Are you male and worried about whether or not you’re infertile? Thinking of undergoing a sperm count test or male infertility test anytime soon? If you and your partner have been unable to conceive even after a year of regular and unprotected sexual intercourse, then you may want to undergo male infertility tests. These could help you determine how low your sperm count is and if there’s anything you could do to answer this concern.

Male infertility has truly posed as a concern for many men all over the world – especially now that researches state that 25 to 40 percent of couples’ infertility cases are attributable to the male.

Here are the top 10 things you need to know about male infertility and sperm count tests:

1. Male infertility is very common. In fact, about one in twenty males is sub-fertile. In the United States alone, more than 2 million men are declared infertile annually.

2. Causes of male infertility include the disrupted formation of quality sperm and the interference in the successful transport of the sperm from the testes to the female partner’s vagina. If the testes, for instance, is exposed to high temperatures for quite a time, such would affect the formation of sperm.

3. Sperm count tests may produce low results because of various reasons, one of which is genetics. There are men who are born without the needed genetic makeup which could spur normal sperm production.

4. The normal sperm count is more than 20 million per milliliter. However, if your sperm count falls below this amount, it does not necessarily mean that you have severe infertility.

5. Men who are in infertile relationships may want to seek medical assistance from doctors with specialties on reproductive health. This is especially true if you have had genital surgery, infections, undescended testes or perhaps if you have been fertile before.

6. Doctors will ask you about the adequacy and frequency of your sexual relations. The doctor may also observe the size and texture of your testes during male fertility tests.

7. The quality of semen actually varies between men. Hence, there is a need that a male infertility or sperm count test should be done only after two to five days of sexual abstinence. This will ensure that the correct sperm count will be produced and determined.

8. Blood hormonal tests are usually performed during sperm count tests. Examinees will also be provided with an appropriate room which usually has the same temperature as with the room where the collected semen will be processed and stored.

9. The Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) test indicates the amount of sperm that’s being produced. When the male’s testicle is rigorously damaged, the FSH level rises progressively. This shows that only a few or no sperm are being produced.

10. There are male fertility tests you could do at traditional clinics and those that you could administer at home. You can check Testcountry.com for the available home diagnostic screening tests that could collect and test two separate semen samples.