Male Infertility Test

After struggling for months to conceive, how common is it for a man to take a male infertility test rather than the woman? Not common enough. In approximately half of infertility cases, the man is the partner who should be considering treatment. Male infertility tests are just as widely available as women's and the treatment is often less complicated.

Test for fertility

In order to test for fertility, a man must provide his doctor with a sample in the same way he would as a sperm donor. The sample is tested in the lab for one of many conditions such a low sperm count or any irregularities. The idea of being shut into a cold, unwelcoming room with only a paper cup for company no doubt gives many men a type of performance anxiety. Luckily, fertility clinics work hard to make the experience as easy as possible by providing the patient with comfortable seating as well as inspirational magazines. Some clinics even offer a television in each room and a selection of DVDs. You might consider bringing your partner with you, if not actually in the room, to help make your male fertility test a little less clinical.

The emotional challenges of the male infertility test

The pressure to be fertile from society is equal for men and women. A lot of men may feel that the essence of their manhood is being questioned when they are tested for infertility. It's important to discuss these issues with your partner or with close friends so they don't become overwhelming, especially in the face of less than favorable results. Modern thinking puts less emphasis on gender roles and the business of 'being a man' has changed significantly in the past few decades. If you decide to take a male infertility test, keep the ultimate goal of starting a family in mind and the feeling of being judged on a fundamental level may dissipate. It also may help to keep in mind that by testing yourself, you may be sparing your partner from months of invasive testing, some as extreme as exploratory surgery.

If the couple has the luxury of planning to conceive, taking any relevant fertility tests in advance will save a lot of time and stress. Most doctors recommend waiting a year to conceive before getting any outside help. If the male infertility test reveals there are fertility issues, an entire year of stress can be saved and the energy spent worrying can be applied to moving toward infertility solutions.

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