How to take a spermogram correctly

Spermogram in a test that is often used in urological practice, which allows the composition of sperm to determine a man's ability to conceive and to suspect some diseases of the genitourinary system. How is the analysis collected and what results can you get?

It's not scary

What is sperm analysis?

On the appointed day, the man comes to the laboratory and undergoes the registration procedure with the medical staff. The nurse issues the container for the biological fluid into a special sterile container with a lid. The man washes his hands, washes and retires into a special room, in which, if possible, there are suitable conditions for putting spermogram into nothing medical, soft sofas, erotic magazines.

Through masturbation, the patient receives sperm in and all of it, from the first to the last drop, must be caught in a container. The closed jar must be given to the laboratory assistant. The study of the obtained material begins immediately, since over time the properties of the sperm change. The analysis result will be ready on the same or the next day.

Biomaterial for sperm culture is collected in the same way. This test allows you to clarify the causative agent of the infection and its susceptibility to antimicrobial drugs. Sowing takes 3-7 days.

3 Frequently Asked Questions About Procedure

Is it possible to collect material at home?

Some laboratories allow collection of sperm at home, but then the container with the contents must be delivered to the laboratory assistant within 40-60 minutes after ejaculation, otherwise the test result is unreliable. It is advisable to use a sterile pharmacy container for the analysis. During transportation, the sample must not be overheated or supercooled: the temperature should be within 20-37C, that is, from room temperature to body temperature.

Can the material be collected in a condom and then transferred to a container?

No, because when semen comes in contact with the latex and the condom-lubricant, a chemical reaction occurs and the test results are distorted.

Is it possible to collect material through interrupted intercourse?

No, since the components of the partner's vaginal secretions can get into the biological material. There is also a risk of losing the first drops of ejaculate.

Preparing for the test

What should be done so that the results are as reliable as possible, and the test does not have to be repeated due to defects in the collection of biomaterial?

• Refrain from any sexual intercourse 3-4 days before the test. If abstinence is less than 3 days, the amount of ejaculate is insufficient for diagnosis, and more than 7 in the sample there will be many abnormal sperm cells.
• During the abstinence period before the test, any alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Smoking, excessive physical activity, psycho-emotional stress also negatively affect the results of the analysis.
• If you are constantly taking any medication, tell your doctor. If possible, they should also be discarded on the eve of the examination.
• You cannot visit the bathhouse, sauna, sunbathe. Replace your bathtub with a hygienic shower.
• Do not take a spermogram against the background of ARVI, intestinal upset and other acute infectious diseases.
• Do not collect material directly after prostate massage. As a rule, the diagnosis requires a 2-3-fold repetition of the spermogram with an interval of 2-4 weeks between samples. After a course of treatment for prostatitis, a follow-up examination is also required. If deviations from the norm are found in at least one sample, the rules for submitting a spermogram must be strictly observed.

Test indications

A spermogram is prescribed in the following cases:

• examination of the infertile couple;
• suspected prostatitis, prostate adenoma;
• suspected disease of the testicles, seminal vesicles;
• sperm donation planning;
• planning sperm preservation;
• preparation for assisted fertilization technologies in IVF and ICSI.

Analysis results

More than 50 characteristics can be determined from a semen sample. The most important ones are:

• the amount of ejaculate;
• color;
• smell;
• acidity;
• liquefaction time;
• viscosity;
• sperm count in the entire ejaculate and in 1 ml;
• determination of the proportion of mobile, living and anatomically normal forms;
• the presence of leukocytes, erythrocytes, epithelial cells of the prostate gland, bacteria, mucus in the ejaculate;
• presence of amyloid bodies;
• Assessment of agglutination (sticking).

Most of these parameters are used to diagnose male infertility. It is impossible to diagnose prostatitis based on one spermogram; it is only possible to see signs of inflammation in the genitourinary system and send the patient for further examination.

The following diagnostic procedures may be recommended by a urologist:

• general urine tests, three-glass test, etc .;
• general and biochemical blood tests;
• smear from the lumen of the urethra;
• examination of prostate secretions;
• PCR diagnostics of sexually transmitted infections;
• transrectal ultrasound (TRUS);
• cystoscopy;
• computed tomography (CT), etc.

Semen analysis and prostatitis

The prostate gland produces a special secret that facilitates the sliding of semen and urine through the urethra. It has an alkaline reaction, which allows you to neutralize the acidity of the urine and keep the germ cells in the sperm intact. The ejaculate consists of more than half of this liquid. That is why, with prostatitis, there is a decrease in sperm count up to dry orgasm and male infertility appears at the earliest stages.

What changes in semen should push a man to the urologist's office?

What changes in spermogram are typical for inflammation in the prostate gland? Pyospermia in - pus in semen - detection of leukocytes in a sample of more than 1 million in 1 ml. Bacteriospermia in the presence of more than 103 CFU in 1 ml of microorganisms in the sample. Both of these deviations can also be determined in case of orchitis, vesiculitis, urethritis, etc. Hemospermia in the admixture of blood in the semen.

Distinguish between true and false. In case of false hemospermia, an admixture of fresh blood obtained from microtrauma during intercourse is determined in the biomaterial. At the same time, the semen portion has a pink tint. The causes of true hemospermia in inflammatory and oncological diseases of the genitourinary system. In this case, the sample is brown, chocolate colored.

Asthenozoospermia in sperm immobility. It occurs as a result of chronic inflammation caused by exposure to toxic (alcohol, tobacco, occupational hazards) or infectious factors. The most common cause is chronic prostatitis. Oligozoospermia in an insufficient number of sperm in the ejaculate, less than 20 million in 1 ml.

Teratozoospermia in an excess of anatomically defective germ cells, incapable of fertilizing an egg.

Only a doctor will give a detailed conclusion on the test results. The need to take a spermogram is a psychological stress for men. However, this simple and very informative examination allows early detection of many pathologies of the intimate sphere and excretory system. Early diagnosis is the key to successfully solving health problems.