A leading UK reproductive expert is calling for all young men to undergo regular sperm checks starting in their late teens to identify hidden infertility early.
Currently, most men only test sperm quality after struggling to conceive with a partner, but early monitoring could reveal thousands of cases that might benefit from timely treatment.
Traditional sperm testing involves sending semen samples to labs via GPs or fertility clinics, often taking weeks for results. However, affordable home-testing kits are now available at retailers like Boots and Superdrug, providing results within minutes and claiming up to 98% accuracy.
These tests measure sperm count, motility (movement), and morphology (shape), key factors affecting fertility.
Research shows male infertility contributes to about half of all couple infertility cases. A sperm count below 15 million per millilitre significantly reduces the chance of fertilizing an egg, with healthy counts reaching up to 200 million. At least a third of sperm must be motile to navigate the female reproductive system effectively.
Tet Yap, consultant andrological surgeon at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, advocates for semen analysis at age 18 and again in the early 20s. This could detect conditions like varicoceles—vein swelling in the scrotum affecting up to 20% of men—that often go unnoticed but impair sperm production by raising testicular temperature.
Early detection allows treatment through embolisation, which can improve sperm counts substantially.
Other factors damaging sperm include mumps-related testicular inflammation. Early diagnosis might prompt sperm freezing as a precaution against future infertility.
Beyond fertility, low sperm counts may indicate broader health risks. A 2018 study linked poor sperm quality to higher body fat, blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and lower testosterone levels—markers for cardiovascular disease and other illnesses. Low sperm count in young men may also double prostate cancer risk later in life, possibly due to shared DNA repair defects.
However, some experts caution against routine testing, noting that 40% of male infertility cases have no identifiable cause and limited treatment options.
Allan Pacey, professor of andrology at the University of Manchester, warns that frequent testing can cause anxiety without clear benefits. He emphasizes that age remains the greatest threat to male fertility, as sperm quality declines significantly after 30, reducing fertility by half by the 40s.
Men are encouraged to consider family planning earlier, as sperm count alone does not reflect the full picture of reproductive health.
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