Discover how gay fertility testing helps same-sex male couples build a family
The Tennessee fertility doctors at our clinic recommend gay fertility testing for many patients. This testing allows doctors to thoroughly assess a man’s fertility, and it helps same-sex male couples determine who should provide the sperm that will fertilize the donor eggs.
The male fertility evaluations that our doctors often suggest for gay patients include a sperm analysis, genetic evaluation and bloodwork.
Male fertility evaluations gay patients often receive
Gay patients receiving treatment from our Tennessee fertility doctors typically undergo male fertility evaluations that assess a man’s sperm health. Specialists can also test men for inheritable genetic conditions and other issues.
Sperm test. A sperm test allows the doctor to evaluate a man’s sperm count, motility (movement) and morphology (shape).
Genetic evaluation. A genetic test can help the doctor identify any chromosomal issues that could interfere with a man’s fertility. In addition, it can reveal whether the man has genetic conditions he could pass to his children.
Bloodwork. Gay patients receive bloodwork that provides information about hormones that affect sperm production and sexual function. Some examples include follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone.
This gay fertility testing provides valuable information for men building their family with the support of our clinic.
What testing can reveal about a man’s fertility
There are a variety of fertility issues testing can uncover. These issues can make it more difficult for sperm to fertilize donor eggs and can increase the chance of chromosomal abnormalities in the resulting embryos.
- Abnormally shaped sperm with poor motility
- Poor sperm quality
- Sperm that cannot attach the head to egg
- Sperm that cannot penetrate the egg
- Low sperm count
- Azoospermia, a condition where the man’s ejaculation does not contain any sperm
- Inheritable genetic conditions
The Tennessee fertility doctors at our clinic can utilize gay fertility testing to determine whether a man is facing any of these issues.
Treatments doctors might recommend after gay fertility testing
After the doctors at our clinic receive results from the male fertility evaluations, they are able to help the patients create a treatment plan. For gay patients, this plan always includes donor eggs and a gestational surrogate.
If tests show that the male patient who was planning to provide sperm has fertility issues, they can either choose to have their male partner provide sperm or utilize additional fertility treatments. There are two treatments that can be especially beneficial for men with infertility.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI. This procedure involves a doctor injecting a single live sperm into the center of an egg.
Microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration, or MESA. MESA is a treatment that doctors often recommend for men that can produce sperm but cannot ejaculate it. This option consists of a fertility specialist collecting semen directly from the testicles.
Male fertility testing and treatments can help gay patients at our clinic move forward on the path to fatherhood. Contact us to learn more about male fertility evaluations.