Pros & Cons of At-Home Sperm Testing

Last week we examined a new product on the market - at home sperm testing kits.

However before using the tests it is important to examine the pros and cons of such a product....

Pros:

The convenience is nice, of course, and producing a semen sample at home has got to be less stressful than in a doctor’s office or clinic.

The cost will certainly be less expensive for a home sperm test than that done at a doctor’s office or fertility clinic.

You can get results instantly if you use one of the kits that come complete with a microscope.

Cons:

Honestly, this is probably a case of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing. If you are trying to conceive and having problems, you would almost certainly be well advised to go to a doctor or clinic that specializes in reproductive health to get sperm testing done.

According to fertility specialist doctors, a man actually needs three separate tests—each test after 3 consecutive days of sexual abstinence. These tests should be eight weeks apart.

Now, as for getting your own microscope to do the home sperm test, how qualified is the average person to correctly use and interpret what he or she sees under a microscope?

Unless you have specialized training of some kind in the lab, working with lab equipment, chances are that you will not be up to the task of suddenly being able to put a slide under a microscope with the foggiest idea what you are looking at.

So, while the convenience and privacy of at-home sperm testing is attractive, not to mention the cheaper cost, overall it doesn’t seem like a good idea to try and self test something of such critical importance.

Perhaps if one of the home sperm tests was used in conjunction with professional diagnostics, it could be a good thing.

But, relying on a home test to furnish the last word about the quantity and quality of sperm when a couple wants to conceive is probably unwise.