DIY male fertility test kit approved for OTC sales in Britain and US

DIY male fertility test kit approved for OTC sales in Britain and US

LONDON - Researchers at the University of Birmingham have introduced a do-it-yourself male fertility test that they claim returns results with 95 percent accuracy in 75 minutes. British medical company Genosis has also collaborated in the development of this test, which is called as Fertell.

It has been approved for sale as an over the counter kit in Britain and the United States and comes in a pack of male and female packages that will cost a total of $190. Infertility is becoming a huge headache for couples across the world as a fast-paced life is taking a heavy toll on their ability to procreate.

Most couples are going in for in-vitro fertilization procedures which can be harrowing and unsuccessful if tried on very late. "At the moment many couples are advised to wait for around a year before seeking medical attention. But age can have a very significant negative impact on fertility, so having reliable information at an early stage can be a huge advantage," said Prof Chris Barratt, lead researcher at the University of Birmingham.

If the couples are aware that the chances of having children are minimal, then they can go in for IVF procedures at a young age, which significantly increases their chances of conception. Fertell works by compelling the sperm to float in an environment that is chemically similar to the one found in the cervix. The test then calculates how many sperm are able to cross this barrier.

A red line assures that the sperm quantity is good, meaning that there are at least 10 million active sperm as specified by World Health Organization norms. Recent studies have highlighted the fact that infertility is fast becoming a male problem. Smoking and drinking coupled with high stress levels are responsible for low fertility in most men.