A male factor is responsible, alone or together with a female cause, for about half of all cases of infertility. The investigation of the man is simple, non-invasive and should be done from the outset, in parallel with the investigation of his partner.
What it involves
- Semen analysis: the basic test for assessing male fertility.
- Hormone testing: FSH, LH and testosterone, when the semen analysis is abnormal or there is sexual dysfunction.
- Specialized sperm tests: semen culture, FISH on sperm and DNA fragmentation testing (DFI), for selected indications.
The combination of the findings determines whether a simple treatment is enough, whether insemination is indicated, or whether ICSI and possibly surgical sperm retrieval are required.