At-home male fertility tests – transforming male fertility diagnostics

Innovation is reshaping diagnostics. The rise of at-home testing is disrupting and, in most cases, significantly improving how key healthcare needs are addressed.

However, like all disruptive innovations, not all solutions are as reliable, rigorously tested, or responsibly marketed as assumed or required. As a result, at-home diagnostics have experienced negative attention over the past couple of years. 

In the case of at-home male fertility tests, there are options: some provide accurate, reliable, clinically actionable results that enhance convenience for patients and clinicians alike, while others provide incomplete, inaccurate, or unreliable information. Are you aware of your own fertility? In this article, we explore the challenges of traditional fertility testing, potential causes of temporary infertility, the benefits of responsible, accurate at-home male fertility tests, and how, when, and where, as a consumer, to buy your test.

The more you know about your fertility, the more action you can take.

Traditional male fertility testing

The case for male fertility testing

Male infertility is often overlooked in reproductive health discussions, despite contributing to up to 50% of infertility cases worldwide.

Sperm counts have halved in the past 50 years in the Western World [1], with the rate of decline accelerating. Environmental factors, lifestyle choices, and stress are among the key drivers of this trend [2]. A recent study has even shown fertility to be an indicator of life expectancy, finding that men with >120M motile sperm lived around 3 years longer than those with <5M motile sperm [3].

Despite these alarming statistics, male fertility testing remains underutilised, with much of the investigative burden falling on women.

Challenges and barriers for men

Traditionally, male fertility testing has relied on in-clinic semen analysis, a process associated with inconvenience, discomfort, and embarrassment for the man. These barriers frequently result in delayed or avoided testing, leaving many fertility issues unaddressed.

There is a discrepancy in care and testingoptions based on geographical location, financial constraints, and demand, all of which can deter individuals from seeking care at distant facilities for their initial assessment.

Further, traditional semen analysis has been reserved for those directly struggling with fertility issues, whereas we know that it can be used as a marker of more general health or to understand the effects of potential temporary infertility caused by an injury or STIs.

Infertility: causes and improvements

Many lifestyle, medical, and environmental factors can significantly reduce male fertility by affecting sperm motility, morphology, concentration, or causing temporary infertility.

• Chronic stress disrupts hormonal balance, which can lead to reduced sperm production and quality.
• Infections – both sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and urinary tract infections (UTIs) – can inflame or block the reproductive tract, impairing sperm transport, resulting in temporary or lifelong infertility. Chlamydia, for example, can lead to decreased sperm quality, and Gonorrhoea can lead to obstruction of sperm. In many cases, these effects are usually resolved with treatment of the STI or UTI.
• Supplements, especially those containing unregulated anabolic steroids or high doses of specific vitamins, may suppress natural testosterone production and harm sperm development.
• Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) often suppresses the body’s own production of sperm by reducing other key fertility hormone levels, which are essential for sperm production.
• Alcohol, smoking, and vaping can introduce toxins that damage sperm DNA and impair motility.
• Poor diet – particularly one low in antioxidants and high in processed foods – can elevate oxidative stress and degrade sperm health.

Positively, the short life cycle of sperm (~3 months) means that it’s often possible to improve poor sperm health with lifestyle changes dramatically, but you need to know if you’re affected.

Benefits of at-home male fertility tests

Empowering patient choice

At-home testing (providing a comprehensive and reliable one is selected) can offer several significant advantages over traditional fertility testing methods:

• Enhanced access: Patients can complete testing at home, eliminating barriers related to location, time, or stigma, encouraging greater participation in fertility assessments.
• Early intervention: Reduced barriers and convenience enable earlier testing and identification of potential issues. This is particularly advantageous for men, as sub-optimal semen analysis results can, in many cases, be improved rapidly (3-4 months) with simple lifestyle modifications [4].
• Comprehensive and accurate results: Full semen analysis results with validated performance within the accepted variation of in-person semen analysis (WHO Semen Analysis guidelines 6th Edition). NB: Many at-home products do produce limited results or have significant discrepancies in reported results compared to in-person analysis, so careful selection is key.
• Peace of mind: If there is a concern for whatever reason, a home test can provide peace of mind without needing to step into a clinic.

Limitations of at-home fertility tests

As with all at-home diagnostics, there are some challenges that remain:

• Patient education: Ensuring patients understand proper collection and handling of samples is essential for maintaining the accuracy of results.
• Cultural barriers: Social stigma and misconceptions surrounding male fertility testing may discourage some individuals from using the service.
• Sample degradation: Despite preservation, very poor samples may degrade too far, resulting in an inability to process the sample. In these cases, it’s likely that an in-person analysis would be necessary.
• Identification of useful tests: Some products are not reliable or accurate at-home tests. It’s important to check for the credentials of the company and determine whether the product in question is a registered medical device, and whether the people and lab doing the analysis have appropriate qualifications and accreditations.

Conclusion

Whether you are trying to conceive, just curious, or want peace of mind following an STI diagnosis at-home fertility testing can provide you with a convenient insight into your fertility health and even wider health. 

Are you a man interested in learning more about your fertility? Order your at-home test today.

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