Test ID FER Semen Analysis
Useful For
Determining male fertility status
Method Name
Manual
Reporting Name
Semen AnalysisSpecimen Type
SemenSpecimen must arrive within 24 hours of collection. Send specimen Monday through Thursday only and not the day before a holiday. If holiday falls on a Saturday, holiday will be observed on the preceding Friday. Sunday holidays are observed on the following Monday. Specimen should be collected and packaged as close to shipping time as possible. Laboratory does not perform testing on weekends.
Container/Tube: Semen Analysis Kit (T178)
Specimen Volume: Total ejaculate
Collection Instructions: Patient should have 2 to 7 days of sexual abstinence at the time of semen collection for accurate results.
Additional Information: Include the following information: semen volume, viscosity, pH, appearance (color), and number of days of sexual abstinence.
Specimen Minimum Volume
Total ejaculate
Specimen Stability Information
Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
---|---|---|
Semen | Ambient |
Clinical Information
Semen is composed of spermatozoa suspended in seminal fluid (plasma). The function of the seminal fluid is to provide nutrition and volume for conveying the spermatozoa to the endocervical mucus.
Male infertility can be affected by a number of causes. Chief among these is a decrease in the number of viable sperm. Other causes include sperm with abnormal morphology and abnormalities of the seminal fluid.
Reference Values
Appearance: normal
Volume: ≥1.5 mL
pH: ≥7.2
Motile/mL: ≥6.0 x 10(6)
Sperm/mL: ≥15.0 x 10(6)
Motility: ≥40%
Grade: ≥2.5
Note: Multiple laboratory studies have indicated that semen parameters for motility and grade on average retain 80% of original parameters when our shipping method is used for transport. Using these averages, samples with 32% to 39% motility and grade of 2 may be in the normal range if testing was performed shortly after collection. Therefore, these borderline patients may need to collect another sample at a local fertility center to verify fertility status. Motile/ejaculate: ≥9.0 x 10(6)
Viscosity: ≥3.0
Agglutination: ≥3.0
Supravital: ≥58% live
Fructose: positive
Note: Fructose testing cannot be performed on semen analysis specimens shipped through Mayo Medical Laboratories. If patient is azoospermic, refer to FROS / Fructose, Semen or Seminal Plasma. Submit separate specimen to rule out ejaculatory duct blockage. Positive result indicates no blockage.
Cautions
Semen specimens can vary widely in the same man from specimen to specimen. Semen parameters falling outside of the normal ranges do not preclude fertility for that individual.
Day(s) Performed
Monday through Friday; 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Send specimen Monday through Thursday only and not the day before a holiday
Report Available
1 dayPerforming Laboratory

Test Classification
This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. This test has not been cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.CPT Code Information
89310