University of Washington

MALE FERTILITY LAB

Clinical Andrology Laboratory for Male Fertility Testing
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Semen Analysis

The Semen Analysis (SA), or Seminal Fluid Analysis (SFA), is the basic test of male reproductive function. It measures the ability of a man's testes to produce a suitable number of sperm cells (spermatozoa) that are able to swim appropriately and that have a normal shape.

There are three main measurements made during the SA evaluation:

Sperm Number

  • at least 20 million sperm per mL, or 40 million per ejaculate.

Sperm Motility

  • at least 50% of sperm swimming, 25% swimming in a rapid and linear fashion, and 20 million total motile sperm in the ejaculate.

Sperm Morphology

  • at least 14% of sperm with a perfectly shaped head, midpiece and tail.

To Learn more about Semen Analysis»

Sperm Cryopreservation

Cryopreservation (freezing) of sperm cells is a critical step to take before starting chemotherapy, radiation, or reproductive surgery if there is any chance that your sperm production will be affected and you wish to retain the possibility of having children in the future.

We tailor our cyropreservation program to each individual, freezing the best and most sperm possible for each person. Isolation and freezing of testicular sperm is also offered.

Allow for the possible necessity of more than one visit for sperm freezing. We estimate that 40 million motile sperm are needed per pregnancy (10 million per insemination, times 4 inseminations). We perform a test-freeze and -thaw to estimate how many sperm retain good motility through this procedure.


Sperm Function Tests

Many tests are available to provide more specific information about sperm function than the SA alone is capable of providing. Sperm function tests determine if some of the steps sperm need to go through to fertilize an egg are normal. Other tests determine if there are abnormal levels of antibodies or free radicals, that may damage sperm. The DNA fragmentation tests determine if the sperm's DNA is intact or highly damaged as a result of oxidative stress, toxic chemicals, radiation or other insults.

Some of the tests we perform are:

  • Hyperactivated Sperm Motility
  • Sperm Motility Enhancement
  • Acrosome Reaction
  • Sperm DNA Fragmentation Assay
  • Anti-Sperm Antibodies
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Anti-Oxidant Activity
  • Diagnostic Intra-Uterine Insemination Test
  • Sperm Penetration (Hamster Oocyte) Test

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Directions to the MFL

For Patients:

Park in the Triangle Parking Garage off NE Pacific St. Enter the UWMC. Go to Registration if necessary. Go to the BB wing (past the Pacific elevators), and take the BB elevators to the 11th Floor. Follow signs to Male Fertility Lab (BB1120). You will receive a coupon for partial re-imbursement of the parking fee.

For Research Subjects:

Park in the S1 Lot. You will have to pre-pay $11. You will be re-imbursed with a coupon. Walk through the tunnel in the upper level of the underground S1 garage, turn left to the BB wing and elevators. Take the BB elevators to the 11th Floor. Follow signs to Male Fertility Lab (BB1120).