for infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis) are some of the most common factors that can be checked with a blood sample.
Certain viruses and bacteria can lead to male infertility. Therefore, while fertility testing for men (and women), fertility doctors will check for their presence in both partners. Some of the infection testing is done by evaluating a blood sample. Other tests involve evaluating a semen sample. The semen is tested for specific bacteria and viruses. The key infections typically checked during a basic fertility evaluation are: chlamydia, gonorrhea, and ureaplasma urealyticum.
A fertility specialist gets additional information from urinalysis and examination. Urine is tested for bacteria and white blood cells during male fertility testing. If an infection is observed, further testing and treatment may be suggested by your fertility specialist. The urine is also tested for semen presence. A high concentration of sperm in the urine may indicate retrograde ejaculation. Treatment is available when retrograde ejaculation is detected.
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A significant part of fertility testing for men are complete semen analysis. The complete semen analysis checks both the quality and the quantity of men semen. A male partner takes a semen sample by masturbation. Fertility specialists suggest a male partner abstain from intercourse for at least three days before this test. Volume, viscosity, concentration, morphology, and mobility are the key parameters to study.
In addition to basic semen testing, additional semen tests are performed. A semen sample is usually analyzed in a laboratory by a microscope and/or by computerized evaluation. Some of the tests can be done on a semen sample, depending on the circumstances. The main tests are: the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), computerized analysis of sperm motion, hamster zona-free ovum test, and antisperm antibodies (ASA).
Fertility specialists often recommend a specific type of testicular biopsy. This treatment may be recommended when a male partner can not produce sperm in the course of a normal physical examination. Tiny pieces of each testicle are surgically removed and evaluated. There are two related, but slightly different versions of this test: TESE – sperm is extracted from the tissue, and TESA – sperm is extracted from the sperm duct.
A unique X-ray examination of the vas deferens is a vasogram. The doctor makes a small incision in the scrotum for the operation itself and exposes the vas deferens. Then a special contrast dye is injected into the vas deferens and an X-ray is taken. The procedure is known to be effective, quick, and relatively painless. This is done in the clinic or the X-ray department. In almost any situation, a man will go home immediately after examination.