Male factor infertility can cause anxiety, embarrassment and discomfort, but an action-oriented process can help you move quickly from trying to conceive to succeeding. Dr. Dan Gehlbach and the team at Midwest Reproductive Center routinely see couples overcome male infertility after tests reveal the cause.

Male fertility tests start with semen analysis.

A new over-the-counter product called SpermCheck Fertility can verify whether your sperm count is over 20 million, in the “normal” range. This $40 at-home kit comes with a solution that you mix with semen, and a test strip to reveal results.

While the test empowers couples to learn more about their potential to conceive, Dr. Gehlbach cautions men to get the bigger picture offered only through an accredited fertility laboratory. Like SpermCheck, the semen analysis that Midwest Reproductive Center conducts will indeed test for sperm count. Advanced analysis, however, also screens for sperm motility, morphology and volume.

We can treat low sperm count with simple treatments, such as Clomid or intrauterine insemination (IUI). If we determine that your sperm count won’t allow for a successful conception with one of these simple procedures, Dr. Gehlbach will talk with you about in vitro fertilization (IVF).

IVF involves stimulating ovulation in the female partner and then retrieving the eggs from the woman’s ovaries. A fertility specialist combines egg and sperm in the fertility lab, and returns a growing embryo back to the uterus 3-5 days later. In some IVF cases, Dr. Gehlbach may recommend intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to improve the chance of fertilization.

When will Dr. Gehlbach recommend IVF for male factor infertility?

• When tests reveal an extremely low sperm count
• When multiple infertility factors exist in the female partner
• When multiple infertility factors exist in the male partner

If you have hesitated in contacting a fertility specialist, remember: You can’t fail an infertility test. Simple blood tests, a basic physical exam and semen analysis can set a plan in motion for resolving infertility. Contact Midwest Reproductive Center to schedule a consultation.