Fertility Answers - Helping Build Families

Male Infertility Testing

Male infertility testing can help reveal the best path to parenthood

At our Louisiana fertility center, we’ve found that male infertility testing can often help hopeful parents understand why they have not been able to conceive. Once we have this invaluable information, our fertility specialists can work with men and women to create a customized and effective treatment plan.

How male infertility testing can help

Because male infertility contributes to about 40% of fertility challenges, and there are rarely outward signs of this condition, male infertility testing is an important component of the journey to take home a healthy baby. While the cause of male infertility could be hormonal, as indicated by a decrease in sex drive or reduced hair growth, the most common causes of male infertility are related to the sperm.

  • Abnormally shaped sperm with poor motility
  • Poor sperm quality
  • Sperm that cannot attach to the egg
  • Sperm that cannot penetrate the egg
  • Low sperm count
  • Azoospermia, a condition where the man’s semen does not contain any sperm

The specialists at our Louisiana fertility center can utilize male infertility testing to determine whether a man is facing any of these issues.

Common male infertility tests

Our team can use multiple tests to reach the right male infertility diagnosis.

  • Semen analysis. A hopeful father’s initial screening consists of two semen analyses. If this screening reveals abnormalities, he may be referred to an experienced urologist who focuses on the treatment of male infertility.
  • Endocrine evaluation. We may recommend this type of testing if a man has a low sperm concentration, impaired sexual function or shows other signs of endocrine disease.
  • Genetic screening. Genetic testing is another beneficial form of male infertility testing. This is especially true in males with sperm counts of less than 5 to 10 million per ejaculate (severe oligospermia) or the absence of sperm in the semen that is not due to blockage (non-obstructive azoospermia). These hopeful fathers may have abnormalities in the number or structure of their chromosomes.

Preconception genetic testing is also an option for hopeful parents who feel they may be carriers of inheritable genetic conditions.

The knowledgeable and compassionate team at our Louisiana fertility center is here to support hopeful parents as they navigate male infertility testing and treatment. Contact us for more information about male infertility testing.