Other Tests Available at Conception Laboratories
In addition to the standard semen analysis, other more advanced andrology tests are also available, and will be routinely performed if your semen analysis is abnormal, saving time, and reducing the need for repeat samples. These other tests include:

Forward Progression:
Analyzing the forward progressive movement of sperm is a better pre-dictor of male fertility potential than simply checking the overall fraction of moving sperm. Sperm that can only move sideways or backwards are less likely to reach the egg than sperm that can move forward towards the egg. The most accurate understanding of sperm movement is obtained when the motility or percentage of moving sperm is com-bined with the forward progression. Unfortunately, forward progression is not routinely tested at most commercial laboratories. At Conception Labs, this important test is performed by our andrologists. The results can be of great importance in determining future treatment.

Kruger (Strict) Morphology:
This is a more detailed or “strict” evaluation of how the sperm appear when examined microscopically under high-power magnification. The sperm must meet a specific set of criteria that are used to evaluate the shape and size of the sperm’s head, midsection and tail. A Kruger mor-phology test can help to determine whether simple treatments such as insemination, or more advanced reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), may be needed to help a couple achieve a suc-cessful pregnancy.

Viability:
Sperm may be alive, but not moving. A specialized staining technique, called hypo-osmolar or a Haas test, can be used to determine which, if any, nonmoving sperm are still alive and capable of fertilizing an egg using in vitro fertilization.

Post-Ejaculatory Urinalysis (PEU):
When some men ejaculate, some or all of the sperm may travel back-wards (retrogradely) into the bladder. This can be detected by having a man first ejaculate into one cup and then urinate into a second one. The urine following ejaculation is then analyzed for the presence of sperm, which under normal conditions will not be present.

Anti-sperm Antibodies:
Some men produce antibodies against their own sperm. These antibod-ies may limit the sperm’s ability to move through a woman's cervical secretions, block the binding of a sperm to the egg, or negate the sperm’s ability to penetrate the egg. Men at most risk for developing antisperm antibodies are those with previous testicular or urological infection, pre-vious testicular surgery or trauma, or large varicoceles (varicose veins in the scrotum). Whether these antibodies are present cannot usually be predicted from a semen analysis or patient history. In many cases, test-ing for these antibodies is the only way to diagnose this condition.

White Blood Cells:
Semen may sometimes contain white blood cells due to an infection or inflammation. Such cells may closely resemble other round cells that are normally found in the semen, so special testing is required to distinguish them. Semen cultures may also be performed on a subsequent specimen when the white blood cell count in the semen is high, to rule out infection.

Centrifuged (Spun) Specimen:
Even if there are no sperm present on the initial semen analysis, there may still be low levels of sperm present that cannot be visualized by simple techniques. Centrifuging or spinning down the specimen can determine the presence of any viable sperm in the ejaculate, and sperm that are con-centrated at the bottom of a test tube to be examined microscopically.

Fructose:
In cases where no or very low numbers of sperm are found the semen can be tested for the presence of fructose, to rule out obstruction in the male genital tract. In some cases sperm is not produced, but in others, blockage may prevent the sperm from entering the seminal fluid. A pos-itive fructose test differentiates these two problems.