Starting a family is an exciting life milestone. However, conceiving is not always an effortless process. Infertility affects an estimated 15% of couples around the world. Traditionally, when we think of infertility we are often quick to conclude the difficulties lie with the woman. However, men are responsible for 20 – 30% of infertility cases (contributing to 50% of cases overall). Although infertility can be caused by a variety of conditions, the quality of sperm is usually a major contributing factor to fertility.
What is a Semen Analysis?
Sperm testing is typically suggested when a couple experiences difficulties getting pregnant. The test helps a doctor determine if a low sperm count is an underlying concern impacting a man’s fertility. Semen analysis, commonly referred to as a sperm count test, analyzes the health of a man’s sperm.
A sperm test examines three major markers of sperm health:
- Sperm count – If you are trying to conceive naturally, a healthy sperm count is critical. A normal sperm count ranges from 15 million sperm to over 200 million sperm per milliliter (ml) of semen. Any sperm count under 15 million per ml, or 39 million per ejaculation, is considered to be low. A low sperm count is also referred to as oligospermia.
- Sperm motility – Low sperm motility refers to the inability of the sperm to move swiftly and efficiently toward their destination (i.e., the egg). Healthy sperm motility is designated as sperm with the forward movement of at least 25 micrometers per second. Poor sperm mobility, also called asthenospermia or asthenozoospermia is one of the leading causes of male infertility. Motility can present itself as slow (under 25 micrometers per second), non-progressive (less than 5 micrometers per second), or completely immobile sperm.
- Sperm morphology – Morphology relates to the size and shape of sperm and how it looks under a microscope. Healthy sperm have a long tail and an oval-shaped head. Abnormal sperm can have trouble reaching, entering, and fertilizing an egg. In particular, the head shape of sperm is important because it impacts the sperm’s ability to penetrate the outer surface of an egg to fertilize it. Healthy sperm samples contain a minimum of 4% sperm with standard morphology.
Home Sperm Testing
When it comes to infertility, the idea of taking time to drive into the doctor’s office for sperm testing can prove to be a daunting and even intimidating experience for some men. By leveraging the latest advances in innovative technologies, home sperm testing allows men to discreetly provide their sample for analysis in the comforts of their home.
So exactly how does it work? When you order your home test from Legacy, your Client Service Advisor (CSA) will provide you with a client id and coordinate with the nearest clinic to ship your Legacy kit. Once you make your sample in the provided collection cup, simply call our shipping partner or your CSA for collection. Your sample will remain viable for 48 hours, and once your sperm analysis is complete, within 24 hours you will receive a complete fertility analysis report to include sperm count, motility, and morphology.
Benefits of home sperm testing:
- Discrete – provide your sperm sample in the comforts of your home.
- Accurate – home sperm testing provides an accurate account of sperm range. Once you know your sperm count, your doctor can determine if this is an underlying concern for fertility and whether or not more testing is needed.
- In-depth – with a personalized Legacy Fertility Report, clients have access to an in-depth 6 page report which analyzes the 5 key data points of male fertility: volume, count, concentration, motility and morphology.
- Swift results – once we receive a sample, the semen analysis process takes as little as 48 hours to complete.
- Private – every sample we collect and analysis we complete is 100% confidential. From start to finish, we encrypt every piece of data.
Legacy Sperm Testing
Starting a family is an exciting time in a couple’s life. The fertility specialists at Legacy provide couples with the most accurate and effective fertility treatment plans to help them on their path to conception. Leveraging the latest innovations and advances in scientific technology, our home sperm testing kits help men test their sperm within the comforts and privacy of their home. With a wide variety of fertility testing packages to choose from, Legacy makes it easy to test and store your semen sample. Using our sperm testing kit, we will identify opportunities to improve your sperm through personalized recommendations.
Contact a member of our fertility team to learn more.