Semen is a very important condition for male fertility, and if there is a problem with semen, it also directly leads to male infertility or affects the health of the baby. This is why semen testing is a must during infertility tests. So, what do you need to pay attention to before the semen test? And how should the semen test be performed step by step? 1. The number of semen tests If the semen analysis results are normal, then one test is enough. If there are two abnormal semen analyses, further male examinations are needed. 2. Why are the results of two semen tests so different? First of all, human semen parameters, like blood pressure tests, have certain physiological fluctuations. Secondly, many pathological factors such as fever, illness, alcoholism, overexertion and mental stress can also affect the semen analysis results. There is also the question of whether the semen test was done according to the standard procedure, which involves whether the semen collection process is the same, whether the duration of abstinence is similar, whether the delivery time is too long and whether the ejaculation is sufficient, and whether the lab technician’s operation is standardized. The physician will decide whether a review is needed according to the specific situation, and if the results are different but still within the normal range, there is no need for a review. 3. Correctly understand the meaning of “normal semen” Normal semen only indicates that the sperm parameters exceed the lower limit of the reference value, but does not guarantee fertility. Men with semen parameters below the lower limit of this reference value are not necessarily infertile. Routine semen testing is only about 80% predictive of the ability to impregnate a woman, and unexplained infertility still accounts for a large percentage of clinical cases. There is still a lack of objective sperm test methods that can accurately predict pregnancy. 4. Treatment of abnormal semen examination If you have problems with your semen examination, such as sperm concentration, motility and morphology below the reference value. You need to visit a male outpatient clinic, where your physician will examine and treat your condition according to your condition. You need to conduct a self-screening of your lifestyle and work environment to rule out factors such as exposure to high temperatures or the effects of harmful environmental toxins. 5. How to look at sperm malformation rate Many patients come to the male clinic anxiously with their sperm malformation rate reports from our hospital or outside hospitals because they have a sperm malformation rate of 97% or even 100%. They are mainly worried about several questions: Why is my sperm malformation rate so high? Is it possible that I will never be able to have children again? Is it that my child will be deformed? These are all misconceptions. Because the sperm morphology rate test is not objective, its results have a large error within and between laboratories; secondly, WHO regards sperm malformation rate below 96% as the normal range, even if 100% malformation, it only means that you are 4 percentage points higher than normal, which is only a statistical concept, as long as the sperm count and vitality are normal, you still have a good chance to conceive. The so-called “malformation rate” is an indicator we use when evaluating the ability of sperm to conceive, and an increase in sperm malformation increases the difficulty of conceiving naturally. It does not mean that the genetic material of the sperm is faulty because of bad sperm morphology. There is also no necessary connection between sperm malformation and the birth of malformed offspring. 6. Semen examination precautions Usually there should be no sexual intercourse or semen emission for 2-7 days before sperm extraction. If you cannot masturbate for sperm collection, you can use a special condom for collection, not the usual latex condom. It is especially important to always confide in the sperm retriever prior to collection and to collect the entire ejaculated semen. The specimen must be collected and sent for examination in a timely manner, within no more than 1 hour, as sperm viability decreases with time.