The fertility journey often starts with uncertainty. You may not know where to begin, what to test,
or whether male fertility could even be part of the picture. But sperm health can offer important
clues early on, and testing can help bring clearer answers sooner.
Male factors contribute to up to 50% of fertility challenges. That is why male fertility should be
considered in every fertility journey, whether you are just starting to try, have been trying for
some time, or are preparing for treatment.
What male fertility testing can uncover
Male fertility testing is not as simple as just one test. Some tests give a broad overview of sperm
health, while others look more closely at DNA or chromosomes. Together, they can help
uncover issues that may affect conception, reveal information that may not appear on a basic
semen analysis, and give you and your specialist or care team a clearer sense of what to do
next.
In some cases, testing helps explain why conception is taking longer than expected. In others, it
can help shed light on failed treatment cycles or repeated pregnancy loss. The goal is to help
build a clearer picture of what may be affecting your fertility journey.
Common types of male fertility testing
Semen analysis
A semen analysis is often the first step in male fertility testing. It looks at three main things:
sperm count, motility, vitality and morphology. In simple terms, that means how many sperm are
present, how well they move, what percentage are living, and what their size and shape look
like.
This test gives a broad overview of sperm health and can help show whether sperm number,
movement, or shape may be affecting conception. It is a useful starting point, but it does not
always tell the whole story. A semen analysis looks at the more visible characteristics of sperm,
so some issues may not show up on this test alone.
DNA fragmentation
DNA fragmentation testing takes a closer look at sperm DNA quality and measures the amount
of damage or breakage within the sperm’s DNA.
This can add useful information when a semen analysis does not fully explain the picture. In
some cases, semen analysis results may appear normal, but DNA damage can still affect the
chances of conception. Higher DNA fragmentation has been linked to lower chances of natural
pregnancy, lower IVF success rates, and increased miscarriage risk.
Sperm aneuploidy
This type of testing looks at chromosomal health and checks whether sperm carries the correct
number of chromosomes.
Your care team may recommend this more specialized test in situations such as recurrent
pregnancy loss, implantation failure, or failed IVF cycles. In some cases, chromosomal
abnormalities in sperm can help explain why pregnancy is not progressing as expected.
Post Ejaculate Urinalysis
This test looks for sperm in the urine after ejaculation. It can help identify whether semen
may be moving backward into the bladder instead of leaving the body in the usual way, a
condition known as retrograde ejaculation.
Your care team may recommend it when semen volume is very low, when no sperm is seen
in the semen sample, or when symptoms suggest that ejaculation may not be happening
as expected. In some cases, it can help explain low semen volume, absent sperm in the
ejaculate, or difficulty achieving pregnancy. It can also help guide the next step in testing or
treatment.
Getting support with next steps
Knowing which tests to ask for can feel like another layer of uncertainty in an already emotional
process.
People who want help understanding what testing may make sense for their fertility journey
FlowTelehealth offers online consultations with a male fertility specialist. The appointment
takes place from the comfort of home, no referral is needed, and the consultation is completely
free to you.
Based on that conversation, the practitioner can help guide the next step in testing. For some,
that may include a mail-in semen analysis through FlowLabs, Canada’s only specialty
laboratory focused on male fertility testing, if at-home testing is preferred.
When the path forward feels unclear, the right guidance and testing can help turn uncertainty
into an actionable plan.