At-Home: Male Fertility Tests Available in the United Kingdom
Recently, the company Boots released the first over-the-counter male fertility test in the United Kingdom. Men can purchase the test and use it in their own home to determine fertility in only a matter of 10 minutes. The test, called SpermCheck, requires the user to mix a semen sample with a special solution and place six drops of the mixture on a reader device. The device, designed to look like a pregnancy test, measures levels of SP-lO, a protein found in mature sperm. The test displays two red lines to indicate fertility, which is defined as at least 20 million sperm per milliliter in the sample provided. This is the benchmark for fertility set by the World Health Organization, and about 90 percent of men fall above this mark. An “infertile" reading yields only one line.
The release of SpermCheck has sparked a flurry of questions in Great Britain. On one hand, the test highlights the fact that male infertility is the cause in about half of cases in which couples cannot conceive. At the same time, the test could cause stress in relationships, because the man may feel pressured if his partner demands that he take the test. In addition, an “infertile” reading does not mean that the couple cannot conceive at all, or even that they cannot conceive Without assistance. Instead, it merely indicates that the man should see a fertility specialist. Unfortunately, the resulting stress can make it more difficult for couples to conceive.
Some professionals have raised questions about the efficacy of the test, which claims to be 98 percent accurate. The primary concern rests on the fact that the test would read “fertile” even if the sperm were dead, since it only tests for the presence of sperm. Only a full semen analysis can assess sperm motility and shape, which are important aspects of a man’s fertility as they contribute to the sperm’s ability to fertilize an egg. Another issue with the test is that it only provides a reading of “fertile” or “infertile.” Men Who are completely infertile will receive the same result as men who have a low sperm count that falls just below the fertility threshold.
While the test can be a useful tool, couples must understand its limitations and realize that it does not replace a professional’s services.
