Many people believe that the ability to have a baby always falls onto the female, but both males and females can experience infertility. In fact, male infertility is a contributing factor to around 30% of infertility cases, while being the sole cause of approximately one-fifth of the cases.
Conception can take months for many couples, so it’s easy to brush off the possibility of infertility at the beginning of a couple’s pregnancy journey. But it’s important to be aware of possible male infertility so that you can be proactive about treatment options if needed. But when is the best time to schedule a male infertility test? That’s what we’re here to discuss.
We’ll talk about what male infertility means, when to schedule a male infertility test and the possible treatments that you can explore following positive test results.
The basics of male infertility
A person or individual can be diagnosed with infertility if they haven’t achieved conception after having intercourse for at least one year without birth control. For males specifically, infertility refers to the inability to impregnate a fertile female.
Male infertility is often chalked up to unexplained infertility, but it can also stem from issues with the quality or number of sperm as well as ejaculation.
Low sperm count, sperm abnormalities or ejaculation issues can come from many causes or risk factors, including:
- Inflamed testicles.
- Swollen scrotum veins.
- Hormone disorders.
- Genetic conditions.
- Infections, such as STDs.
- Exposure to chemicals or radiation.
- Substance use.
- Obesity.
For males, there are several symptoms of male infertility to be aware of, including:
- Decreased amount of ejaculate.
- Reduced sexual desire.
- Erectile dysfunction.
- Recurrent respiratory infections.
- Swelling or pain in or around the testicles.
- Gynecomastia (breast growth).
- Reduced facial or body hair.
When to schedule a male infertility test
When you’re trying to determine the cause of potential infertility, low sperm count is often one of the first conclusions that you may jump to. Low sperm count, meaning fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen, is a common reason for male infertility.
The good news is that you don’t need to wait until you’re struggling to conceive before getting a sperm analysis to learn your sperm count. Getting a sperm analysis as soon as possible can shed a light on potential male infertility before even trying to conceive with a partner.
Besides a sperm analysis, there are other tests for male infertility that can be run after at least one year of intercourse without conception. The goal is to determine a possible cause behind the lack of pregnancy.
It’s suggested that you talk to a health care provider earlier than one year if you have any of the risk factors that were listed earlier, such as substance use or medical conditions.
The male infertility tests that your health care provider may run include:
- Testicular biopsy — Removing a small piece of tissue from the testicles to be examined under a microscope.
- Hormone testing — Checks for hormone imbalances that could impact sperm production.
- Imaging testing — Looks for reproductive system abnormalities.
- Genetic testing — Checks for any genetic abnormalities that could impact fertility.
Potential treatment options following male infertility test
While it may be nerve-wracking to take a male infertility test, there can be relief in having answers. Once you learn those answers, it’s time to explore your fertility options. For male infertility, your fertility specialist will discuss the potential courses of action that can boost your chances of conceiving with your partner.
If your tests and sperm analysis have shown a low sperm count or hormone imbalances, there are treatments that may help to boost that number and/or balance your hormones.
Your fertility specialist may also recommend in vitro fertilization (IVF) using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In vitro fertilization involves removing the eggs from the female’s ovaries so that they can be taken to a lab to be fertilized by a sperm. ICSI is the process that’s used during IVF to inject a live sperm directly into the egg.
You can schedule a male infertility test with Fertility Cloud
Whether you want to check your sperm count or you want to see the potential causes behind your conception issues, Fertility Cloud can help when you’re ready to schedule a male infertility test. The best part is that you can do many of the tests from the comfort of your own home.
We’ll be with you every step of the way so that you and your partner have the support you need following the results as you continue on your fertility journey.
Contact our team by phone today for more information or book an initial appointment online with a fertility specialist.