What are the precautions before a routine sperm test?

Many men have found that there are some problems with their semen, and even their fertility has been affected. In this case, they need to do a routine sperm test. So what should they pay attention to before the test?

Abstinence for 3 to 7 days

In addition to prohibiting sexual intercourse and masturbation, nocturnal emissions should also be avoided to ensure that the amount of semen is sufficient during the examination and can objectively reflect the quality of the semen. In addition, the length of abstinence is also important. If the time is too short, the semen volume and sperm density will be insufficient; if the time is too long, the sperm activity will decrease, affecting the accuracy of the examination.

Avoid periods of poor health

Semen examination should also be avoided during periods of poor health, such as when you have a cold or fever or after drinking a lot of alcohol, because at this time there may be a small number of sperm or dead sperm, which will also affect the accuracy of the examination.

Outpatient on-site sampling

When sampling sperm, it is best to do it on-site at the outpatient clinic. Generally, the sample is collected by masturbation in the semen examination room or outpatient bathroom. The sample should be sent for testing immediately after sampling to avoid the semen being out of the body for too long or being contaminated in the middle. When sampling, all semen should be collected, especially the first part of semen just after ejaculation. The semen should be placed in a clean container provided by the hospital, and condoms should not be used (condoms often contain lubricants or spermicides, which will affect the activity of sperm). If the sample is collected in winter, the container should be placed in the arms to keep it warm for testing. The appropriate temperature for maintaining semen samples is between 20℃ and 35℃.