What is a fertility test?

A male fertility test can help you to better understand how likely you are to be able to have children. There are different types of fertility tests for men, which test for different factors that can affect your fertility. These include sperm tests, hormone tests, and genetic tests.

At Superdrug Online Doctor, we can provide at-home sperm tests that can provide an overview of your sperm health, which is a good indicator of whether or not you can have children. 

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How does a sperm test work?

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When should I get a male fertility test?

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What is the best way to produce healthy sperm?

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What causes male infertility?

The leading causes of male fertility are:

Low quality sperm

If you have a low sperm count, sperm with reduced motility, or sperm abnormalities, this can lead to male infertility. Essentially, your sperm needs to be healthy enough to move properly, it needs to be able to reach an egg, and there needs to be enough of it. Each of these factors can contribute to infertility if your sperm is low quality.

Problems with your testicles

Infection, injuries and medical conditions can all cause male infertility.

Side effects of medications and drugs

Certain medications and drugs have side effects that can affect your sperm health and fertility levels. These can include:

• testosterone replacement therapy
• long-term anabolic steroid use
• cancer medications (chemotherapy)
• certain ulcer treatments 
• arthritis medication 

If you are trying to conceive and you are concerned about a medication you are taking affecting your fertility levels, you should discuss this with your doctor.

Ejaculation problems

If you are struggling to ejaculate or have problems with ejaculation, this can affect your fertility as you are less likely for your sperm to reach an egg for fertilisation. Retrograde ejaculation can cause infertility as this is when your semen enters your bladder instead of coming out of your penis. Health conditions that can cause this include diabetes, spinal injuries, and prostate, bladder and urethra surgery.

Erectile dysfunction

If you have ED and you are unable to get an erection that's hard enough to have sex, you are less likely to be able to conceive as you are not able to have penetrative sex. Because of this, ED isn't a direct cause of infertility, but it does make it a lot more challenging to conceive.

Medical conditions

Varicocele

This is the most common but reversible cause of male infertility. It is a condition that causes swelling in the veins that drain your testicles. It's not known why this condition causes infertility, but it's thought to be related to abnormal blood flow. The condition can also lower your sperm count and quality.

Infections

Certain infections affect sperm health and production. These can also lead to scarring that can cause blockages for sperm. While some infections can cause permanent damage to your testicles, it's usually still possible to remove and store most of your sperm for future use.

Antibodies

Immune system cells can mistakenly identify sperm as something harmful to the body and produce antibodies to attack them.

Tumours

Tumours can affect your reproductive organs as they affect how your body releases hormones. Often cancer treatments can also affect male fertility.

Undescended testicles

This is a condition you can develop before birth, where your testicles don't drop below your abdomen. People with this condition are usually less fertile. 

Hormone imbalances

Hormonal problems can have many underlying causes, and it's often hard to identify them. If you do have a hormonal imbalance, it can lead to reduced fertility as certain hormones are needed for better sperm health and quality, amongst other things that are necessary to conceive.

Tube defects

Sperm are carried by many different tubes to get where they need to - if these tubes are damaged from an infection, surgery or any other condition, your sperm are less likely to be able to reach an egg to conceive.

Blockages

Any blockage within your testicles is likely to make it more difficult for your sperm to get where it needs to be. If your sperm can't travel, it can't reach an egg to conceive.

Genetic defects

Certain genetic conditions like Klinefelter's Syndrome can cause male reproductive organs to develop abnormally, causing infertility. Cystic fibrosis and Kallmann's syndrome can also cause similar problems.

Celiac disease

Celiac disease is caused by a sensitivity to a protein called Gluten, and the condition has been linked to male infertility.

Surgeries

Certain surgeries can prevent you from having sperm in your ejaculate. These include but are not limited to: 

• vasectomy 
• scrotal or testicular surgeries
• prostate surgeries
• large abdominal surgeries (for testicular and rectal cancers)

Lifestyle causes

Drug use

Drugs like anabolic steroids may cause your testicles to shrink and reduce sperm production. Drugs like cocaine and marijuana can also cause a temporary reduction in your sperm count and quality.

Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol can lower testosterone levels, leading to less sperm production and erectile dysfunction. Liver disease, often caused by drinking too much alcohol, can also lead to fertility issues.

Smoking

People who smoke have a lower sperm count. Second-hand smoke can also reduce your sperm count.

Being overweight

Obesity can affect your hormones causing changes that make you less fertile. It can also reduce the quality of your sperm.

It's important to remember that there isn't always a clear-cut reason or cause for infertility, and different people's fertility levels can be affected more by some things than others. The NHS reports that around 1 in 4 causes of infertility do not have an obvious cause, meaning they couldn't find one in either partner. 

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What options are available for infertility?

If you are infertile, there are still things you can do to conceive or improve your chances of conceiving. These include:

Having sex regularly at the time when your partner is most fertile

• People are more fertile at different points in their menstrual cycle. By having sex during these moments, you can be sure you’re giving yourself the best chance to conceive.

IVF  

• This is when an egg is fertilised in a laboratory before being returned to a woman’s uterus to grow and develop.

ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection)

• This is when sperm is injected into an egg to fertilise it.

Donor insemination (DI)

• This is when a donor’s sperm is used in place of your own if you have fertility issues.

Medication

• For women, there are medications available, like gonadotropins which increase testosterone levels, improving your fertility levels.

Surgery

• There are surgical procedures that can help with fertility available for both men and women. You may need this if you have a blockage or want to remove sperm for use in the future in case you’re worried about becoming less fertile or want to conceive at an older age.

Lifestyle changes

• You can improve the quality of your sperm and your chances of conceiving by making sure you maintain a healthy weight, quit smoking, reduce alcohol and stress, and stick to a healthy diet.

Your doctor and fertility specialist are on hand to support you with finding the right approach to improving your fertility levels or helping you conceive if you are infertile. What works for you may not work for someone else, so it’s important to find the best strategy for your body.

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Why choose fertility testing with Superdrug Online Doctor

When it comes to fertility testing, you want to be sure you’re getting accurate results and clear, supportive advice. With Superdrug Online Doctor, you will receive a detailed report on your fertility and sperm health and get free advice from our doctors on what to do next. You can also message your doctor at any point, without booking an appointment, through your patient account if you need more support or information.

Benefits of the Superdrug Online Doctor male fertility testing service:

• You will receive a full report that analyses 22 different parameters of your sperm health and fertility. This is to give both yourself and your doctor a clear understanding of your test results and how they affect your fertility. 
• The results our test produces are in line with World Health Organisation standards. This may not be the case if you’re using a different high street or smartphone test.
• Unlimited access to our doctors. When you test with us, our doctors will be on hand throughout the process to answer any queries you have regarding your results or what to do next, and it’s all free through your patient account. There’s no booking appointments or waiting rooms.

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Sources

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