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Semen Analysis

Also known as: Sperm analysis; sperm count; seminal fluid analysis
Related tests: Antisperm antibody test

Common Questions

1.  What are the best indicators of fertility in a semen analysis, out of all of the many things that are checked?

Motility (which indicates the percentage of living sperm) and morphology (normal shape of the sperm) are most closely linked with good fertility rates.

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2.  I had good motility on my first sperm sample, but later it was very low. What could cause that?

If you had a good motility on the first reading, you may have a low sperm count later because of a genital infection or because of an inflamed prostate gland.

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3.  Shouldn’t they check my wife’s fertility first?

When a couple cannot become pregnant, it is much easier, less invasive, and less expensive for the man to be tested first. A man requires only semen analysis, and the samples can be collected and ruled out very quickly. If the man’s semen is normal, then it makes sense to move ahead with the more invasive and expensive tests for female infertility.

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