{"id":39469,"date":"2025-06-23T12:55:42","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T10:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/?p=39469"},"modified":"2025-06-23T12:55:42","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T10:55:42","slug":"what-is-study-male-fertility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/what-is-study-male-fertility\/","title":{"rendered":"The male fertility study: what is it?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As we\u2019ve mentioned on other occasions, the<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/males-do-matter-when-it-comes-to-fertility\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u00a0male partner also plays a fundamental role in assisted reproduction<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0as having children obviously requires two people. That\u2019s why today we want to talk to you about what the male fertility study is and\u00a0<strong>what tests are included in it<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Infertility affects between 15% and 20% of couples of reproductive age. It\u2019s a\u00a0<strong>problem that is clearly becoming more serious year by year,<\/strong>\u00a0mainly due to the fact that women are continuing to<a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/how-a-females-age-impacts-her-fertility-and-chances-of-becoming-a-mother\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u00a0delay motherhood<\/a>\u00a0and are having their first child at a later age than women in the past.<\/p>\n<p>The majority of couples who haven\u2019t been able to conceive after one year of trying are highly likely\u00a0<strong>to have some fertility issue that is preventing them from getting pregnant<\/strong>. Statistically, when a couple arrives to an assisted reproduction clinic and undergoes fertility testing, it is found that\u00a0<strong>30% of cases<\/strong>\u00a0can be attributed to\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/male-infertility-common-illnesses-that-can-cause-it\/\">issues in the male<\/a><\/strong>, the other 30% to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/female-infertility-conditions-and-diseases-that-can-cause-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">issues in the female<\/a>\u00a0and the remaining 30% is a combination of male-female issues.<\/p>\n<p>As we were saying before, today we\u2019re going to focus on the male fertility study and explain to you what tests are generally ordered for the purpose of pinpointing possible issues in the male partner.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Tabla de contenidos<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #3f3f3f;color:#3f3f3f\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #3f3f3f;color:#3f3f3f\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/what-is-study-male-fertility\/#Basic_tests_included_in_the_male_fertility_study\" >Basic tests included in the male fertility study<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/what-is-study-male-fertility\/#Medical_questionnaire\" >Medical questionnaire<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/what-is-study-male-fertility\/#Andrology_assessment\" >Andrology assessment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/what-is-study-male-fertility\/#Sperm_analysis\" >Sperm analysis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/what-is-study-male-fertility\/#Other_diagnostic_testing_in_the_male_fertility_study\" >Other diagnostic testing in the male fertility study<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/what-is-study-male-fertility\/#Sperm_culture\" >Sperm culture<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/what-is-study-male-fertility\/#Sperm_capacitation\" >Sperm capacitation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/what-is-study-male-fertility\/#Hormone_analyses\" >Hormone analyses<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/what-is-study-male-fertility\/#Karyotyping\" >Karyotyping<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/what-is-study-male-fertility\/#_DNA_Fragmentation\" >\u00a0DNA Fragmentation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/what-is-study-male-fertility\/#Sperm_FISH\" >Sperm FISH<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/what-is-study-male-fertility\/#More_information_about_diagnostic_testing_for_males\" >More information about diagnostic testing for males<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Basic_tests_included_in_the_male_fertility_study\"><\/span>Basic tests included in the male fertility study<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Medical_questionnaire\"><\/span>Medical questionnaire<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Although this is not technically a test, the medical questionnaire is the first essential step to studying a patient\u2019s case. It\u2019s a step we complete at the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/contact\/\"><strong>first fertility consultation<\/strong><\/a>, during which the doctor will evaluate the patient by asking important questions about factors that could be compromising their fertility.<\/p>\n<p>This initial assessment is extremely important for the patient\u2019s medical file. It includes questions about family medical history and reproductive history, and previous and current illnesses. At URE Centro Gutenberg we always also ask the patient to provide us with any and all\u00a0<strong>documentation from prior investigations or treatments<\/strong>, as this will help us to decide whether or not additional testing is needed in order to make a complete and thorough case assessment.<\/p>\n<p>At the first appointment the doctor will also enquire about other important points such as lifestyle and\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/diet-and-male-fertility\/\">dietary habits<\/a><\/strong>, as it has been shown that they also impact fertility.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Andrology_assessment\"><\/span>Andrology assessment<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Following the first appointment, and depending on the information given by the patient or from the documentation provided, it is possible that the doctor\u00a0<strong>may suspect an issue<\/strong>\u00a0in certain cases.<\/p>\n<p>When this happens, the medical indication is to perform an andrology assessment or a physical examination on the male. The purpose is to\u00a0<strong>rule out any potential pathology in the male\u2019s anatomy<\/strong>\u00a0that may be affecting his fertility, such as varicocele or cryptorchidism, for example.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sperm_analysis\"><\/span>Sperm analysis<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/how-to-interpret-a-sperm-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The sperm analysis<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0is the first fundamental test in the male fertility study. It involves analysing the male\u2019s semen, and the methodology and standards of the analysis are updated periodically by the World Health Organization.<\/p>\n<p>At URE Centro Gutenberg we always recommend undergoing this test with a<strong>\u00a0specialised laboratory<\/strong>\u00a0which, at the very least, examines the fundamental parameters. These minimum parameters include the quantity or concentration of spermatozoids present in the ejaculate, sperm motility and sperm morphology.<\/p>\n<p>Abnormalities in these three parameters may vary in severity and are frequently associated with each other. The type and severity of the sperm abnormalities detected\u00a0will allow the doctor to determine whether more advanced sperm analyses are needed, and\u00a0<strong>they will also help the doctor to decide which fertility treatment is the most appropriate\u00a0<\/strong>for each case.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Other_diagnostic_testing_in_the_male_fertility_study\"><\/span>Other diagnostic testing in the male fertility study<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Depending on the findings from the tests and on each patient\u2019s particular history, additional studies may be necessary\u00a0<strong>in order to provide a good diagnosis and a solution\u00a0<\/strong>for their fertility issue.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>additional tests that are most commonly\u00a0<\/strong>ordered are the following:<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sperm_culture\"><\/span>Sperm culture<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In the event that the sperm analysis finds\u00a0<strong>microorganisms that point to a sperm infection<\/strong>, a sperm culture will be ordered to identify the infection.<\/p>\n<p>Sperm infections are the\u00a0<strong>invasion of pathogenic microorganisms that are produced\u00a0<\/strong>in some part of the male reproductive and urinary apparatus, meaning they can be present in semen and\u00a0<strong>affect the male\u2019s fertility<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately the majority of these infections\u00a0<strong>can be treated with antibiotics to reverse\u00a0<\/strong>the problem, so the sperm culture is a simple but useful test when it comes to assessing the male\u2019s fertility.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sperm_capacitation\"><\/span>Sperm capacitation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/how-to-interpret-a-sperm-analysis\/\"><strong>Sperm capacitation<\/strong><\/a>, also called REM (Recovery of Motile Sperm), is a test that complements the sperm analysis and which provides us with very important information:\u00a0<strong>the number of spermatozoids with high potential to fertilise\u00a0<\/strong>the egg.<\/p>\n<p>The motile sperm count obtained through this test will help the specialist to\u00a0<strong>select the most appropriate assisted reproduction technique<\/strong>. This decision will of course also depend on the female partner\u2019s clinical situation as well.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hormone_analyses\"><\/span>Hormone analyses<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Hormone analyses are carried out when, in certain cases, we encounter abnormal sperm samples. If this takes place we request a male sex hormone panel (FSH, LH, testosterone\u2026), which will allow us to\u00a0<strong>rule out a pathology that is caused by a hormone abnormality<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Karyotyping\"><\/span>Karyotyping<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Statistically, we know that there are certain\u00a0<strong>genetic causes responsible for infertility and which are\u00a0<\/strong>present in approximately\u00a0<strong>10% of males with severe sperm issues<\/strong>. We\u2019re talking about cases such as<strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/?s=Azoospermia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">azoospermia<\/a><\/strong>, an absence of spermatozoids in the semen, or cryptozoospermia and oligoasthenozoospermia which also involve severely abnormal sperm values.<\/p>\n<p>These situations are when additional investigations, such as chromosome karyotyping or the Y chromosome study, are indicated. They help us to\u00a0<strong>pinpoint problems and find alternatives for dealing with them<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_DNA_Fragmentation\"><\/span><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>DNA Fragmentation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The sperm DNA fragmentation study is indicated in cases of fertilisation failure, poor embryo quality, recurrent miscarriage and low success rates in previous cycles. This test\u00a0<strong>measures an additional parameter regarding sperm quality\u00a0<\/strong>which, when higher than normal, has a negative impact on the likelihood of reproductive success.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sperm_FISH\"><\/span>Sperm FISH<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The last test included in the male fertility study that we want to speak about today is the sperm FISH analysis. This is an analysis we request\u00a0<strong>when there is a severe sperm abnormality<\/strong>\u00a0such as, for example, a low sperm count (oligozoospermia). We also tend to request this test in cases where the couple has had several unexplained miscarriages or failed cycles of in vitro fertilisation.<\/p>\n<p>The sperm FISH test\u00a0<strong>studies the number of chromosomes<\/strong>\u00a0in a sample in order to determine whether the chromosomal makeup of the spermatozoids is normal or abnormal.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"More_information_about_diagnostic_testing_for_males\"><\/span>More information about diagnostic testing for males<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As you can see, at an assisted reproduction clinic such as URE Centro Gutenberg we strive to analyse each case in detail. The tests we\u2019ve explained here help us to achieve this objective, as each of them focuses on specific situations<strong>\u00a0in order to determine the root cause of one or several fertility issues<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>On our webpage you can find\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/male-diagnostic-testing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">more information about diagnostic testing for males<\/a>. Additionally, by clicking on this same link you can explain your situation to us if you think you may have a fertility issue that is preventing you and your partner from conceiving.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As we\u2019ve mentioned on other occasions, the\u00a0male partner also plays a fundamental role in assisted reproduction\u00a0as having children obviously requires two people. That\u2019s why today we want to talk to you about what the male fertility study is and\u00a0what tests are included in it. Infertility affects between 15% and 20% of couples of reproductive age. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39469","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39469","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39469"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39469\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39473,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39469\/revisions\/39473"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39469"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39469"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39469"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}