Fertility Testing for Men & Consultation
Male Fertility Tests & Consultation
At In-OVO Fertility Clinic, male partners are routinely examined when couples attend the clinic, but you can make a self referral, or your GP or Specialist Consultant can refer you for a consultation with one of our Fertility specialists.We offer two kinds of fertility tests for men:
- Basic Fertility Testing , a semen analysis test and a phone consultation with our Consultant to discuss your results
- Full Fertility Testing, a semen analysis test combined with a DNA Fragmentation Test and a phone consultation with our Consultant.
What is a Semen Analysis test?Semen analysis is the first step that a man can take to look into his fertility potential. It investigates the quantity and the quality of sperm within a semen sample. The semen analysis will tell you the following:
Karyotyping TestKaryotyping is a blood test which will involve counting the number of chromosomes in a human cell and looking for abnormalities in the structure of chromosomes.
Y-Chromosome MicrodeletionAn abnormality of the Y chromosome may be the cause of oligospermia or azoospermia. This condition is passed from men to their sons, causing them to be infertile.
Cystic Fibrosis Carrier ScreeningCystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic condition affecting around 1 in 2,500 people. CF affects a number of organs in the body (especially the lungs and pancreas) by clogging them with thick, sticky mucus. It is an inherited disorder which can be passed from parents to their children. The cause of cystic fibrosis is a defect in a gene called the CFTR gene. CF is a recessive genetic condition. This means that people with CF have a mutation in both copies of their CF gene. Individuals with one faulty copy and one normal copy of the CF gene are healthy and they are known as CF carriers. Their normal CF gene keeps them healthy and compensates for the faulty copy of the gene. However, if they have a child with a partner who is also a carrier there is a 1 in 4 chance that their child will be born with CF. A small blood sample is usually required for CF carrier testing. This will be checked for mutations in the gene that is involved in cystic fibrosis. A standard carrier test looks for the 50 most common CF gene mutations that account for 9 out of 10 (90%) of the CF diagnoses in thenorthern European population.
Two thirds of men who have an abnormal CF gene will also have congenital absence of the vas deferens (CAVD) a condition where the sperm ducts do not develop properly and therefore, sperm is not carried from the testicles, resulting in azoospermia.
- Volume –semen volume
- Count – the number of sperm present
- Motility – the sperm’s ability to swim
- Morphology – the shape of the sperm
Karyotyping TestKaryotyping is a blood test which will involve counting the number of chromosomes in a human cell and looking for abnormalities in the structure of chromosomes.
Y-Chromosome MicrodeletionAn abnormality of the Y chromosome may be the cause of oligospermia or azoospermia. This condition is passed from men to their sons, causing them to be infertile.
Cystic Fibrosis Carrier ScreeningCystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic condition affecting around 1 in 2,500 people. CF affects a number of organs in the body (especially the lungs and pancreas) by clogging them with thick, sticky mucus. It is an inherited disorder which can be passed from parents to their children. The cause of cystic fibrosis is a defect in a gene called the CFTR gene. CF is a recessive genetic condition. This means that people with CF have a mutation in both copies of their CF gene. Individuals with one faulty copy and one normal copy of the CF gene are healthy and they are known as CF carriers. Their normal CF gene keeps them healthy and compensates for the faulty copy of the gene. However, if they have a child with a partner who is also a carrier there is a 1 in 4 chance that their child will be born with CF. A small blood sample is usually required for CF carrier testing. This will be checked for mutations in the gene that is involved in cystic fibrosis. A standard carrier test looks for the 50 most common CF gene mutations that account for 9 out of 10 (90%) of the CF diagnoses in thenorthern European population.
Two thirds of men who have an abnormal CF gene will also have congenital absence of the vas deferens (CAVD) a condition where the sperm ducts do not develop properly and therefore, sperm is not carried from the testicles, resulting in azoospermia.