First male fertility test hits UK high streets

A male fertility testing service has launched on the UK high street for the first time.

The service, offered by Superdrug, was launched in line with National Fertility Awareness Week and #HIMFERTILITY day – a day aimed at raising awareness of male fertility issues. The test, which costs £148, can be taken at home before being picked up by a courier and sent to a laboratory for a 'clinical grade' sperm analysis which Superdrug claims is comparable with an NHS test.

'Over the years there have been a number of different approaches to home sperm testing launched, some of which are still around and others which have come and gone,' said Allan Pacey, professor of andrology at the University of Sheffield and PET trustee. 'I have no idea whether this will work, produce good test results and be a commercial success. Only time will tell.'

The test will analyse 22 sperm parameters including volume, motility (how fast and efficiently sperm are moving), concentration (how many sperm are present) and morphology (how many sperm look normal and abnormal). Men will receive a diagnostic report within 48 hours of the laboratory receiving their sample. They will then have unlimited access to Superdrug online doctors to discuss their results and get advice on where to access further support if the test detects abnormalities.

According to the NHS, one in seven couples have difficulty conceiving and problems with sperm are a factor for one in three couples struggling to get pregnant. Men can access a free semen analysis on the NHS, however, they must have been trying to conceive with their partner for at least 12 months without success. Superdrug said the test will help men 'more easily access information about their own fertility and take greater control of their reproductive health'.

Sarah Norcross, director of PET, acknowledged that the service could speed up parts of patients' journey investigating fertility problems. However, on the downside, she said: 'Superdrug's online doctors are unlikely to be fertility specialists, and public sector fertility specialists could suddenly find themselves dealing with large numbers of anxious patients who have used this service and are struggling to make sense of their results. We have seen this happen with direct-to-consumer genetic testing.'

She added: 'Given the many semen parameters that are looked at in these results, it may not be a simple matter of a man being told either that he has reason to worry about his fertility or that he does not. More nuanced results can be challenging to interpret, and if not handled carefully can lead to anxiety that is not necessarily helpful.'