A new Canadian company offers sperm tests that deliver accurate results in just two minutes.
For people having difficulty trying to conceive, one of their first steps is to see a fertility specialist. The female partner is typically given a blood test and a physical examination, then referred to get an ultrasound and X-ray, and maybe prescribed medication, too. The male partner? Chances are, nothing.
“Men’s fertility has often not been recognized as a contributing factor [to infertility],” says Dr. Jesse Ory, assistant professor in the Department of Urology at Dalhousie University. Traditionally, when a couple has infertility issues, the referrals and tests start with the female partner. “If everything’s okay, then the male partner may be given a sperm test,” says Ory.
But up to half of infertility cases are caused by male factor infertility, so “both partners should really receive tests at the same time,” he says. The reason they haven’t been? The responsibilities of reproductive health have fallen more heavily on women. “This is compounded by the fact that there is often more medical pressure on women to get evaluated since as women get older, their ability to reproduce goes down,” says Ory. “This age-related decline in fertility is not as present in men.”
If you’re interested in accelerating the fertility process or gaining more personal information, you could take matters (quite literally) into your own hands with an at-home sperm test.
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