Semen Analysis

Your physician will likely order a semen analysis prior to either fertility treatments or semen storage.  At CRBI, a typical semen analysis will determine the number of sperm cells present in the ejaculate (semen concentration), the percent of the cells that are moving (percent motility), the quality of movement associated with the sperm (e.g., good forward progressing, circular swimming, twitching movement or nonmotile) and the morphology of the sperm structures (e.g., shape and size of head and tail).

In order to provide a representative sample, patients are asked to abstain from any sexual activity for 48 hours prior to producing the sample. To ensure that the sample can be quickly analyzed before a loss in quality, patients are asked to collect a semen sample in our private on-site collection room adjacent to the laboratory.

Other parameters of semen that are examined include the volume of the ejaculate, color, liquid consistency of the semen (viscosity), the alkalinity of the semen (pH), noncellular debris present and the concentration of white blood cells (WBC) in the semen.  WBC are normally present at extremely low levels or undetectable in semen, unless an infection is present. See normal levels for a semen analysis in glossary under semen analysis.

The results from the semen analysis will help your physician decide on the best infertility treatment plan for you as well as diagnosing any underlying problem that may need further evaluation by an urologist.

Source:

World Heath Organization (WHO) Laboratory Manual for the Examination of Human Semen and Sperm-Cervical Mucous Interaction , 4th edition. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of WHO, 1999.