Fertility is often treated as a woman’s issue, but a male factor is involved in around half of couples who have difficulty conceiving. Testing the male partner early is simple and can save months of unnecessary treatment.
When to get checked
- After a year of trying without success, or six months if your partner is over 35
- Sooner if you have had mumps after puberty, testicular injury or surgery, or problems with erections or ejaculation
- Before starting fertility treatment for your partner
The semen analysis
The first test is a semen analysis, which looks at the number, movement and shape of sperm. Avoid ejaculation for two to five days beforehand. The sample is collected in a private room at the hospital.
What can be done
Depending on the cause, options include lifestyle changes, medicines for hormonal problems, correction of a varicocele, IUI, ICSI, and surgical sperm retrieval for men with no sperm in the semen.