Preview for Kara’s review. Educational draft · clinical approval pending.
Go deeper into sperm production, hormone signals, semen results, male age, DNA testing and treatment options.
Fertility conversations focus so heavily on women that male fertility sometimes enters the discussion far too late. Fertility is not automatically a female problem.
For every couple, sperm health is part of the picture. A semen analysis looks at several different characteristics, and each one tells us something slightly different.
What a semen analysis measures
Common measurements include concentration (how many sperm per millilitre), total sperm number, motility (how sperm move) and morphology (their shape). Volume and other characteristics of the sample are also assessed.
Standardised methods
The World Health Organization publishes a laboratory manual that standardises how semen analysis is performed, so results from different labs can be interpreted more consistently.
Not a pass-or-fail certificate
A result is not a pass-or-fail certificate. Samples naturally vary, and repeat testing may be advised before drawing conclusions.
Evaluating both partners
Professional guidance supports evaluating both partners in parallel, rather than one after the other. The basic work-up is a test to confirm ovulation and a test of the fallopian tubes for the woman, and a semen analysis for the man. A man should be tested even if he has fathered a child before.
Myth vs evidence
“Infertility is a woman’s problem.”
Male factors play a part in a large share of fertility difficulties, on their own or alongside factors in the female partner. Male fertility deserves attention too.
“One abnormal result means you can’t become a father.”
Results vary between samples. One result is a starting point for a conversation, not a verdict.
- Should both partners be evaluated at the same time?
- Which parts of my result are outside the reference range, and what might that mean?
- Should the test be repeated?
Words you may hear
- Concentration
- The number of sperm per millilitre of semen.
- Motility
- How sperm move, including whether they move forward (progressive motility).
- Morphology
- The size and shape of sperm.
Fertility is not automatically a female problem. Male fertility deserves attention too.
Watch with Kara
Videos on this topic are coming to the channel:
- Male Fertility 101
- What Is a Semen Analysis?
- Understanding Sperm Count
- Understanding Sperm Motility
- Understanding Sperm Morphology
- Male Fertility: Questions Couples Often Forget to Ask
- Why Both Partners Need Fertility Testing
- Sperm Health: Changes Partners Can Make
Want the foundations in one place? The free Fertility Starter Guide covers ten things everyone should understand about their fertility.
Sources 4 studies and guidelines Show the research
- World Health Organization (2021). WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen, 6th edition.
- Brannigan et al. (2024). Updates to male infertility: AUA/ASRM guideline. Journal of Urology.
- NICE (2026). Fertility problems: assessment and treatment (guideline NG257).
- National Department of Health, South Africa (2020). National clinical guidelines for safe conception and infertility.