Why Is Semen Analysis Important

Infertility in couples is becoming an increasing cause of concern for those who are trying to get
pregnant. Though people have this misconception that females are responsible for infertility,
the male partner’s sperm count and sperm quality can also be the reason behind the couple’s
infertility.

To determine how your male partner could be contributing towards infertility, your fertility
specialist will conduct a semen analysis of his sample.

What Is Semen Analysis?

Semen analysis is a test that analyzes the sperm’s health and structure under a microscope.
Semen is the fluid that comes out from the male’s penis during ejaculation. It contains sperms
and secretion from other glands like prostrate.

A sample of the male partner’s semen is analyzed in the laboratory to check for the underlying
cause of infertility. Semen analysis checks for:

• Volume
• Sperm Count
• Sperm Motility
• Sperm Morphology or Structure
• Sperm pH Level
• Semen Volume
• Sperm Concentration
• Fructose Levels

Usually, to arrive at a more conclusive result, the doctor asks for two or three samples of your
semen. Specially if the reports are below normal.

• The semen sample is variable normally also. So nothing to worry of the reports are
  markably different. The test is run separately on each semen sample and the results are
  averaged to deduce the final reading.

Why Is Semen Analysis Important?

I. Test For Male Infertility

Semen analysis is extremely crucial for treating male infertility, especially if you are
trying to get pregnant. It helps the fertility specialist in understanding the health and
structure of the sperm. Moreover, the analysis also helps determine the concentration of the sperm and its motility or ability to reach the ovum and fertilize it.

Let’s see how each of these factors is important in treating male infertility.

1. Sperm Count
   The male sperm is responsible for fertilizing the female’s egg to create an
   embryo. The embryo grows and develops to become the couple’s offspring. If
   the sperm count in the male’s semen is nil or low, the chances of fertilization are
   very less.
   WHO criteria for count – Normally 15-20 million sperm/ml
2. Sperm Motility
   During and after intercourse, the sperms from the ejaculated semen swim up the
   uterus and the fallopian tubes to fertilize the egg. If your sperm motility is low,

they cannot manage to swim past all these regions or may not move at all. Since
the sperms cannot reach the egg, fertilization does not occur.
WHO criteria for normal motility.

3. Sperm Morphology
   The sperm structure plays a crucial role in its ability to fertilize an egg. If the
   sperms are of low quality or poor structure, they cannot penetrate through the
   walls of the egg for fertilization.
   WHO criteria for normal morphology
4. Sperm pH Level
   The pH level of your sperm determines how acidic or alkaline it is. In either case,
   an abnormal pH level interferes with the motility of your sperm and thus leads to
   infertility.
5. Semen Volume
   The semen sample collected helps the fertility specialist determine the volume
   of semen that comes out in every ejaculation. If the semen volume is low, then
   the sperm count and concentration are also low and this could be another
   contributing factor to male infertility.
6. Sperm Concentration
   Sperm concentration is the number of sperms present in one milliliter of semen.
   If the sperm concentration is lower than the normal levels, it decreases the
   chances of fertilization.
7. Fructose Levels
   Fructose in the sperm is responsible for providing the energy to move and swim.

Through a semen analysis, you can determine the presence or absence of
fructose. It’s absent, this indicates that there is an issue in the seminal vesicles.

II. Test for Success Of Vasectomy

Vasectomy is a surgical procedure done to sterilize the male. After the surgery, the male
can ejaculate semen like earlier, except that there will be no sperms in his semen.

Every month after the surgery, the doctor recommends getting a semen analysis done
to check if the sperm count is continuing to diminish and if the vasectomy was
successful or not.

How to Prepare For A Semen Analysis

Semen analysis is important when it comes to checking for male infertility. There are numerous
tests for females but only one & most important for males i.e semen.

To ensure that your semen sample is usable, your fertility specialist will ask you to:

• Usually the doctor asks you to keep a abstinence period of 3-5 days before doing semen
  analysis that means avoid sex, masturbation, or even ejaculation for at least 3-5 days
  before the test.
• Stay away from alcohol, caffeine, and drugs before your test.
• Avoid using any lubricants during the sample collection.
• Avoid giving your semen sample while you’re unwell.
• Disclose any and every medicine or drug you currently consume.
• The doctor may advise few blood tests before doing semen analysis.

It is advisable to collect semen samples at least two or three times, with at least a 2 to 3 days
gap between each time. The results from each test are averaged to get the final result.

About 2 percent of males are infertile due to an issue with their sperm. Therefore, semen
analysis is one of the most important determining factors for the condition. Your fertility
specialist will advise your future course of treatment based on these results. They may advise
to go for advanced semen function tests also depending on the test result.

For a reliable check of your fertility and sperm health, visit Aveya IVF and Fertility Center. Our
modern technology and equipment contribute towards accurate test results. As for the
treatment, you will find that our learned team of doctors and fertility specialists is among the
finest in all IVF centers of Delhi.