When couples have trouble getting pregnant, the workup often begins with the woman. Many men are somewhat sensitive about sperm counts. But now a new test has been developed that will allow men to check their sperm count at home. It looks a lot like home pregnancy tests that women use and is expected to cost about $25. Although the device will soon be sold in Europe, it has not yet been approved by the FDA.
The scientists who developed the test found it was 96 percent accurate in a trial of 225 semen samples. It works by measuring an antigen called SP-10 which is associated with sperm cells. The amount of the protein indicates the number of sperm in the sample. The test takes about half an hour to complete.
[Human Reproduction, online February 5, 2010]
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