Normal quality and quantity of semen deposited in the female genital tract is the pre-requisite for fertilization of ovum/egg produced by the women. After fertilization, a successful implantation results in pregnancy.
What is semen analysis test?
Semen is ejaculated from male external genitalia during sexual intercourse or masturbation. Semen is composed of:
- Sperm cells or spermatozoa: 100 million/ml (Average)
- Seminal fluid: 60% of total volume is contributed by the seminal vesicles and 20% of total volume is contributed by the prostate gland.
Normal quality and quantity of semen deposited in the female genital tract is the pre-requisite for fertilization of ovum/egg produced by the women. After fertilization, a successful implantation results in pregnancy.
Semen analysis is a test that is used for qualitative and quantitative estimation and analysis of male semen. It is usually a part of initial work-up for male infertility.
Various parameters that are evaluated in semen analysis include the following:
- Volume of semen
- Total sperm count
- Sperm concentration
- Motility of sperms
- Forward progression
- Morphology of sperms
- Viability of sperms
- Viscosity of semen
- Sperm agglutination
- Leucocytes
- Round cells
- pH.
Why do I need a semen analysis test?
Your healthcare professional may order a semen analysis test for you under the following conditions:
- Male infertility: If a couple is unable to conceive even after 1 year of unprotected sexual intercourse, it is termed as infertility. There are many reasons of infertility in both men and women. A semen analysis helps to find out the causes behind male infertility such as:
- Low sperm count.
- Abnormal morphology of sperms.
- Abnormal sperm motility.
- Oligospermia: Sperm concentration
