Male Fertility Testing at Examen, Belfast
NOTE: due to current traffic congestion and disruption in Belfast city centre due to ongoing road closures caused by demolition works, our sample drop-off service is suspended for the time being.
We continue to provide the ability to produce your sample at our Belfast laboratory hub using their dedicated facilities – please contact bookings@examenlab.com (8am to 4pm Monday to Friday excluding public holidays) to determine appointment availability before purchasing your test.
If you have been referred for an Exact test or Semen Analysis by your GP or fertility practitioner, please provide your referral letter and note the referring clinic/clinician on the Test Request Form.
Onsite Production
Examen will provide the sample collection kit at your appointment.
Once your order has been placed, you will receive an order confirmation email. A member of the booking team will get in touch within one business day to arrange an appointment. If you have not heard from the booking team, please contact bookings@examenlab.com with your order number and name of the sample provider and request to book an appointment. Appointments must be booked at least 2 business days in advance.
Semen Analysis
A Semen Analysis is the first step for men to check their fertility. This test evaluates the number of sperm (sperm count), sperm motility, and sperm morphology – all of which can influence fertility. Your sample will be analysed in our ISO accredited lab according to the standard World Health Organisation (6th edition, 2021) guidelines for semen analysis. Your results will be issued directly to you via a secure email service.
Semen Analysis clinic – Fridays only.
Please note – Post Vasectomy service is currently unavailable.
Exact® Test
The Exact® test measures sperm DNA quality. Men with high levels of sperm DNA fragmentation damage are less likely to make their partner pregnant, and have double the risk of miscarriage. A normal semen analysis test does not guarantee that the quality and integrity of the sperm is sufficient to achieve pregnancy or for it to progress to a live birth. Fertility specialists recommend both a semen analysis and a SDF test to provide a full picture of a man’s fertility. The Exact test measures total sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) damage, comprising both single strand DNA breaks (ssDB) and double strand DNA breaks (dsDB).
If you have been referred by a fertility clinic, please book these tests directly through your clinic. See our partner clinics here.
Please note the Exact® test is solely for sperm concentrations of more than 5M/ml; a different more sensitive test – ExactFocus – is available for sperm concentrations of less than 5M/ml – please contact us at lab@examenlab.com if you require more details about that test.
For more information on booking appointments – see our Examen Hub page here
Extend® Test
The Extend® test measures a very specific but very important aspect of sperm DNA quality. It is an advanced test that requires a clinician referral before it can be booked. Unlike the Exact test, which measures total SDF damage, the Extend test exclusively measures only double strand DNA breaks (dsDB). dsDB in sperm are more difficult to repair and can often signal underlying problems with spermatogenesis—the ‘factory production line’ inside the testicles where sperm are continuously produced and matured.
The Extend test is recommended for:
- couples suffering first trimester recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL)
- men being considered for surgical sperm retrieval (SSR)
If you have been referred by a fertility clinic, please book this test directly through your clinic. See our partner clinics here.
Please note the Extend® test is solely for sperm concentrations of more than 5M/ml; a different more sensitive test – ExtendFocus – is available for sperm concentrations of less than 5M/ml – please contact us at lab@examenlab.com if you require more details about that test.
For more information on booking appointments – see our Examen Hub page here
