More men are getting their sperm checked, doctors say. Should you get a semen analysis?
"This guy has a few tails, at least two," Dr. Allison Rodgers, a reproductive endocrinology infertility specialist at Fertility Centers of Illinois, remarks in one video, viewed over 23 million times. "This guy is swimming real fast nowhere."
In her weekly TikTok series, titled "Sperm Monday," Rodgers shares videos of herself performing a semen analysis − an examination to determine a patient's fertility. Analyzing semen under a microscope, she looks for the following characteristics: at least 15 million or more sperm cells, at least 40% of those cells moving and at least 4% of them shaped normally.
Her goal with the series, she says, is to educate the public on fertility and sperm health. Rodgers says the popularity of her series speaks to a growing trend she's observed over the past five to 10 years: More and more men are wanting semen analyses and normalizing the procedure in the process.
"It's something sort of slowly becoming more socially acceptable," Rodgers says. "When I first started doing this, I'd often have the guys say, 'I'm not going to do a semen analysis. I don't want to do it.' ... They're like, 'I can have sex, so I'm probably fine.' They feel like it's almost insulting. ... But I don't get told that much anymore. People are pretty comfortable with doing it now."
Why are more men getting their semen analyzed?
Rodgers and other fertility doctors say there are several reasons why someone should consider a semen analysis.
If a couple is having trouble conceiving, a semen analysis can help determine if the male's sperm is playing a factor. If a man is considering freezing his sperm, a semen analysis can let him know his sperm's baseline health before going through with that decision.
Additionally, if a man is struggling with sexual function, such as with erections or ejaculation, a semen analysis can shed light on if those problems are stemming from an issue with his sperm production.
"I recommend a semen analysis for essentially all my male patients," says Dr. John Norian, a reproductive endocrinologist with HRC Fertility, who says he's also seen a recent increase in inquiries about semen analysis. "More and more men are considering fertility preservation as we know that certain environmental factors may decrease our sperm viability in the future. Also, men who are over 45 or 50 years of age statistically have worse semen parameters compared with younger men, so obtaining a semen analysis when you’re in your 20s or young 30s may be helpful as men think about their future reproductive planning."
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Rodgers suspects people waiting longer to have kids has also boosted interest in semen analysis. As more couples prolong starting families, more are going to experience fertility issues, she says, which is going to lead more men to want their semen checked.
Her TikTok series, she says, also shows that people in general are curious about their bodies, regardless of if they plan to have kids.
"It's amazing to me how many people outside of the fertility world will come up to me and be like, 'Oh my God, I love watching that every Monday. It's so entertaining, and I always love to see what you're going to show,' " she says. "And that's people who are not young and looking to get pregnant right now."
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How to keep your sperm healthy
Men who want to be as fertile as possible should consider making certain lifestyle choices. Smoking, for instance, or taking anabolic steroids can compromise a man's fertility, says Dr. Bradford Kolb, a reproductive endocrinologist with HRC Fertility.
Dr. Jane Frederick, also a reproductive endocrinologist with the same pracitice, adds consuming excessive caffeine may also contribute to abnormally shaped sperm and heat exposure, such as from saunas and hot tubs, can make sperm less motile.
Chemotherapy and diabetes can also impact sperm health and production.
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Also, for those who know they want kids one day, a semen analysis can give helpful insight and peace of mind regarding their fertility.
"Overall fertility testing and infertility itself is socially more talked about, more accepted," Rodgers says. "Half of people have sperm, and it's really interesting to think about what's happening in their own bodies."