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Fertility Tests for Men

Male fertility matters just as much as female fertility, and testing can provide valuable information about sperm health and reproductive health. Whether you are trying to conceive, planning ahead, or preparing for fertility treatment, a fertility test for men can help you better understand your options and what may be affecting conception.

Male factors are involved in fertility difficulties just as often as female factors, despite the common misconception that fertility is mainly a woman’s issue. The encouraging news is that some aspects of sperm health may improve through lifestyle changes, dietary changes and the right medical guidance.

At our clinic, fertility testing for men may include semen analysis, sperm DNA fragmentation testing and blood tests. Together, these results help us build a clearer picture of sperm health, overall fertility potential and which next steps may be most suitable for you.

What fertility tests are available for men?

Fertility tests for men are used to assess sperm health and other factors that may affect fertility. In most cases, the first test is a semen analysis. This measures sperm count, motility and morphology, which means how many sperm are present, how they move and what they look like.

Depending on your history and results, further testing may also be advised. A sperm DNA fragmentation test looks for possible damage to the DNA inside sperm cells. Blood tests may also be recommended to check hormone levels, general health markers or other fertility-related factors.

A fertility test for men should never be viewed as a single answer on its own. Results are most useful when reviewed alongside your medical history, lifestyle, fertility goals and, where relevant, your partner’s results. This helps our doctors give advice that is clear, balanced and tailored to your situation.

The male fertility testing process

  • 01

    Consultation and history

    Your fertility testing journey starts with a free consultation with one of our fertility nurses. We will talk through your medical history, lifestyle, previous results, fertility goals, and any questions or concerns you may have. This helps us understand which tests are most relevant for you. If you have had recent testing elsewhere, we can review your results, where clinically appropriate, before recommending any further tests.

  • 02

    Semen analysis and further testing

    The first test is usually a Semen Analysis. This provides important information about sperm count, motility, and morphology. Depending on your results and history, we may recommend further tests, such as Sperm DNA Fragmentation testing or blood tests. Your team will explain why each test is being suggested and what information it may provide.

  • 03

    Results and next steps

    Once your results are available, they will be shared with you through your patient portal. Your test results will be explained in further detail at your medical consultation with one of our fertility specialists. Your results may help guide future options such as lifestyle changes, further testing, IVF, ICSI or Surgical Sperm Retrieval. You may also decide not to proceed with treatment right now. Either way, you will have clearer information to help you plan your next steps.

Why get male fertility tests?

Male fertility testing can help show whether sperm-related factors may be affecting your chances of conception. It can also highlight opportunities to support sperm health before trying to conceive naturally or before moving into fertility treatment.

Modern life can influence sperm quality in many ways: heat exposure, smoking, binge drinking, steroid use, tight clothing around the testicles, poor diet, stress and general health factors may all play a role. In some cases, relatively simple lifestyle and dietary changes may help support sperm health over time.

Testing is also important when planning treatment. One of the biggest advances in male infertility treatment has been ICSI, where a single sperm is injected directly into an egg. This can be especially helpful in some cases of male factor infertility, where sperm count, movement or shape may make fertilisation harder through IVF alone.

Where no sperm are identified in the sample, further investigation may be recommended. Depending on the findings, treatment pathways, such as surgical sperm retrieval, may also be considered.

What our patients say

  • Rafaela Atallah
    3 weeks ago

    I would like everyone to know about my experience with the clinic. I will be forever grateful to every member of this clinic. From the very beginning, I was treated with …

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    3 weeks ago

    We am truly grateful for my experience at Thérapie Fertility. From our very first interaction, we felt supported, understood, and genuinely cared for during what has been…

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  • Amanda Dalton
    3 weeks ago

    Forever grateful for Thérapie Fertility they made the whole process of IVF as easy as they possibly could from the very first consultation the whole way through and all t…

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    4 weeks ago

    Could not recommend Thérapie enough! My partner and I had our first consultation in March 25 and I was pregnant by September. Our daughter arrived in May 26. There was n…

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  • Carly Thompson
    a month ago

    I genuinely can’t praise Therapie enough! IVF is such a hard journey, but having a clinic and a team that really care about you and your wellbeing makes the journey a lot…

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  • Lucie Geraghty
    a month ago

    We started our journey here in Therapie and have nothing but excellent experience. The entire process was very seamless. Youre set up with their portal where you communic…

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  • Polly Wenman
    a month ago

    Therapie has helped us as a family to gain the biggest miracle we never thought would happen, after so many set backs and years of infertility, we met with the nurse in D…

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  • Karina Swiacka
    a month ago

    After a significant expenditure and a rather unfavorable experience at Waterstone Clinic, I made the decision to transfer to Thérapie, which proved to be an excellent cho…

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    a month ago

    I can’t thank Amy enough, from the first consultation to the last scan, she really is wonderful and anyone would be in great hands with her. I felt so safe to do this jou…

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    2 months ago

    I had the most attentive and amazing experience with Thérapie Fertility from the moment I walked in for my consultation. It was incredibly informative, and I felt genuin…

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    2 months ago

    We started our journey with Thérapie in January 2024, after so many years of struggle and being let down by the NHS. We were terrified to reach out to a private clinic, b…

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  • Andy 'aree
    2 months ago

    The staff were and still are very supportive, understanding, and communicative during a difficult time.

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Your fertility testing questions for men answered

  • Yes, there are usually steps to take prior to a semen analysis to help ensure that the result is accurate. These measures include regular ejaculation, followed by a period of abstinence in the days leading up to the test. Our team will explain these instructions clearly before your test.

  • A sperm analysis looks at the quantity and quality of a semen sample. It checks factors such as semen volume, sperm count, sperm movement and sperm shape.

  • Yes. You can have fertility testing without starting treatment. Many men choose testing to better understand their fertility health and future options. Your results can help you plan ahead and make informed decisions.

  • ICSI is a laboratory technique used during fertility treatment where a single sperm is injected directly into an egg. It can be helpful in some cases of male factor infertility, because it requires far fewer sperm than IVF.

  • An unexpected semen analysis result can feel worrying, but it can also provide useful direction. It helps us understand what may be affecting fertility and whether further testing, lifestyle changes, or treatment options may be helpful.

  • In some cases, sperm health may improve through lifestyle and dietary changes. Reducing smoking, binge drinking, steroid use and heat exposure may help support sperm quality. Your test results can help guide the most appropriate advice.

  • Yes. Male fertility is just as important as female fertility. Fertility challenges can involve male factors, female factors, both partners, or sometimes no clear cause. Testing both partners helps give a more complete picture.

  • A semen analysis provides information on sperm count, motility, and morphology. These results help us understand whether sperm factors may be affecting conception and whether further testing may be helpful.

  • The main fertility test for men is a semen analysis. This test checks sperm count, motility and morphology, which means how many sperm are present, how well they move, and what they look like.

  • The most common way to collect a sperm sample is for a person to masturbate and ejaculate into a sterile cup. The doctor provides a private room for you to do this. In some cases, a person can collect the semen sample at home. A doctor may recommend that the person ejaculates into a collection cup while at home. When collecting a sample at home, you must remember to keep it at room temperature and bring it to the clinic shortly after collection.

  • We have two main fertility tests for men, the standard semen analysis and the DNA Fragmentation test. In addition to this we can carry out various blood testing.

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