DIY sperm count tests on the market next month

Could going to the doctor to get information about sperm count soon be a thing of the past? Yes, absolutely, thanks to the University of Virginia, which developed a handsome piece of technology to test sperm count at home. A small sample of semen will be enough to test a man's sperm count in around 10 minutes.

America's Food and Drug Administration, the agency that licenses drugs and other medical equipment, already approved the at-home sperm count tests, which will be available under the name SpermCheck Fertility from July. John Herr, the professor of cell biology who invented the test, explained his motivation behind coming up with the DIY sperm count test. One of the impediments to male fertility testing is that men are reluctant to go to the doctor or to deal with the whole question of their fertility. This test allows the assessment of male fertility to occur in the privacy of the home. It's another step that hopefully will give men a greater chance to control and understand their reproductive functions.

SpermCheck Fertility will first be available online, with sales at pharmacies across the United States hopefully commencing later this year. The price of the test is not yet know, but I am sure that John Herr's assessment is correct men do not like going to the doctor to get their fertility checked. The appearance of this handy tool might just give many couples an insight into the reasons behind their fertility problems, and might give them the push they need to seek further medical help. A low sperm count is not the only reason behind male infertility, needless to say, but it does account for a large number of infertile men. Nearly 90 percent of all male infertility cases are connected to a low sperm count. Who knows, perhaps tests for sperm motility and speed are being developed as we speak. What do you think about the new sperm count test? Would you buy it? Do you think it will be popular?