Information for General Practioners and Consultants
Post-vasectomy semen analysis
A team of fully trained embryologists carry out Post Vasectomy semen evaluations to confirm the presence or absence of sperm. All samples are analysed in accordance to standards set by the British Andrology Society (BAS), to promote best practice. Guidelines state that if no sperm are seen by direct microscopy, the centrifugate should also be examined for the presence or absence of spermatozoa. The BAS also recommends that initial assessment should be undertaken 16 weeks post vasectomy and after the patient has produced at least 24 ejaculates. Patients should be advised to continue contraception until two consecutive, sperm free samples have been reported. These should be 2 to 4 weeks apart.
How to refer a patient for a post-vasectomy semen analysis
- Patients should be supplied with two fully completed referral cards, two semen specimen containers and bags.
- These cards can be downloaded and printed directly from the link at the end of this document.
- The cards must be fully completed. This should include the patient’s details (name, dob, NHS number). Your own name, practice stamp and signature, along with the type of test required.
- It is recommended that patients should undergo abstinence for no less than 48 hours and no more than 7 days. The BAS also recommend that the time from production to examination of the sample should be no longer than 4 hours.
- Patients bringing the sample in for analysis should drop the sample at the Hull Andrology Unit on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday between 8.30 and 14:00. Samples will not be accepted by the unit outside of these hours.
- Samples will also be accepted from the GP run, but will not be analysed within the four hour recommended time limit. It is therefore preferable for patients to bring samples directly to the laboratory within the recommended time limit.
- Andrology staff reserve the right not to accept samples with incomplete request cards. It is essential that correct identification of the patient and GP can be made for confidentiality reasons.
Results
- Results will be reported via labcentre/patientcentre within 5 working days. Some GPs/ consultants will also receive paper copies. Please let us know if you are continually experiencing problems retrieving results.
- Occasionally results can not be reported. This may be because the GPs name is not on the card, the card is not signed, the patient’s details are not fully completed or the referring doctor is not on the labcentre system.
- If you have any problems obtaining results please call the unit during opening hours.
Interpretation of results
The following results may be reported:
- No spermatozoa seen. The seminal fluid and a centrifugate has been examined by direct microscopy and no spermatozoa were seen over several fields.
- Very occasional spermatozoa seen. Less than 5 spermatozoa seen when examining either the neat seminal fluid or centrifugate.
- Occasional spermatozoa seen. Less than or equal to 50 spermatozoa seen when examining either the neat seminal fluid or centrifugate.
- Occasionally a sperm count (M/ml) may also be entered if there is sufficient quantity of spermatozoa.
- It is recommended by the BAS that two consecutive sperm free ejaculates should be reported before the confirmation of sterility following vasectomy can be achieved. These samples should be two to four weeks apart. This may occasionally take several samples.
- If persistent sperm are found in a patient’s samples, it is essential that the patient bring further samples directly to the andrology laboratory within one hour of production. This is to ensure we can exclude the presence of potentially fertilising motile sperm.
Hull Andrology Unit Semen Analysis form (PDF)
