Trying to Conceive: Male Fertility Physical Exam
If you're having trouble trying to conceive and your doctor thinks the issue may be with your partner's parts and not yours, he'll refer him to a urologist for a fertility checkup. Here's what the doctor will do:
The doctor may also perform several fertility tests if youre trying to conceive:
report abuse- Check out the man's general appearance, noting secondary sex characteristics including facial, chest and pubic hair; the deepness of his voice; and his physical build.
- Check his height, weight and blood pressure.
- Look to see if he has fat deposits around his breasts (known as gynecomastia).
- Listen to his chest.
- Check his urine.
- Check his reflexes.
- Check his thyroid for enlargement.
- Do a thorough examination of his penis. This includes looking at the location of the opening of the urethra, noting any discharge, looking into any tenderness or unusual firmness and more.
- Examine both of his testes, noting both their size and their firmness.
- Check the epididymis for tenderness or swelling that could indicate an infection.
- Search for varicoceles around the testes (these are similar to varicose veins).
- Palpate the prostate and seminal vesicles while he is sitting and then check the prostate gland for any swelling or inflammation by inserting a gloved finger into his rectum.
- Check to ensure that he has full sensation throughout his external genital area.
The doctor may also perform several fertility tests if youre trying to conceive:
- Sperm and Semen Analysis: This will help determine the man's sperm count and motility, or movement.
- Hormone Testing: This will help determine the man's testosterone levels.
- Urinalysis: To check the urine for infection and for sperm, which could indicate retrograde ejaculation.
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