Get started on the path to parenthood with fertility testing for gay men

When you visit Fertility Specialists of Texas, our first goal is to make sure nothing is standing in the way of you becoming a father. As a result, our LGBT fertility clinic team always orders fertility testing for gay men. Tests like semen analysis can provide important information about your baseline fertility. Armed with this information, we can develop a customized family-building plan that’s just for you.

Taking a medical history is part of fertility testing for gay men

Your first appointment at our LGBT fertility clinic is a time for you to get to know your doctor and ask questions about your family-building options. It’s also a time for your doctor to learn more about you. As a result, you can expect your doctor to ask about your medical history. The goal is to determine if any medical conditions, injuries or surgeries as well as anything in your family history or lifestyle could make it more difficult to father a child.

There is no need to panic if your medical history indicates that it might be more challenging to have a baby. Our team members are experts at helping our patients overcome many obstacles on the path to parenthood.

Semen analysis can provide important information about your fertility

You’ll find that semen analysis is one of the most important forms of fertility testing for gay men. Sperm are necessary to fertilize eggs and create embryos. As such, our LGBT fertility clinic team needs to know more about your sperm count and quality.

We recommend that patients avoid ejaculating for a few days before providing a sample for semen analysis. You should also avoid using any gels or lubricants with chemicals that could interfere with the evaluation of the sample.

Once our laboratory receives your specimen for semen analysis, our andrologists will evaluate it for several factors.

• Semen volume, which is the amount of semen produced
• Sperm count, which is the amount of sperm in the semen
• Sperm morphology and motility, which is the shape and movement of the sperm
• The presence of infection or other abnormalities

If your semen analysis results show a low sperm count or other issues, we will typically repeat the test to confirm the findings. Your doctor may also order bloodwork to assess your hormone levels.

If you have abnormal hormone levels, medications can often treat the issues identified by fertility testing for gay men. Should your bloodwork indicate that you have normal hormone levels, you could be a good candidate for IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) fertilization.

There are some cases where your doctor may refer you to a local urologist. This type of doctor is an expert in the male reproductive tract. They can work with our team to diagnose and treat complex causes of male infertility.

If you want to learn more about fertility testing, contact us. We can help you take the first step on your path to fatherhood.