Fertility is a massive part of sexual health for anyone, but men tend to overlook these evaluations until after they have trouble in their journey for a child. It is immensely important to get the necessary tests done to evaluate your fertility and sexual health. While you should be having some of these tests done regularly, it is also essential to research specific exams to evaluate fertility before having a child.

Basic Preliminary Physical Exam

Before getting into more specific tests, you should see your local urologist first. Urologists are doctors who specialize in both urinary tract diseases and the male reproductive system, so they will give you unique measurements you cannot get from a normal check-up. You will have to have a physical exam, which will probably feel a bit invasive, so be sure to go to a highly recommended clinic you can trust. You will also need to be prepared to answer questions about your regular medications, drug habits, exercise routines, past surgeries, and sex life. Sexually transmitted diseases can tremendously affect male fertility and sexual health. It could be entirely possible you didn’t even know you had one. Additionally, a physical exam could find something abnormal with your reproductive organs. For example, varicoceles are veins in clumps above the testicle. This problem can only be fixed with surgery.

Prostate Cancer Testing

Prostate cancer is a horrible ailment that affects many men globally. You must be regularly tested for it because prostate cancer has serious ramifications for your sexual health and overall well-being. Symptoms of prostate cancer include issues urinating, blood in the semen or urine, bone pain, extreme weight loss, and erectile dysfunction. Prostate cancer testing should be done regularly. If possible, do not wait until these horrible symptoms appear to start testing for prostate cancer. There is a blood test that screens for prostate cancer. It measures the levels of prostate-specific antigen, PSA for short, in your blood. PSA is created by the prostate, and it tends to be highly populated in the blood of men with prostate cancer.

Hormone Evaluation

Although there is disagreement in the scientific community about how hormones affect fertility, testosterone, and other hormones are indeed involved greatly in the creation of sperm. Because of this, it may be helpful to get a hormone evaluation done to assess if you have any abnormal hormone levels. These tests are more important for overall sexual health and physical health than for fertility because hormones are not a common issue in infertile men.

Semen Analysis

Although it may feel awkward, treat this semen analysis test the same as peeing in a cup. The clinic will need a sample of your semen because they check factors like your sperm count. They also examine the shape of your sperm, their movement, and more. Those with above-average levels of sperm in their semen with no abnormalities generally have better fertility, but this is not always the case. Even if your sperm count is low or your semen shape and movement patterns are abnormal, there is still a good chance you are fertile. Typically, a doctor will order a second test to verify the first, even if you come back with a healthy sperm analysis. If both tests show you are fertile and have good sexual health, it is a strong sign there is nothing wrong with your sperm. However, inconsistencies in the results or oddities will probably result in even more tests, and this cycle can get tiresome and stressful. Finally, some men do not have semen or sperm at all. A lack of sperm or semen is typically caused due to blockages in your body and reproductive organs. A surgical procedure can remove these blockages.

While getting clinical tests can be personal and tiring, they are crucial to ensuring your sexual health does not decline. Especially for men coming into adulthood, it is vital to make these tests a regular part of your medical life.