Sperm tests are now available on the UK high street, allowing men to assess their sperm count at home. But are these DIY home sperm tests accurate?
Whilst you may think it could provide you with reassurance about your fertility, this test isn’t something we would recommend you relied upon, if you’re interesting in finding out more about your sperm count.
When you come to Manchester Fertility for a private reproductive health assessment – known as our Fertility MOT – your semen is thoroughly analysed by our expert Andrologists. One of the things we look at is sperm count – but it is not the sole indicator of your fertility status.
When assessing your fertility, we also look at the volume of semen you produce, your sperm’s motility, how many ‘live’ sperm are in your sample, and whether your sperm is normally shaped. All these things combined can give us an excellent indication of whether your sperm is capable of conceiving a baby naturally. None of these factors alone will tell us how fertile you are, just as a high street sperm count test won’t.
It’s also important to realise that even if you are found to have a low sperm count, it doesn’t mean you can’t have children. Fertility treatments such as Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) help many men who have a low sperm count to have a baby.
So whilst DIY home sperm count tests may provide you with a warning sign and indication that there could be an issue that needs further exploration, it’s no substitute for a thorough fertility check. If you are concerned about your fertility status, book in for one of our Fertility MOTs or a Mini MOT
You can choose to take the test on your own, or in conjunction with your partner. All testing is done at our private infertility clinic in Cheshire, and our specialists will explain your results to you in a private fertility consultation so you understand the implications.
Fertility MOT reproductive health tests are useful if you are planning to have a baby but want to know in advance if there are an issues which could prevent you from conceiving naturally, so that if you do need treatment from our fertility experts, you are prepared. And as it’s National Infertility Awareness Week this week (until 3 Nov), there’s no better time to ensure you have greater understanding of your own fertility.
Last updated: 18th June 2021
