Funny, isn't it, how it's often women who carry the brunt of worry and stress when it comes to fertility issues? Not funny ha-ha, of course. Because fertility problems, as anyone who has struggled to conceive a child can tell you, aren't even remotely a laughing matter.
But those of you who have wondered whether it might be your partner's fertility that's the issue will be relieved to learn that there's now an easy (relatively cheap) over-the-counter way to find that out. Mega-drugstore chains Walgreens and CVS have just announced that they'll carry a male fertility test called (not terribly poetically, if you ask me) SpermCheck Fertility. The test will retail in stores for $40, which sounds like a lot until you think about how much a doctor's visit might set you back. It's already available online.
The test appears to work something like a pregnancy test, only … you know … with semen. OK, the process is a little more complicated – cups and collection and all. But the results are read pretty much the same: There's a control line and a test line, and if the test line appears after the semen sample is applied to the test device, then the result is "positive," meaning there's a sperm count of least 20 million sperm per milliliter and the testee's fertility is in the clear. However, if the test line does not appear, the sperm count is below 20 million sperm per milliliter, and the testee is advised to see a doctor for further evaluation. (Don't panic – that doesn't necessarily preclude the ability to father a child naturally.)
Though taking the test might be a little scary for guys, it's probably a whole lot less intimidating than going to a doctor straight off the bat. And it's a great thing that a test like this will soon be so accessible for men. It's high time men take on some of the fertility stress that so often burdens us women. So form a line there, fellas. In fact, here's hoping you all form two lines!
What do you think of the news of a new over-the-counter male fertility test?
Image via Mikael Colville-Andersen/Flickr
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Comments 3
Fertility issues are 1/3 female factor, 1/3 male factor, and the other 1/3 unknown, or a combination of both partners. While emphasis is always placed on the woman's role in things, it's important that fertility issues not become a "blame game".
Also, while it's important to note that the amount of sperm is important, it's just as important to ensure that they are well-formed and motile. So if you've been checked out, and you still aren't able to conceive, your partner still needs to be evaluated by a physician.
When I first got into fertility treatments, the sperm count test was one of the first things done. Yes, I had tests too, but that one was one of the easiest and fastest. So we knew long before I had any results, what his were. It was nice to have something so easy to rule out.