Sperm test or semen analysis is one of the most important medical tests to evaluate men's fertility.. This test is performed to check the quality and volume of sperm and can provide detailed information about their health and vitality.. Usually, the doctor prescribes this test to ensure success for couples suffering from infertility or after vasectomy..

In this article from GCORP LLC health magazine, join us to check how to perform sperm test and its use.

What is a sperm test?

A semen analysis, also known as a sperm count test, analyzes the health and viability of a man's sperm. Semen is the fluid that contains sperm along with other sugars and proteins that are released during ejaculation. A sperm test measures three main factors of sperm health:

• Sperm count
• Sperm shape
• Sperm motility percentage

Doctors usually perform sperm analysis 2 or 3 times separately to obtain correct information about sperm health.. According to the American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC), these tests should be performed at least seven days apart and within 2 to 3 months.... Because daily sperm count results can vary.... The definitive result can be obtained by calculating the average of sperm samples.

The reason for the sperm test

In most cases, when couples have problems conceiving, the doctor recommends a sperm test.. This test helps the doctor to find out if a man is infertile or not.. Also, with the help of men's sperm test, it can be determined that the cause of infertility is low sperm count or dysfunction...

On the other hand, men who have had a vasectomy should have a sperm test to make sure there is no sperm in the semen. In a vasectomy, which is a permanent method of birth control, the tubes that send sperm from the testicles to the penis are cut. After a vasectomy, doctors often advise men not to do a test every three months. It has.

Learn more: male sperm for pregnancy

How to prepare for the sperm test?

Your doctor will let you know what you need to do to prepare for the semen analysis. It is very important that you follow these instructions carefully to get accurate results.

• Do not ejaculate 24 to 72 hours before the sperm test.
• 2 to 5 days before the sperm test, avoid alcohol, caffeine and drugs.
• Stop taking medicines and herbal supplements as directed by your doctor.
• Stop taking hormonal drugs under your doctor's supervision.
• Before having a sperm analysis, tell your doctor about any medications you are taking.

How is the sperm test done?

You must provide your doctor with a sample of your semen for analysis... There are four main methods of collecting a semen sample:

• Masturbation
• Sex with a condom
• Sexual intercourse with termination of intercourse before ejaculation
• Male stimulation and ejaculation by electric current

To achieve the desired result, the semen sample must be collected in a principled and correct manner.... On the other hand, it is very important to keep the semen at body temperature... If the semen sample is too hot or too cold, the correct result will not be obtained.. For this reason, doctors recommend to deliver the semen to the testing center 30 to 60 minutes after leaving the body.

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Interpretation of sperm test

Some factors can negatively affect the result of the sperm test. Including:

• Semen in contact with spermicide
• Doing the test during illness or severe stress
• lab technician error
• Semen sample contamination

When the result of the sperm test is not within the normal range and the factors mentioned above do not affect the negative result, the doctor will check the effect of the following:

• Alcohol and caffeine consumption

• medicines and herbal supplements
• Prescription drugs to reduce sperm count such as cimetidine
• Recreational use of drugs and tobacco

Learn more: the most important cause of male infertility

Normal sperm test results

Test results are usually ready within 24 hours to a week after the sperm sample is collected, depending on the lab you visit.... You can see a photo of the strong sperm test below:

As you can see in the photo of the result of the normal sperm test above, there are many factors that the doctor must check for the analysis of the semen... The purpose of this test after vasectomy is to check the presence of sperm, but to evaluate fertility issues, the results are analyzed in more depth, which includes the following:

Sperm shape

The appearance of sperm has a normal result when more than 50% of it is formed normally. In fact, it can be said that a man's fertility is reduced when more than 50% of his sperm is abnormal. During the sperm test, it may be determined that there are abnormalities in the abnormal head, middle part, or tail. To fertilize the egg.

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Sperm movement

If you watch sperm test videos on medical sites, you will understand that sperm motility is very important for successful conception.. because sperm must move in order to fertilize an egg.. When more than 50% of sperm move normally one hour after ejaculation, it indicates that the test result is normal in terms of motility.

During the analysis, an automated system analyzes the sperm for motility and ranks them on a scale of zero to four.. A score of zero means no sperm movement, and a score of three or four indicates that the sperm move well.

Sperm PH level

If the sperm pH level is between 7.2 and 7.8, the result of the analysis is normal. A pH level higher than 8 indicates an infection, and a result lower than 7 means that the sample is infected or the male ejaculatory duct is blocked.

Learn more: What is a varicocele?

Seminal fluid volume

When the volume of semen is more than 2 ml, the result of sperm analysis is normal.... Low volume of semen can show the low amount of sperm to fertilize the egg, and its excessive volume can also mean dilution of the existing sperm.

Conversion of semen into liquid form

The liquefaction process of semen should take 15-30 minutes... At first, the semen is thick and hard.. Therefore, its ability to liquefy or become a watery consistency helps sperm movement.. If the dilution process is not done within 15-30 minutes, fertility is affected..

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Sperm count

In the normal result of this test, the number of sperms is between 20 and 200 million.. Doctors know this result as sperm density.. If the number of sperms is less than normal, the pregnancy process becomes more difficult.

appearance

The appearance of the semen should be grayish white... If the color of the semen is red or brown, it indicates the presence of blood in it... Also, the yellow color of the semen can be caused by jaundice or the side effects of some drugs.

Abnormal sperm test results

Abnormal sperm have difficulty reaching and penetrating the eggs, and this makes fertilization difficult.

An abnormal result of sperm analysis can indicate the following:

• Infertility
• Sexual infections
• Hormonal imbalance
• disease like diabetes
• Genetic defect
• exposure to radiation

If your results are reported as abnormal, your doctor may suggest that you have other tests. These tests include the following:

• Genetic testing
• Hormonal test
• urine test after ejaculation
• Test on testicular tissue
• Test of anti-sperm immune cells

Can a sperm test be done at home?

Home sperm testing is available.... However, the home test only tests semen for sperm count and cannot analyze sperm motility or shape.... Home test results are usually ready within 10 minutes... An abnormal sperm count obtained from a home test does not necessarily mean male infertility, as it does not account for all possible causes of male infertility.

If you are worried about your fertility, it is better to go to an accredited laboratory and do a sperm test under the supervision of a specialist doctor.

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Sperm test to determine gender

Some parents want to have a boy for personal, cultural or social reasons....If we want to talk about the effect of sperm testing in determining the gender of the child, we must say that this test provides accurate information about the quality and quantity of sperm, but it has no effect on determining the gender....In fact, there is no sex test for a male child....Sperm carrying the Y chromosome or sperm carrying the X chromosome....However, the health and quality of the sperm can have a positive effect on fertility. and increase the probability of success of sperm containing Y or X chromosome.

Guide to see a doctor

Infertility in men is one of the relatively common problems that cause the inability to have children.... In such a situation, the doctor prescribes a male sperm test or semen analysis to check the quality and quantity of sperm.. Referral fertility specialist do this.

You can visit the GCORP LLC website to learn more and address your concerns about sperm testing and consult with the best specialist doctors, including online urologists, or use the online appointment system to see a urologist in person.

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