Fertility testing for gay men can reveal the best path to fatherhood
Fertility testing for gay men at our Indianapolis fertility center can help patients understand their fertility and reproductive potential. These tests can include a semen analysis, genetic testing and a hormone evaluation. In some cases, the doctor may recommend additional tests.
The results of these tests support the doctors at our clinic in suggesting fertility treatments that provide patients with the best chance of building a healthy family.
The common types of fertility testing for gay men
Doctors recommend fertility testing for gay men to help ensure a patient’s sperm are healthy. This testing can also confirm that the patient who provides the sperm does not have any inheritable genetic conditions.
Semen analysis. One of the first tests that patients at our Indianapolis fertility center undergo is a semen analysis. This test allows specialists to assess the patient’s sperm count, motility and morphology.
Genetic testing. If the semen analysis reveals a low sperm count, or the absence of sperm in semen not due to a blockage, chromosomal abnormalities may be to blame. Genetic testing can provide insight into this potential issue. It can also help determine whether the patient has a genetic condition that could pass to their children.
Hormone evaluation. Bloodwork allows specialists to assess the levels of the patient’s hormones that affect sperm production and sexual function. These hormones include follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin.
Specialized exams. If initial testing reveals potential fertility issues that require additional analysis, the doctor might suggest specialized exams. Some examples include the hypo-osmotic swelling test, sperm penetration assay, human zona pellucida binding test and computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA).
These tests increase the chance that we can help the patient bypass fertility challenges that could affect the chance of their sperm fertilizing the donor eggs.
Effective fertility treatments for gay patients
After receiving the results of fertility testing for gay men, the doctors at our clinic help patients create an effective treatment plan and determine which partner will provide sperm.
All gay patients will need to utilize an egg donor and gestational surrogate. After the egg donation cycle, an embryologist fertilizes the donor eggs with sperm from the patient. A doctor then transfers one of the resulting embryos into the gestational surrogate’s uterus.
If both patients have fertility issues, they might need to utilize additional treatments to help ensure their IVF cycle with donor eggs and a gestational surrogate is successful.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI, consists of a specialist injecting a single live sperm into the center of a mature egg. This treatment can be helpful for patients with fertility challenges.
Microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration, or MESA, involves a doctor collecting semen from the coiled tube lying behind and above each testicle. Fertility specialists often recommend this treatment for patients who can produce sperm but cannot ejaculate it.
With the support of the specialists at our Indianapolis fertility center, gay patients can take the next step towards fulfilling their dream of taking home a healthy baby. Contact us to learn more about our fertility services.