Male Fertility Test
The man also needs to undergo some basic tests to detect any infertility problems. Male fertility test is different from female fertility test. Your doctor will take a sample of your blood, urine and semen to analyze your infertility problems.
1. Male Fertility Test Kit
You can find some male fertility test kits in the market to test your sperm count at home. However, these test kits have limitation. It is advisable to consult your doctor for further evaluation once you have the result. One home test kit you can use to test for low sperm count is Pre Conceive Plus Home Test Kit.
2. Blood Tests
A blood sample is taken to test your testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone and prolactin levels to detect any disorders. The blood sample is also used to detect infectious diseases like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis and syphilis and some viruses and bacteria that can lead to infertility.
2. Urine Analysis
Urine sample will be taken to check for presence of bacteria, white blood cells and sperm. White blood cells indicate infection within the urinary tract or prostate gland. A high concentration of sperm in the urine may indicate retrograde ejaculation, where sperm go backward into the bladder.
3. Semen Analysis
You have to refrain from sexual activity for at least three days before you collect your semen sample by performing masturbation. The semen sample is analyzed in a laboratory under a microscope.
Volume
The normal volume of semen should be 1.5 to 6 ml per ejaculation. Actual volume of semen does not necessarily co-relate with the number of sperm. Higher or lower may indicate low testosterone level or infection. Zero sperm in the semen may be due to retrograde ejaculation, where the sperm go backward into the bladder.
Thickness
Normal semen has a thick consistency at the time of ejaculation. It normally becomes liquid within 20 to 30 minutes after ejaculation. The test measures the time for the semen sample to liquefy. If it takes longer than 60 minutes, it may indicate infection or other problems.
Quantity
The normal quantity of sperm is about 20 – 15 million sperm per milliliter or 60 million per ejaculation. The quantity of sperm may be affected by many factors including flu, extreme stress and some medical condition.
Shape
If at least 60 percent of the sperm has normal shape, it’s a good sign of fertility. It is normal to have some sperm that are abnormally shaped. Abnormally shaped sperm usually cannot penetrate the egg.
Motility
Sperm with good motility can move through the female reproductive tract at the rate of two inches per hour. It is normal to have 50 percent of the sperm move forward through the cervical mucus to the egg. If a high percentage of the sperm has low motility, there may be infertility problems.
4. Antisperm Antibody (ASA)
A man may develop antisperm antibody that reacts against his own sperm. Antisperm antibody can be detected using semen sample. This condition adversely affects the sperm’s motility and ability to penetrate the egg.
5. Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE)
Your doctor may recommend testicular biopsy if no abnormality is found but the male is not producing sperm. A piece of tissue is surgically removed from the testicle under local anaesthesia and the sperm are extracted from the tissue for evaluation.
6. Hamster Egg Penetration
Hamster eggs are used to test the sperm’s ability to penetrate the egg. The outer coating of the hamster egg is removed. The outer covering prevents other animals from fertilizing the hamster egg. If the sperm can penetrate the hamster egg, they can generally also penetrate a woman’s egg.
7. Vasogram
Your doctor may recommend vasogram if he suspects a blockage along your reproductive duct. A small incision is cut into your scrotum to expose your vas deferens. A dye is then injected into your vas deferens and x-rays are taken. Vasogram can detect the exact location of the blockage so that corrective surgery can be done.
8 Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay
Research has shown that some sperm with abnormal DNA is not able to fertilize the egg. Damaged DNA can be found in the sperm of both fertile and infertile men. Causes of damaged DNA may be cancer treatments or variocele (a group of dilated veins in the scrotum). This condition can be treated with medication or surgery.
The male fertility test allows your doctor to determine the cause of your infertility problem so that appropriate treatment can be carried out.
Infertility Diet
Some studies indicate that your diet can affect your fertility. Here is some information about infertility diet that you may want to know.
Avoid trans fats which increase harmful cholesterol and inflammation in the body and also increase the chances of infertility. Foods that contain trans fats are margarine, cookies, doughnuts and fried foods. Taking too much saturated fats is also bad for health and fertility. Foods that contain saturated fats include steak, sausage, bacon, lard, milk, cheese, butter, palm oil, coconut oil and coconut milk. Replace trans fats and saturated fats with unsaturated fats which control blood-sugar and cool inflammation. Unsaturated fats from plant sources and deep-sea fish help the production of hormones in both women and men. One good source of unsaturated fats is omega-3 from deep-sea fish such as salmon, tuna and sardines. Omega-3 also helps to prevent blood clotting in the arteries. Other sources of unsaturated fats include flaxseed and pumpkin seed oils, egg, soy products, raw nuts and seeds and dark-green vegetables.
Take multivitamin daily to supplement your diet. One source reported that women who took multivitamins were less likely to have ovulation problems than women who didn’t take them. Folic acid, iron, vitamin A, C, F, B complex, zinc and selenium can improve your reproductive health. Folic acid is found to be effective in preventing spina bifida or other neural tube defect in babies and also help to stimulate ovulation. Most prenatal vitamins contain the nutrients required to improve ovulation. Multivitamins that contains folic acid and zinc may also help to improve the quality and quantity of sperm in men.
Take more alkaline foods such as non-citrus fruits, vegetables, sprouts, wheat grass and barley grass. Acidic foods like meat, dairy products and most grains make your cervical mucus more acidic. Sperm survive better in alkaline environment.
Avoid foods with pesticides, chemicals and hormones which are used to treat animal products. These hormones contain synthetic estrogen-like substances, which are detrimental to our reproductive system. If possible, take organic and hormone-free foods.
Take more cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Cruciferous vegetables contain di-indolylmethane (DIM), a substance that regulates usage of estradiol (a type of estrogen hormones).
Drink water instead of sugared sodas that increase your blood-sugar and insulin. Drink coffee and tea in moderation. Avoid alcohol if you can, otherwise keep it occasional. Caffeine and alcohol may have negative effects on the fertility of both women and men.
A study suggested that women who took more low dairy products were more likely to have problems getting pregnant than women who took full-fat dairy products. Removing fat from milk leaves behind some male hormones, prolactin and insulin-like growth factor-1. Excess male hormones and insulin-like growth factor-1 can have a negative effect on ovulation. Proteins added to make the milk creamier may make it worse. Full-fat dairy products are bad for your heart. However, to increase your chances of getting pregnant, you may want to temporarily include full-fat dairy products in your diet until you get the desired result.
If you have infertility problems, having a good infertility diet may help to improve your hormonal balance and boost ovulation and thus help you to get pregnant.
