Why Fertility Testing Is Important for Men
When struggling to conceive naturally, it is becoming much more common for couples to want to find out more about their fertility and what may be causing the problems they are experiencing. Often, when looking into the different tests available in this regard, many consider it as a female problem and will book female fertility tests first and check things such as the health and quality of their eggs.
Unfortunately, it is incredibly common for couples to overlook the importance of fertility tests for men and they are often booked as a last resort when nothing can be found on a female test. It is relatively less known that a third of the fertility problems related to be male factor. It goes without saying that booking a couples test at the same time is something that couples should be encouraged to do, instead of putting off a male test. If you’re wondering why this is the case, below we have looked into the importance of fertility tests for men in more detail.
Both men and women are just as likely to contribute to a couple’s infertility
It is a huge misconception that when couples are trying to conceive naturally, the problem lies with the women, but this really isn’t the case. Whilst women carry the stigma of infertility, the truth is that men can be infertile too and both men and women are equally likely to have fertility problems, so there is no telling who is experiencing fertility issues without the two tests.
By undertaking both tests at the same time, when you get your results you will be in a much better position to make important decisions moving forward. You will also have to wait less time in order to start any fertility treatment should you wish to do so. Not to mention the fact that you won’t have to go through the worrying stage when waiting for results twice either.
Male fertility tests can provide essential information
In addition to a fertility speialist finding out more about your medical history, sexual life and general lifestyle, which can help when looking for potential problems with fertility, during a male fertility test, they will carry out a comprehensive semen analysis. This analysis will involve looking at things such as sperm count, sperm concentration, sperm motility, sperm morphology, anti-sperm antibody and inflammatory cells, all of which is incredibly beneficial to be aware of.
Of course, you may find that undertaking a test to check male fertility simply provides you with reassurance moving forward that you don’t need to worry about male infertility. However, if this isn’t the case and you have an abnormal semen analysis, a fertility expert will have a better understanding of your fertility situation as a couple and how to help you.
For men faced with azoospermia or absence of sperms in semen, it is important to establish why this may be the case. Very rarely, there can be hereditary conditions, that can be passed on from one generation to next. If known, then there are treatments such as preimplantation genetic testing or PGT, that may help you avoid passing the problem to your children.
Knowing more about male fertility will help when choosing fertility treatments
Once you are aware of exactly what is happening both in the female and male reproductive system, you will be able to sit down with a fertility specialist and discuss which fertility treatments are most suitable for you as a couple. Without the information from a male fertility test, this definitely wouldn’t be as easy.
Many don’t realise that there are specific fertility treatments that are designed to help couples that have male factor problems, such as ICSI for example. So, from a simple sample of semen being analysed, you can ensure that you’re investing in the treatment that is most likely to be successful and result in you starting the family that you’ve always wanted.
Booking a male fertility test
There really is no denying that if you and your partner are struggling to conceive naturally, then it is worthwhile booking a couples fertility test. Instead of simply opting for a female fertility test like many do, ensuring that you undertake a fertility test for men too can provide you with the insight you need into your fertility problems. Whilst the thought of a fertility test can be daunting, they are undoubtedly worthwhile booking and you will thank yourself for doing so.
When searching for a specialist clinic that provides a range of fertility tests, be sure to contact us here at London IVF and Genetics Centre. As a leading fertility clinic, we pride ourselves on providing exemplary fertility services and we offer a number of ‘fertility MOTs’ that are incredibly beneficial for couples. You can find out more about the different MOTs that we offer and also the cost of our fertility MOTs over on our website, and if you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to contact us today.