SpermCheck® Fertility, the Only FDA Approved At-Home Screening Test for Men to Determine Normal or Low Sperm Count, Now Available to Couples Planning or Struggling to Conceive

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- This year, approximately 7 million couples will experience conception issues. A key first step, before the female goes through a battery of tests, is to analyze the male's sperm count, yet it is estimated that only 20% of men in couples struggling to conceive have this test early on or at all.  Enter SpermCheck® Fertility (www.spermcheck.com), the only FDA approved at-home screening test for men to determine normal or low sperm count with 98% accuracy, in 10 minutes and without having to go to a physician or lab to provide a semen sample. 

"SpermCheck Fertility is non-invasive and can help couples eliminate or identify one potential stumbling block to conception," explains Ray Lopez, CEO of SpermCheck^®, which also manufacturers a home test for post-vasectomy screening.

"Men have historically avoided this type of semen analysis because it can be embarrassing and inconvenient for them to go to a physician or lab for this type of test, yet approximately 50% of all infertility problems are directly attributed to the male, and most of them are mainly due to low sperm count," explains Lopez. "With such high incidence of fertility issues, coupled with low incidence of male testing, we saw a great opportunity to provide couples with an at-home test that can provide information that is crucial for conception preparation, yet takes the stigma out of the test, since it is done in the privacy of their own home." 

In just 10 minutes, SpermCheck® Fertility indicates if sperm count is within "normal" range (at or above 20 million sperm per milliliter, which is the accepted standard for normal sperm count) or low, which would indicate that a visit to the physician for further analysis of the man is in order.

"It's more than 98% accurate – as reliable as a lab test – yet much more convenient and at much less cost than a visit to the doctor," adds Lopez.  "It also alleviates the embarrassment and inconvenience of providing a semen sample to a doctor or nurse in a lab setting."

The test was developed by Dr. John Herr, Ph.D., director of the Center of Cell Biology at the University of Virginia, based on a process made possible by a protein, found exclusively in the head of mature sperm, discovered 21 years ago. Dr. Herr remains involved with SpermCheck as the Chief Scientific Officer and Chairman.

"This at-home test was created to meet the needs of couples who are considering and just planning on starting a family, those currently having trouble conceiving and even those men who are just curious about their sperm count," adds Dr. Herr. 

To help support the SpermCheck® Fertility launch, the company is embarking on a digital ad and social media strategy to connect directly with consumers and influencers where they are searching and conversing about this topic.

SpermCheck® Fertility is currently available online at www.Walgreens.com and www.CVS.com, and will be available in stores nationwide in April 2012. Suggested retail price is $39.99. For more information about SpermCheck® Fertility, visit www.spermcheck.com.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.
Pamela Madsen  
https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=107059

SOURCE SpermCheck®