Whether you and your partner are struggling to conceive or you aren’t ready to begin trying yet but wish to assess your fertility, a male fertility investigation can give you peace of mind or help you decide on the best course of action for your family.
Whether you and your partner are struggling to conceive or you aren’t ready to begin trying yet but wish to assess your fertility, a male fertility investigation can give you peace of mind or help you decide on the best course of action for your family.
At your first visit, you will have a consultation with one of our medical consultants who will review your general health and medical history. If you have a partner, then is very important that they also attend this initial visit.
During the consultation, the doctor will then advise you on our male fertility assessment package which has been designed to provide a detailed analysis of your sperm health and what impact this may have on your ability to conceive.
You will be asked to provide a semen sample and, in order to receive the most accurate results, we ask you to abstain from any form of ejaculation for two to five days before your appointment. If you have suffered from a fever or been taking antibiotics prior to your appointment, this may also affect the results of the semen analysis. Do not hesitate to check with us and we can advise you when is the best time to organise taking the semen sample.
Routine Semen Analysis.
On average, 30% of fertility problems are due to the man, and by performing a routine semen analysis, we can assess the quality of your sperm, including viscosity, volume, concentration, motility and morphology (amongst others). We can use this information to identify the best insemination technique to use in treatment.
Semen Culture.
This test is used to identify microbes in semen plasma. Infections and resulting inflammation are a major factor in male fertility and an antibiotic regime may be prescribed to treat the underlying infection. If the microbes are resistant to antibiotics, performing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is highly recommended to avoid any contamination which could impair embryo development.
Sperm DNA Fragmentation.
Even if your sperm count is normal, sperm quality may be affecting you and your partner’s ability to have a baby. A sperm DNA fragmentation test complements a routine semen analysis, by analysing the sperm for DNA damage. A high proportion of cuts or material losses in the sperm’s DNA chains has been linked to an increased chance of IVF treatment failing and ICSI or intracytoplasmic sperm injection may be recommended.
There are several causes of sperm DNA fragmentation including oxidative stress caused by smoking, being overweight, certain medications or the ageing process. Pathological causes include cancer or inflammatory processes.
Although there is growing evidence of the relationship between DNA damage and fertility outcomes, more research is required for conclusive proof. Please refer to the treatment add-ons page of the HFEA website.
Hyaluronan Binding Assay (HBA).
The HBA test is designed to provide a qualitative assessment of sperm quality, maturity, and fertilising potential to diagnose suspected male infertility. It allows our Embryologists to distinguish between mature sperm that express hyaluronan receptors (key for egg-sperm recognition) and those that do not.
The results help us to advise you about whether treatment with conventional IVF or ICSI is more likely to be successful. Approximately 48% of infertile patients have abnormal results (low binding) despite having normal DNA fragmentation.
If the proportion of bound sperm is low, then it is possible to pre-select mature sperm in the lab during your fertility treatment. At Aria we offer an insemination technique (PIMSI) that unites the two more specialised forms of sperm selection: physiological ICSI (PICSI) and Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection (IMSI).
PIMSI has been reported to increase pregnancy rates when compared with IMSI alone, though it has not been tested in larger trials and requires further investigation. The clinic will only offer it when your consultant deems it appropriate for your treatment.
Support.
Fertility treatments can be highly stressful and additional support is required to help you when you need it the most. Counselling is always available, however you may like to speak to one of our fertility coaches or even reach out to someone going through the same thing as you.
Aria has partnered with Fertility Circle who provide educational tools, community, experts and emotional support through the Fertility Circle App. The app connects you to a like-minded community of peer support and trusted experts who have a wealth of information and real-life inspiration. The app offers virtual events, tutorials, wellness & IVF tools that support you through every step of the IVF process. As part of our partnership with Fertility Circle, they are offering free access to support your IVF treatment.
Download Fertility Circle from your app store by searching ‘fertility circle’ or follow these links:
Our highly experienced team here at Aria Fertility will listen, support and guide you to having the family you always dreamed of.
Whether you’ve been trying unsuccessfully for a while; had children before but this time it hasn’t been so easy; or you just want a chat about it with someone who can listen and understand; rest assured, you are not in this alone.
Convenience.
Trying to balance daily routines with your fertility treatment can be exceptionally tough. At Aria, we want your fertility journey to be as convenient as it could possibly be.
Ensuring your fertility treatment fits in with your own schedule can make the process a lot less stressful. Many of our initial appointments can be performed virtually or made available during extended hours. You can make regular contact with the team at Aria either by virtual appointment, over the telephone or alternatively by email, allowing you the opportunity to blend your treatment with daily life.
When you do need to visit Aria for an appointment we are conveniently located on Welbeck Way in Marylebone, a short walk from either Bond Street or Oxford Circus underground stations.
If you would like to learn more about your own fertility journey contact us to arrange a face-to-face, telephone or video-appointment with one of our consultants.
You can do this by filling in the contact form below or by giving one of our friendly team a call on +44 (0) 203 263 6025 or emailing us at admin@ariafertility.co.uk.
We really look forward to getting to know you.
Mon – Fri: 9am – 5pm
8 Welbeck Way London W1G 9YL
