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Testing for male infertility


In around one third (1/3) of the couples we see, male infertility is the main issue.

The most important test for male infertility is semen analysis. A fresh sample is checked for:

  • Volume - the amount of fluid produced
  • Concentration - the number of sperm per millilitre of semen
  • Motility - the percentage of sperm that are moving
  • Morphology - the percentage of normally shaped sperm
  • Anti-sperm antibodies that may impair sperm function

Sperm quality can vary from sample to sample, so we may ask for a second sample.

If treatments such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) or IVF are being considered, we may ask you to provide another sample for the laboratory at Fertility PLUS to test. We have a private room in the clinic where men can produce a sample. If  a sample is collected at home, it must to be delivered to the lab within one hour of being produced.

Other tests we may request are a hormone profile and chromosome testing. This is sometimes requested in men with greatly reduced sperm counts or quality.