A specimen of the male partner's semen is obtained in a sterile collection cup, and brought to the laboratory. The best results are obtained when the husband abstains for 3 days, and the sample arrives at the lab within an hour of ejaculating. The sample is then evaluated for volume, sperm count, motility (the percent that are swimming) and morphology (the number that are normally shaped). Although normal values, vary between laboratories, a normal count is typically >20 million/ml and normal motility and morphology are >14 %. This test is done rule-out male causes for infertility, and to see if the couple might benefit from treatment such as artificial insemination or IVF. A special type of analysis may be required for couples undergoing IVF.

Patient Instructions for Semen Analysis