Tests to Assess Fertility in Men
A huge proportion of infertility issues can be attributed to male factor infertility – most cases have some degree of male factor that needs to be addressed. Infertility causes linked with sperm quality and sperm production are common. Hence, when a couple faces difficulty in conceiving, both of them should get tested to diagnose the cause.
CReATe Fertility London has a well-developed program with a wide array of diagnostic tools to identify the causes of infertility and guide a treatment plan. For men, the diagnostic tools are divided into two parts.
1. Hormonal Evaluation:
CReATe Fertility London has a state-of-the-art laboratory set up to analyze your hormone levels and any fluctuations that may be causing infertility. Hormones play a vital role in our body affect sperm quality and production, thereby impacting fertility. Your doctor may recommend a simple blood test to check the levels of few hormones - testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), to list a few. Blood tests are also available to detect genetic abnormalities.
2. Sperm Analysis and Sperm Kinetics:
This is usually the first step to assess sperm quality. Both the quantity and quality of sperm in semen play an important role in determining fertility. A semen analysis can indicate the concentration of sperm in the semen, the shape of sperm, average sperm motility and signs of infections if present. In most cases, more than one semen analysis may be needed to get an accurate picture of sperm health. CReATe Fertility London detect the sperm motion and kinetics with the help of Computer Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA). This test also assesses other sperm qualities important for fertilization such as sperm number, pH, sperm concentration, shape, etc.
This test is covered under OHIP and needs to be scheduled as an appointment.
If needed, for further sperm analysis and tests, CReATe Fertility London, may freeze and send your sperm sample to its main clinic – CReATe Fertility Centre Toronto – one of Canada’s largest IVF Centres.
Anti-Sperm Antibody (ASA) Test
This test checks if your body is producing any antibodies to attack its own sperm, leading to reduced fertility. The test detects the presence of these antibodies in the semen sample. This test is covered under OHIP.
Sperm DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI) Test
Low male fertility could be caused if the sperm has a high level of fragmented or broken DNA. The DFI test or Tunnel Assay, analyzes the structure of the DNA in the sperm by checking the sperm integrity. This is the gold standard for assessing the male factor. The DFI Test is not OHIP covered.
Fluorescent In-Situ Hybridization (FISH)
Genetic abnormalities, including sperm chromosome aneuploidy as well as structural aberrations, are one of the major causes of infertility. Fluorescent In-Situ Hybridization (FISH) is a test that uses chromosome-specific DNA probes labeled with fluorochromes to study the sperm chromosomes. Clinically, this technique is also used to assess the sperm of men recovering from gonadotoxic treatment. Sperm FISH is a widely used screening tool to aid in counseling couples with severe male factor infertility, especially in cases of prior repeated in vitro fertilization (IVF) /intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) failure or recurrent pregnancy loss. This test is not covered under OHIP.
Based on your fertility assessment test results, your doctor will recommend you the best option for assisted reproduction.
