So how often should I test?
When you first get the kit, test yourself twice, about a week or so apart. This is because sperm counts can fluctuate for a lot of reasons, so testing twice will help you establish a “baseline average” out the gate. After that, it is recommended to test every 2-3 months (the average amount of time for new sperm to develop).
Is there anything specific I should do while testing?
While testing, abstain from ejaculation the same amount of time before each test. We recommend 2-7 days. So if you waited three days the first time, wait three days every time. The regular monthly test schedule mentioned above gives you a good data set to track your count over time.
How often should I and my partner be having sex during this period?
Ultimately, having sex every other day during her fertile window will optimize your chances of getting pregnant. Lifestyle and health factors are very much in play during this time period, so it’s best to understand your overall health, not just your reproductive health.
You’ll learn more about lifestyle changes you can make to improve your chances later in this blog. It takes sperm a while to fully develop, it may take two months or longer to see meaningful increases after implementing health and/or lifestyle changes. Just keep testing and monitoring to have the clearest picture.
There’s always more to learn about male fertility
After you test, you’re going to have good information to make informed decisions about health and lifestyle factors that may be impacting your reproductive health and fertility. However, this test alone can’t confirm fertility or infertility. But, you may learn about things disrupting your testicular or ejaculatory function, which you can share with your healthcare provider to see if further testing or semen analysis is necessary.
Infertility in men is caused by many different factors, and a semen analysis like the one described above is designed to evaluate this. These kinds of tests analyze the number of sperm (concentration), motility (movement) and morphology (shape). A specialist assesses them and will be the first to tell you that a slightly abnormal semen analysis does not indicate infertility.
As always, when you get test results, speak about them with your doctor to determine if anything is impacting your testicular function.
So, what are some things that can impact my sperm count?
According to the CDC, the following are the main things disrupting testicular or ejaculatory function:
- Varicocele: this is a condition in which the veins within the testicle are enlarged. Although there are usually no symptoms, they may affect the number or the shape of the sperm.
- Trauma to the testicles: any damage or injury to the testes may affect sperm production and result in lower number of sperm.
- Substance use: heavy alcohol use, smoking, anabolic steroid use, and illicit drug use can affect sperm numbers.
- Cancer treatment: certain types of chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery to remove a testicle may impact fertility.
- Medical conditions: testicular failure may be caused by diabetes, cystic fibrosis, certain types of autoimmune disorders and certain types of infections.
Furthermore, hormonal disorders—specifically concerning the function of the hypothalamus or pituitary glands—may result in low or no sperm production. Genetic conditions such as Klinefelter syndrome, Y-chromosome microdeletion, myotonic dystrophy, and others may cause no or low sperm numbers.
So what should I do if one of my test results is abnormal?
First things first, speak with your doctor. It doesn’t necessarily indicate anything above or that an infertility diagnosis is on the horizon. It’s good to try and keep a positive mindset and remember that an abnormal test result is just one step on this journey.
For an abnormal semen analysis result, likely a secondary semen analysis will be ordered or recommended by your doctor. Our test offers you the privacy of testing within the comfort of your own home, so let your doctor know if that’s something you prefer. If you’ve already started implementing lifestyle changes, wait at least three months before your next semen analysis. Again, it takes time for new sperm to form—about three months, in fact.
In the meantime, continue testing during attempts at conception. To make sure you don’t run low on supplies, we also offer a Men’s Rapid Fertility Test Refill Kit —complete with extra collection tools—to help.
