Many couples will take at least six months to conceive a baby, even if they are both perfectly fertile. If you have not conceived after a year of trying, or six months in the case of couples where one partner is over 40, however, you may wish to start exploring fertility testing.
With so much emphasis placed on the topic of female infertility among couples who are trying to conceive, male infertility sort of takes second place. However, most statistics indicate that it is just as common for a man as it is for a woman to experience infertility issues.
Male factor infertility cases account for approximately 50% of all cases of a couple's failure to conceive a baby and the topic needs more discussion and research in order to be better understood. A male infertility test is the only surefire way to determine if a male is experiencing fertility problems.
A semen analysis is one of the most commonly performed male fertility tests used to determine if a man is infertile or not. When the test is performed, a sperm sample provided by the patient is collected by a lab tech and examined. If the sperm count is below 20 million per ml, the male is considered to have a fertility problem. A physician may order another male infertility test or several tests to detect other issues which could be presenting a road block to successful conception.
Other tests used to determine whether a man can father a child can include blood tests, prolactin level tests, and LH and FSH tests. A urinalysis could also be used to check for the presence of white blood cells which could be indicative of an infection. Sperm in the urine could also indicate retrograde ejaculation, in which a man's ejaculate moves back up his urinary system rather than outward, which can be a treatable problem.
For a couple trying to conceive a baby, all the testing could determine whether a problem exists with the man or the woman. If after a medical history, physical examination and sperm analysis has been done and nothing is abnormal, the female should also undergo testing to determine she is able to conceive as well.
When both partners have been completely tested for infertility and find out what is preventing or blocking conception, something can be done to improve the odds of conception. There are many reasons behind male infertility and until the man has received the full gamut of testing, some reasons may remain unknown.
Though consulting with a fertility specialist and undergoing some routine tests, a man can determine what can be done to improve his chances of conceiving and alleviate any conditions which could be preventing it from happening. For many couples trying to become pregnant, testing on both ends is required in order to develop a plan of action for addressing infertility issues. However, since a man only needs to provide a sperm sample initially, this non-invasive test is often a good place to start the infertility evaluation process.
Your thoughts on this
Loading...