All about abstaining from sex before taking a spermogram

About the essence of the examination

Sperm testing has been practiced for almost 100 years. Back in the 17th century, scientists realized that the seminal fluid in different periods in different men has its own indicators. Nowadays, analyzing the quality of ejaculate is a simple procedure that every man should undergo.

A spermogram can be done in almost all medical institutions offering laboratory diagnostics. In clinics that treat infertility and use assisted reproductive technologies, this manipulation is as mandatory as a general blood test.

The essence of the examination is to determine the qualitative and quantitative indicators of seminal fluid, to assess the likelihood of pregnancy from this man. The quality of sperm is determined using an optical instrument and reagents. Laboratory assistants study the composition of seminal fluid. The study is carried out in several ways:

• a standard spermogram (according to WHO standards) provides information on quantitative indicators of seminal fluid and sperm motility;
• The MAP test shows antisperm antibodies and determines their quantity;
• A morphological study provides information about the structure of the sperm and determines the type of morphological disorder.

An extended spermogram provides maximum information about men's health; it includes all three types of examinations.

What is a spermogram

A spermogram is a laboratory method for examining ejaculate, which is carried out to determine the fertility of males and diagnose possible diseases of the reproductive system.

An assessment is made of quantitative (number of sperm in 1 ml, in the entire volume of semen), qualitative (volume, color, motility), as well as morphological parameters (normal and pathological forms). All these indicators are factors that affect a man's ability to have children.

A spermogram is the main analysis that allows assessing a man’s ability to conceive a child. This study may be ordered for the following purposes:

• Assessing a man's ability to conceive
• Determining the causes of infertility
• Preliminary preparation for in vitro fertilization
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of prescribed infertility treatment in men
• Assessment of the quality of the ejaculate, which is carried out preliminary before its cryopreservation
• Monitoring the effectiveness of male sterilization (vasectomy)

The correct result largely depends on whether the man complied with the conditions for preparing for a spermogram before taking the test.

How to persuade your husband to get tested

Many women find it difficult to convince their partner to have a sperm test. It is usually thought that the reason for a couple's childlessness is problems with women's health. However, in almost 50% of cases it is not possible to get pregnant due to the male factor. For most partners, the problem is fixable, but you need to know exactly the cause.

How to persuade your husband to take a spermogram? There is no need to make a scandal and forcefully drag your partner to the doctor. It is difficult for a man to decide to take this step, and he must come to it on his own. A woman can only direct her husband’s thoughts. In order for a partner to agree to the analysis, various arguments can be given.

1. Doctors recommend that all men have a spermogram before conception. Thanks to the analysis, you can find out about your health status and eliminate inflammatory processes. This will help prevent problems such as intrauterine infection of the fetus, premature birth, and early miscarriage.
2. If there are difficulties with conceiving, then it is easier to start the examination with a man. He only needs to take one test to confirm his fertility. It is much more difficult to examine a woman. Having excluded the male factor, a woman can agree to more expensive in-depth diagnostics.
3. The vast majority of men have minor abnormalities in their spermogram. They can be easily corrected with vitamins, dietary supplements, and lifestyle changes. To improve the quality of sperm, you need to know their initial indicators.

When persuading your husband to take a sperm test, it is worth preparing him for the fact that the result may not be ideal. Men rarely delve into the nuances of this examination until they receive a diagnosis. You should tell your spouse that external and internal factors can affect the qualitative and quantitative indicators of ejaculate.

What does a spermogram tell you?

Normally, according to medical recommendations, experts in the ejaculate should contain more than twenty million sperm in 2 milliliters. Another indicator is the maximum mobility of sperm and their structure, since several germ cells stuck together will not be able to reach the egg and fertilize it.

A slight deviation from the norm of some indicators is allowed, since randomness in the movement of more than half of the sperm of men is acceptable, but the bulk should only move forward.

In most cases, if the spermogram deviates from normal, it will be necessary to retake the test after some time. A deviation from the norm may be dictated by insufficiently observed rules for taking a spermogram in preparation for donating seminal fluid in men.

Next time you can prepare to donate sperm according to certain rules, but you will have to donate the semen only fourteen days after the first collection.

If all the most important conditions are met, then many sexual health problems can be identified based on the results:

• genetic or physiological pathologies of the genital organs;
• acute inflammatory processes;
• infectious processes or diseases;
• pus or bloody streaks in the ejaculate;
• the appearance of pathogenic microflora in the genitals;
• the appearance of antibodies that relate to sperm;
• the appearance of chronic infertility associated with low immunity or hormonal imbalances.

According to all the rules, you should prepare as much as possible for additional tests, including clinical and general urine or blood tests, smears from the urethra and prostate gland, and many other additional studies that are prescribed exclusively by the attending physician.

Preparing for analysis

Preparing for a spermogram often falls on the shoulders of the partner. Women study in detail what can be done before the analysis, and what will have to be abandoned.

When the time for sperm analysis is scheduled, preparation for the test should begin immediately. Over the course of several days, a man will have to follow a number of rules that relate to food preferences, lifestyle, and sexual activity.

Nutrition

A man needs to start preparing for a spermogram as early as possible. The longer he sticks to a healthy diet, the higher the quality of the ejaculate will be rated.

5-8 days before taking a spermogram, you need to exclude fatty, fried, smoked, salty foods from your diet, and reduce the amount of spices in dishes. It is recommended to avoid flavor enhancers and sauces that contain preservatives. Fast foods can affect sperm counts, so you should avoid fast foods for at least a week.

It is recommended to eat a nutritious and varied meal before donating sperm. Your daily diet should include protein foods in the form of lean meat, fish, and eggs. Each meal should contain complex carbohydrates: cereals and pasta made from durum wheat. Fermented milk products and vegetable fats have a positive effect on sperm counts. Nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, cottage cheese, sour cream, cereals - all this is useful for a man to eat to maintain fertility.

Bad habits

When preparing for a spermogram, a man will have to give up alcohol. Alcohol negatively affects the seminal fluid, diluting it and reducing cell motility. If a man drinks regularly, this affects the structure of sperm, causes mutations and leads to the birth of children with genetic abnormalities.

The version that beer is not included in the list of dangerous drinks is erroneous. It contains phytoestrogens, which reduce testosterone levels and worsen sperm count. It is necessary to abstain from alcohol for at least 7-8 days before the test. When planning a pregnancy, it is recommended to avoid alcohol at least 3 months before conception.

Before taking a spermogram, you should not smoke, since nicotine causes vasoconstriction and impairs blood circulation in the pelvis. This leads to decreased activity and incorrect trajectory of sperm. It is usually difficult for men to completely quit smoking, so doctors recommend trying to at least reduce the number of cigarettes.

Abstinence

Abstinence before a spermogram is a prerequisite. The period during which it is necessary to abstain from sexual activity is determined individually by the medical clinic. Some laboratories do not recommend having sex for 2 days; in others, abstinence before a spermogram is longer.

The generally accepted standard time frame for eliminating ejaculation is from 2 to 5 days. It is not recommended to abstain longer, as this leads to an increase in sperm viscosity and an increase in cells with morphological abnormalities. If sexual intercourse takes place less than 48 hours before the analysis, then the amount of biological material obtained for research may be insufficient.

The doctor usually tells you how long to abstain before a spermogram when prescribing the test.

Medicines

It is not recommended to take any medications before taking the tests. All medications affect ejaculate performance. The only difference is the duration of the negative effects of the drugs.

• Spermogram and antibiotics are not compatible. If a man has completed a course of antimicrobial agents, then he can be tested only after 3 weeks. The effect of antibiotics on spermogram has long been proven. Drugs can distort the amount of foreign impurities and reduce cell motility. A spermogram after antibiotics usually shows unreliable results and it is impossible to say whether they are distorted for the better or for the worse.
• Painkillers, antipyretics, and anti-inflammatory tablets should not be taken within 7 days before the test. Even aspirin can affect ejaculate performance. Vitamin complexes, dietary supplements and herbal substances should also be excluded.
• Hormonal medications should be discontinued 1-2 months before diagnosis. Steroids, which a man takes to increase muscle mass, have a particularly strong effect on seminal fluid. With prolonged use of such substances, a spermogram may even show absolute infertility.

If a man is taking any medications for life-saving reasons (anticonvulsants, antiepileptics, cardiac drugs), then the possibility of performing an analysis during treatment is discussed with the doctor individually.

Physical activity

You should not do strength exercises before a spermogram. If a man is interested in sports, then it is recommended to give up heavy physical activity for 5-8 days. When preparing for analysis, night work, active evening parties, and heavy lifting are not encouraged.

At the same time, you should not completely give up physical activity. It needs to be moderate. A sedentary lifestyle does not lead to increased fertility, since blood circulation in the pelvis is impaired.

General health

The basic rules before taking a spermogram include observing the temperature regime. Overheating of the body negatively affects the condition of seminal fluid. A week before the analysis, it is recommended to avoid visiting the bathhouse and sauna, and avoid solariums and sunbathing. Even turning on the heated seats in a car is discouraged.

A man needs to prepare psychologically for a spermogram. Sometimes this is the hardest thing to do. 4-8 days before the analysis, it is necessary to exclude any worries or stress. When going for analysis, you need to expect the best.

How many days does abstinence last?

You need to abstain for about 4 days before a spermogram. However, if you want to conceive a child, abstinence should not only be before the test - the chances depend directly on the amount of sperm. On the day when you need to donate sperm for a spermogram, it is advisable not to eat meat or drink coffee - this may affect the result.

In addition, for the entire time of conceiving a child, it is necessary to completely eliminate alcohol and nicotine, in any form. Smoky types of tobacco - cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars and hookahs contain a large amount of dangerous tars, which lead to the development of cancer and affect the quality of sperm - this can lead to diseases of the unborn child, often genetically based.

Often, future parents ask the andrologist why abstinence is necessary before taking tests for sperm quality, since they clearly deny “their” problems, blaming everything on the woman. However, according to data, about 40% of all couples break up due to male infertility and the man’s pride.

It is necessary to strictly follow the doctor's instructions. Abstinence is also necessary in cases where degenerative damage to sperm is possible, which is associated with insufficient nutrition of the testicle. Such diseases include varicocele - varicose veins of the scrotum.

You should be careful about your health. Problems with men's health are no less than with women's - disorders of the reproductive system greatly undermine self-esteem. Do not follow incorrect advice from TV screens and the Internet, as only a certified specialist can give the correct instructions.

Where to get tested

When choosing where to take a spermogram, pay attention to infertility clinics. There are usually separate laboratories that perform extensive testing in one procedure. In large populated cities, you can get tested in laboratories at a research center or medical institute.

Medical recommendations will depend on the spermogram result. Sometimes a man has to take a spermogram more than once. It is recommended to carry out a repeat analysis for comparison with the first results in the same laboratory.

Why is it important to practice sexual abstinence?

When answering the question of how long abstinence should be before taking a spermogram, it should be noted that this period can vary between 2-7 days. In this case, it is provided not only for refusal of sexual intercourse, but also for other types of intimacy.

Of course, with sexual abstinence, sperm activity increases, but we must not forget about their aging under the condition of a long period of abstinence from sexual intercourse.

Expert opinion For a more accurate spermogram result, it is necessary to conduct two analyzes with an interval of 7 to 20 days. The interpretation of the analysis should be carried out by a specialist in this field and in no case by the patients themselves.

Gorovaya Marina Aleksandrovna Gynecologist 8 years of experience Ask a clarifying question

Delivery process

How to take a spermogram is specified in each clinic. Some laboratories only accept ejaculate collected there for analysis. Others allow you to collect sperm at home.

How it happens in the clinic

Most often, sperm is taken for analysis at a clinic. Usually there is a special office for this, equipped with the necessary attributes, for example, erotic magazines. Sometimes clinics allow you to visit the room to take a spermogram together with your partner. This service is paid additionally. You cannot violate the rules for taking a spermogram. It is unacceptable for foreign biological fluids, such as saliva, to get into a sterile container other than ejaculate.

Men usually do not have questions about how a spermogram is taken. The patient is given a sterile container into which it is necessary to collect all the seminal fluid through masturbation. It is important that no part of the sperm is lost.

How to properly take a spermogram after collecting material? It is necessary to tightly close the container and immediately send it to the laboratory. If some liquid was lost during collection, it is important to inform the laboratory technician.

Is it possible to rent out houses?

Some clinics allow you to collect sperm at home. The rules for taking the test do not depend on the place where the liquid is collected, and therefore must be strictly observed. Before taking a spermogram at home, you need to prepare a sterile container and perform hygiene procedures. After collection is completed, the seminal fluid is quickly (within half an hour) delivered to a medical facility in compliance with the thermal regime.

The disadvantage of this option is the risk of distorting the results. The advantages include comfortable and familiar conditions in which a man feels calm when collecting seminal fluid.

For what reasons does the number of motile sperm in semen decrease?

There is a large list of rules regarding the preparation and conduct of such a study as a spermogram. How many days of abstinence from sex will be, this will be the result, it is just important not to overdo it. If the period of refusal from intimacy is more than 7 days, the result of the analysis may be distorted. The optimal period of abstinence is a period of 4 days. This is quite enough to obtain reliable results.

A spermogram is a laboratory examination of seminal fluid, which is taken by men who have problems conceiving a child. Using this screening, sperm is examined to identify various pathological changes. It is being done in order to improve the fight against infertility not only among women, but also among men in the country. And the most important point that will allow the doctor to more accurately determine the presence of high-quality sperm in a patient is abstinence before a spermogram.

Although, besides this, there are many rules that a man must adhere to before donating sperm for sowing.

How long to wait for the result

A spermogram is done quickly. The result is given to the patient on the same day. For different clinics, there is an individual interval for how long a spermogram analysis is done. In some laboratories, the analysis takes up to 3 days.

The examination of the seminal fluid itself is performed within one hour, since subsequently the viability of the germ cells is lost. In private medical centers, results are usually given out immediately (in 1-2 hours), in public ones you have to wait longer.

Regime and diet

In addition to sexual abstinence, nutrition can greatly affect sperm counts. Therefore, the doctor must educate the patient about the intricacies of the diet before taking the test. First of all, it is necessary to balance the diet with vitamins and minerals. Next, you will have to give up fatty and junk foods, alcohol and cigarettes. You should also avoid strong tea and large amounts of coffee.

An ideal diet should consist of lean meat, greens, fish, as well as vegetables and fruits. It is advisable to avoid fried foods. Eat salads and steamed food. The diet is followed for a week before the sperm is submitted for examination. A healthy diet is also necessary. First of all, you need to eat little and often. It is advisable not to overeat at night.

If it is not possible to give up cigarettes completely, you can simply reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke during the day as much as possible.

Increased arousal and its effect on analysis

Excessive excitement will also lead to false analysis.

Therefore, in addition to abstinence, it is important to remain calm and not overexcited:

• you cannot watch erotica and porn films;
• you need to control your desire;
• ask your sexual partner not to provoke lust.

This is due to the fact that during arousal, segma is released from the penis - a special liquid for lubricating the mucous membranes.
It contains a small percentage of germ cells. With increased fertility, a fairly large number of sperm are observed in the segma, so the more fluid is released, the greater the loss of cells in the ejaculate. Sperm renewal generally takes place within three full days. Various negative influences can greatly affect the genetic composition of germ cells and their mobility.

In addition to overexcitement before the study:

• stop smoking;
• do not drink alcohol;
• refrain from taking certain medications.

Normally, a man needs sex once every 1-2 weeks. This is enough to completely renew the germ cells and maintain the health of the reproductive system. Abstinence for 3-6 days is useful for taking a spermogram and successful conception. If a man does not have sex for more than 1-2 months, then the reproductive system fades away.

What should you limit yourself to?

Normally, in a healthy man, the sperm count should look like this:

1. The concentration of germ cells per 1 mm is at least 20 million.
2. Of these, 30% should have a normal shape.
3. The minimum number of living male cells is 75%.
4. 50% of the total volume moves and 25% of them are characterized by increased activity.

In order for the procedure to show accurate results, you need to understand that you need to prepare for the spermogram in detail. A specialist will explain what needs to be done for this and what needs to be avoided before taking a spermogram. As a rule, for this a man has to not only abstain from sex, but also limit himself in diet, physical activity, etc.