Many people desire to conceive at some point in their lives. However, several factors may hinder you from impregnating your life partner, which can be frustrating. If you are having trouble conceiving, you can count on the Bedford semen analysis at CARE Fertility to find the mystery behind your infertility.
The purpose of semen analysis
Semen is the fluid containing sperm that a man produces to impregnate a woman. The CARE Fertility team performs semen analysis to evaluate the viability and health of a man’s sperm. The technique measures the number, motility, quality, and shape of your sperm. Your provider may need to conduct three separate sperm analyses to understand your sperm’s health clearly. The American Association for Clinical Chemistry recommends performing the analyses at least seven days apart over three months. Seme analysis helps your doctor detect the potential cause of your infertility. Your doctor may recommend semen analysis if you and your partner have trouble getting pregnant. The approach helps determine sperm abnormalities that may be responsible for your infertility. Your provider may also conduct a semen analysis to check if the vasectomy was successful. If your semen sample contains no sperm, it means the vasectomy was successful, and you can’t get a woman pregnant.
Preparation for semen analysis
During your initial appointment, CARE Fertility will help you prepare for the procedure. You may need to avoid ejaculation 24-72 hours before the test, caffeine and alcohol, herbal medications like St. John’s wort, and hormone medications. If you’re on prescription medications, inform your physician during this appointment. During semen analysis, the team will need a semen sample. You can collect semen through masturbation, electric-stimulated ejaculation, sex with withdrawal before ejaculation, or sex with a condom. Masturbation is the best way to collect a pure sample. For the semen to be viable for testing, your provider keeps it at body temperature. Additionally, the team must deliver the semen to the testing site within 60 minutes of leaving your testicles.
What your result means
Your CARE Fertility provider reviews the semen analysis results with you and your partner and discusses the steps to take. Abnormal semen analysis results mean you have a low chance of impregnating a woman, although semen analysis is not the only test for male fertility. In most cases, the team may recommend additional tests to rule out low sperm count, infection, hormone abnormalities, and blockages that interfere with sperm release. If you’re trying to get pregnant, they may suggest several options to increase your chances of conception. Your doctor may advise lifestyle adjustments like regular exercise, a healthy diet, supplements, and medications to increase fertility. If your results are normal, the specialist may recommend additional personalized fertility tests to provide your family with the best outcome. They may recommend fertility medications, in vitro fertilization, surrogate pregnancy, intrauterine insemination, or surgical fertility treatments if you have fertility issues. The team educates you about the available therapies before developing an individualized treatment plan.
If you want to learn the cause of your infertility, call the CARE Fertility office or schedule an appointment online for semen analysis.