Why should the man be tested first ?

In the past, infertility was blamed wholly and solely on the woman. This may have been to protect the fragile male ego, was because the male psyche equates fertility with virility, and views failure to father a child with shame. Studies today however show that 40% of infertility is because of a medical problem with the man.

The vast majority of men have simply no way of judging their fertility before getting married (unless, of course, they have had a premarital affair and fathered a pregnancy - the ultimate proof of male fertility ! Rarely, however, some men may know they have a fertility problem - for example, a sexual problem of impotence, which prevents consummation of the marriage; or one of hypospadias (in which the urethra is located at the base of the penis and the semen cannot be put in the vagina); or undescended testes (in which both the testes are not in the scrotum).

When testing a couple for infertility, the man must always be tested first. Tests for the woman are far more complicated, invasive and expensive - it is much simpler to find out if the man has a problem.

Where should the semen analysis be done ?

The most important test is an inexpensive one - the semen analysis. The fact that it is so inexpensive can be misleading, because many patients (and doctors!) feel that it must be a very easy test to do if it is so cheap, which is why they get it done at the neighbourhood lab. However, its apparent simplicity can be very misleading, because in reality it requires a lot of skill to perform a semen analysis accurately. However, it is very easy to do this test badly (as it often is by poorly trained technicians in small laboratories) , with the result that the report can be very misleading- leading to confusion and angst for both patient and doctor. This is why it is crucial to go to a reliable andrology laboratory which specialises in sperm testing for your semen analysis, since the reporting is very subjective and depends upon the skill of the technician in the lab.

How do I provide a sample for semen analysis ?

For a semen analysis, a fresh semen sample, not more than half an hour old is needed, after sexual abstinence for at least 2 to 4 days. The man masturbates into a clean, wide mouthed bottle which is then delivered to the laboratory.

Providing a semen sample by masturbation can be very stressful for some men - especially when they know their counts are low; or if they have had problems with masturbation "on demand" for semen analysis in the past. Men who have this problem can and should ask for help. Either their wife can help them to provide a sample - or they can see sexually arousing pictures or use a mechanical vibrator to help them get an erection.

Some men also find it helpful to use liquid paraffin to provide lubrication during masturbation. For some men, using the medicine called Viagra can help them to get an erection, thus providing additional assistance. If the problem still persists, it is possible to collect the ejaculate in a special silicone condom (which is non-toxic to the sperm) during sexual intercourse, and then send this to the laboratory for testing.

The semen sample must be kept at room temperature; and the container must be spotlessly clean. If the sample spills or leaks out, the test is invalid and needs to be repeated. Except for liquid paraffin, no other lubricant should be used during masturbation for semen analysis - many of these can kill the sperms. It is preferable that the sample is produced in the clinic itself - and most infertility centres will have a special private room to allow you to do so - a "masturbatorium".

You can read more about how to interpret a semen analysis report here