Is a home sperm test useful?

There are many products on the market for at-home testing of semen samples to check for being able to have kids. Semen is the fluid released during an orgasm. This is called ejaculation.

A home sperm test can tell whether there are sperm in the semen sample. Some at-home tests also report how well the sperm move.

For a home sperm test, you collect a semen sample by ejaculating into a cup. Some people like to use a home test because they can take the test in private. Results often are ready in minutes. And the cost is less than for laboratory tests.

But home sperm tests have their limits. Most of them measure only one factor linked to being able to have kids, called fertility. Also, there isn’t much research to show how well the tests work.

Home sperm tests may miss some signs of infertility. Having a lab test your semen is the best way to know whether you’re fertile. This type of test is called a lab semen analysis.

A lab semen analysis checks the sperm sample for the following:

• How much semen there is.
• Number of sperm.
• How close together the sperm are, called concentration.
• Percentage of live sperm in a sample, called vitality.
• Sperm movement, called motility.
• Sperm shape, called morphology.

If you’re worried about not being able to have kids, ask your healthcare professional for an infertility checkup. Using a home sperm test might lead to delays in getting a diagnosis and starting treatment, if needed.