What Does A Sperm Analysis Cost in South Africa?

What A Sperm Analysis Entails

Before a sperm analysis is done at Medfem Fertility Clinic, our patients have an initial fertility consultation.

During this initial fertility consultation, you and your partner will spend between 30 minutes and 1 hour with one of our fertility specialists for an extensive review of your medical history, a comprehensive infertility work up and in depth explanations and answers to all your questions.

It will be important for your specialist to know such aspects as how long you have been trying to conceive, fluctuations in weight, previous abdominal surgeries, or a history of hereditary disease. Your fertility specialist will also determine whether the infertility is of male or female cause, and of what duration.

At this fertility consultation, you can expect your fertility specialist to:

* Take a detailed history
* Review any previous tests
* Do a physical exam
* Conduct female blood tests
* Assess all sperm parameters
* Order additional testing
* Examine a broad range of fertility treatment options with you, to develop a personalised fertility treatment plan that fits you best
* Answer any questions or concerns that you may have

This initial consultation and evaluation of a couple also encompasses a detailed assessment of all sperm parameters including sperm quality, concentration, motility, forward progression, morphology (shape), and the absence or presence of antisperm antibodies.

It takes about 10 – 12 weeks from the initiation of new sperm formation for fully mature sperm to appear in the ejaculate. During this period sperm are very easily adversely affected by conditions such as stress, fever, hard work and minor health disturbances.

Because of this, your fertility specialist will also consider any significant events in your history as far back as three months before a sperm analysis. This time delay is also the reason why most experts recommend that men undergoing infertility evaluation have three separate analyses performed with at least four weeks in between analyses.

Sperm analysis requirements

* If possible, do not avoid sexual activity for more than 1 to 2 weeks before this test, because a long period of sexual inactivity can result in less active sperm.
* A 2 to 4 days period of sexual abstinence before the semen analysis is important. This helps ensure that your sperm count will be at its highest, and it improves the reliability of the test.
* It is also best to avoid drinking alcohol for a few days before the test.
* Semen should ideally be produced by masturbation. Condoms are toxic to sperm and coitus interrupts – also known as withdrawal before ejaculation – may lead to contamination by vaginal germs.
* The semen must be collected in a sterile pathology laboratory bottle.
* The specimen should be produced at the laboratory or should be brought to the laboratory for analysis within 30 minutes if produced elsewhere.

What A Sperm Analysis Reveals

So what does a sperm analysis tell us?

A sperm analysis will confirm if a vasectomy has been successful, and also if the reversal of a vasectomy has been successful.

A sperm analysis will also reveal if a man has a medical reproductive problem that is causing infertility. For this reason, a sperm analysis is usually one of the first tests done to help determine whether a man has infertility problems.

A sperm analysis measures the amount of semen a man produces and determines the number and quality of sperm in the semen sample.

Tests that may be done during a semen analysis will reveal:

Volume: This is a measure of how much semen is present in one ejaculation.

Liquefaction time: This is a measure of the time it takes for semen to liquefy from a thick gel at the time of ejaculation – normally within 20 minutes after ejaculation.

Sperm count: This is a count of the number of sperm present per milliliter of semen in one ejaculation.

Sperm morphology: This is a measure of the percentage of sperm that have a normal shape.

Sperm motility: This is a measure of the percentage of sperm that can move forward normally. The number of sperm that show normal forward movement in a certain amount of semen can also be measured (motile density).

pH: This is a measure of the acidity (low pH) or alkalinity (high pH) of the semen.

White blood cell count: White blood cells are not normally present in semen.

Fructose level: This is a measure of the amount of a sugar called fructose in the semen. The fructose provides energy for the sperm.

Why A Sperm Analysis Is So Important?

More than a third of couples struggling with infertility have problems with the sperm.

While male infertility may be caused by the testes themselves, the ducts that lead out from the testes, a functional problem in relation to sexual activity, hormonal issues or genetic problems, most causes of male infertility are usually related to sperm disorders.

In fact, damage to sperm production affects two thirds of men who are experiencing fertility challenges.

Male fertility is adversely affected if sperm are not being produced in adequate numbers, are of inadequate quality or are not swimming well, or are obstructed from reaching the penis, or if they are being attacked by antibodies from either the male himself or his female partner. In addition, there may be an imbalance of the hormones that allow sperm development and support. There may be damage to the production of sperm resulting in a low sperm count. This can also be associated with reduced sperm movement and abnormally shaped sperm. A severe case of this results in azoospermia, which means the total absence of sperm in the ejaculate.

The exact cause of a sperm disorder can usually only be determined medically – erections, intercourse and ejaculation will usually happen normally and the quantity and appearance of the ejaculated semen generally seem normal to the naked eye.

Fortunately, today, an advanced sperm analysis can determine the exact cause of a sperm disorder from the diverse range of possible causes.

Knowing the exact cause allows your fertility specialist to pinpoint the right solution from the range of innovative treatments, proven procedures and alternative options that have allowed hundreds of thousands of men to address their fertility challenges.

Without an initial fertility consultation with a specialist in fertility and an accurate and advanced semen analysis, you risk investing in fertility treatments, procedures and options that may not give you the best chances of achieving a pregnancy.

Where To Get Your Sperm Analysis

An accurate diagnosis through a consultation with a fertility specialist with extensive expertise and experience, and backed up by advanced techniques, state-of-the-art equipment and custom-designed facilities is invaluable, and this is exactly what you get during an initial consultation with a fertility specialist at Medfem Fertility Clinic.

At Medfem Fertility Clinic, you can expect highly competent and compassionate care. Our team believes in making world-class fertility treatments available for everyone.

We would like to invite you to meet one of our fertility specialists at Medfem Fertility Clinic and have your sperm analysis conducted at our world-class facilities.

Simply click here to book an initial consultation or contact us telephonically on +27 (11) 463 2244.

We look forward to meeting you!