Determining male fertility status
Manual
Fertility Test
Semen Count
Semen Motility
Semen Volume
Sperm Analysis
Sperm Count
Sperm Motility
Sperm Volume
Semen
This test should not be used to check patient's sterility following a vasectomy. For such cases, order POSV / Post Vasectomy Check, Semen.
Semen analysis specimens submitted to Mayo Clinic Laboratories are not acceptable for fructose testing due to the use of dilution media. For specimen requirements for fructose testing in azoospermia patients, see FROS2 / Fructose, Qualitative, Semen.
Submit separate specimen to rule-out ejaculatory duct blockage. Positive result indicates no blockage.
Specimen must arrive within 24 hours of collection. Send specimen Monday through Thursday only and not the day before a holiday. If holiday falls on a Saturday, holiday will be observed on the preceding Friday. Sunday holidays are observed on the following Monday. Specimen should be collected and packaged as close to shipping time as possible. Laboratory does not perform testing on weekends.
Include the following information:
-Semen volume (required)
-Viscosity
-pH
-Appearance (color)
-Number of days of sexual abstinence
Patient Preparation: Patient should have 2 to 7 days of sexual abstinence at the time of semen collection for accurate results.
Supplies: Semen Analysis Kit - Dilution Media (T178)
Specimen Volume: Total ejaculate
Collection Instructions:
1. After collection, allow the specimen to liquefy for 1 hour.
2. Measure the volume.
3. Place the specimen into media within 1 hour.
See Specimen Required
Specimen Type | Temperature | Time | Special Container |
---|---|---|---|
Semen | Ambient |
Determining male fertility status
Semen is composed of spermatozoa suspended in seminal fluid (plasma). The function of the seminal fluid is to provide nutrition and volume for conveying the spermatozoa to the endocervical mucus.
Male infertility can be affected by a number of causes. Chief among these is a decrease in the number of viable sperm. Other causes include sperm with abnormal morphology and abnormalities of the seminal fluid.
Appearance: normal
Volume: > or =1.5 mL
pH: > or =7.2
Motile/mL: > or =6.0 x 10(6)
Sperm/mL: > or =15.0 x 10(6)
Motility: > or =40%
Grade: > or =2.5
Note: Multiple laboratory studies have indicated that semen parameters for motility and grade on average retain 80% of original parameters when our shipping method is used for transport. Using these averages, samples with 32% to 39% motility and grade of 2 may be in the normal range if testing was performed shortly after collection. Therefore, these borderline patients may need to collect another sample at a local fertility center to verify fertility status.
Motile/ejaculate: > or =9.0 x 10(6)
Viscosity: > or =3.0
Agglutination: > or =3.0
Supravital: > or =58% live
Fructose: positive
Note: Fructose testing cannot be performed on semen analysis specimens shipped through Mayo Clinic Laboratories.
Submit separate specimen to rule out ejaculatory duct blockage. Positive result indicates no blockage.
Semen specimens can vary widely in the same man from specimen to specimen. Semen parameters falling outside of the normal ranges do not preclude fertility for that individual. Multiple samples may need to be analyzed prior to establishing patient's fertility status.
No significant cautionary statements
1. Cooper TG, Aitken J, Auger J, et al, eds. WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. 5th ed. WHO Press; 2010
2. Bjorndahl L, Apolikhin O, Baldi E, et al, eds: WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. 6th ed. World Health Organization; 2021
The sample is measured for volume and analyzed microscopically to determine the number of sperm present, the number of moving or motile sperm, and the properties of the sperm motility.(WHO laboratory manual for the examination of human semen. 6th ed. World Health Organization; 2021)
Monday through Friday
This test has been cleared, approved, or is exempt by the US Food and Drug Administration and is used per manufacturer's instructions. Performance characteristics were verified by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements.
89310
Test Id | Test Order Name | Order LOINC Value |
---|---|---|
FER | Semen Analysis | 54231-6 |
Result Id | Test Result Name |
Result LOINC Value
Applies only to results expressed in units of measure originally reported by the performing laboratory. These values do not apply to results that are converted to other units of measure.
|
---|---|---|
ABSTN | Abstinence | 10587-4 |
CLST1 | Collection Site | 56816-2 |
TY | Study Type | 54453-6 |
CNTN | Container Type | 74384-9 |
APP3 | Appearance | 13359-5 |
VL53 | Semen Volume | 3160-9 |
PH1 | pH | 2752-4 |
MOTML | Motile/mL | 42531-4 |
SPML | Sperm/mL | 9780-8 |
MOTY | Motility | 6800-7 |
GR2 | Grade | 13942-8 |
MOTEJ | Motile/Ejaculate | 6800-7 |
VISC | Viscosity | 32789-0 |
AGGLU | Agglutination | 33217-1 |
STAIN | Supravital Stain | 4466-9 |
FRCT | Fructose | 13943-6 |
CMT45 | Comment | 48767-8 |