Semen Analysis
What Affects the Test
Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:
- Medicines, such as cimetidine (Tagamet), male and female hormones (testosterone, Reference estrogen Opens New Window), sulfasalazine, nitrofurantoin, and some chemotherapy medicines.
- Caffeine, alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and smoking tobacco.
- Herbal medicines, such as St. John's wort and high doses of echinacea.
- A semen sample that gets cold. The sperm motility value will be inaccurately low if the semen sample gets cold.
- Exposure to radiation, some chemicals (such as certain pesticides or spermicides), and prolonged heat exposure.
- An incomplete semen sample. This is more common if a sample is collected by methods other than masturbation.
- Not ejaculating for several days. This may affect the semen volume.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference May 1, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine
Reference Femi Olatunbosun, MB, FRCSC - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
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