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Sperm Penetration
Assay (SPA)
Semen Analysis
Analysis of
semen is an essential part of the male fertility evaluation. The man
must avoid ejaculation for two to five days before any semen test. This
is because after a short period of less than two days, seminal volume
may be lowered, and after a period of 5 days, the semen may contain many
dead sperm. A semen sample is collected by masturbation into a special
sterile specimen container. The sperm are evaluated for concentration
(number of sperm in each milliliter of semen), motility (quality of
movement and percent of sperm with forward movement) and morphology
(percent of sperm with normally shaped heads and tails).
The Semen
Analysis is not an absolute test for fertility because it does not test
certain important aspects of sperm function, but it is very useful in
predicting the significance of a male factor in an infertile couple. With this analysis, minimal limits of “sperm adequacy” have been
established. These are: a concentration of 20 million or more sperm per
milliliter, 50% or greater motility, and 14% or greater normal
morphology. If a patient has values below these limits, a demonstrable
male factor does not necessarily exist but the probability is
significantly increased.
Sperm Penetration Assay (SPA)
The SPA is a reliable test
that evaluates sperm function. This assay measures the ability of human
sperm to penetrate specially prepared hamster eggs and can reveal sperm
that are unable to undergo the physiologic changes necessary for
fertilization. It is used to evaluate sperm function in males with
normal semen analysis values that have unexplained infertility and to
define the fertilizing potential of those with abnormal semen analysis
values. It is also used routinely to screen patients prior to in vitro
fertilization (IVF) to determine the sperm concentration needed for
optimal fertilization of human eggs and to determine whether assisted
fertilization by ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) is needed.
The
SPA is a 2-day test that is initiated on Wednesday and concluded on
Thursday. A semen analysis is performed and the semen specimen is mixed
with a nutrient solution and stored overnight to allow the sperm to go
through physiologic changes necessary for fertilization. In the
morning, the sperm are counted again, and incubated with hamster eggs.
The eggs are examined microscopically, after several hours, to determine
if they have been penetrated by the sperm. The test result is
considered in the normal fertile range if the hamster eggs were
penetrated by an average of five or more sperm. Your physician may
suggest clinical protocols such as Intrauterine Insemination (IUI),
In
Vitro Fertilization (IVF) or IVF with
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection
(ICSI) for average sperm penetration values below 5 penetrations per
egg.
Cost
The
cost of the SPA is $650.00. A deposit of $100.00 is required
when the appointment is made, and the balance of $550.00 is paid on the
day of your appointment. If you
cannot keep your scheduled appointment, you must notify our office by
the Friday before your appointment to receive a refund of your deposit.
If the SPA could not be performed due to low sperm count or motility, or
low overnight survival, you will not be charged the full amount for the
test. You will receive a refund of $550.00 ($650.00 minus
the $100.00 charge for a semen analysis).
[These are current
charges and are subject to change without notice].
NOTE: If you
prefer to collect your semen specimen at home, an approved sterile
specimen container must be used and the specimen must be received by our
lab within one hour of collection. You may obtain a sterile container
from our office. The laboratory cannot accept semen collected in any
other container.
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