This information is an extract from the booklet Fertility support for young people affected by cancer. You may find the full booklet helpful. We can send you a free copy see page 5. Contents Fertility testing How do men get a fertility test? Fertility testing If you think your cancer or its treatment has affected your fertility, you may be able to have fertility tests. These can find out whether you re still able to have children. It can be hard to decide how long to wait before having a test. It s important to choose the right time for you, although sometimes there may be medical factors to consider. Deciding whether to have a fertility test This can be a difficult decision to make, as the results may affect other aspects of your life, such as your relationships with your partner, family and friends. Everyone is different, and the decision about whether to have a fertility test is completely yours. You may find it helpful to think about these things: A fertility test does not always clearly show whether or not you can have children. You need to feel ready to cope with the results, whatever they are. It s important to know that there are people who can support you. You could talk to your partner, family or friends about it. Our cancer support specialists on 0808 808 00 00 can also provide support. Questions about cancer? Ask Macmillan 0808 808 00 00 www.macmillan.org.uk Page 1 of 5 Fertility testing for young men (MCS 5 pages).indd 1 04/02/2015 16:12:05
You may find that getting some information about the different ways of becoming a parent is enough for now. These include medical treatments and adoption. You may want to delay having your fertility tested until later. You may find the uncertainty of not knowing whether you can have children more stressful than finding out. Whether or not you are in a relationship or ready to start a family, you might prefer to find out whether you can have children. This can help you feel more in control and able to plan your future. Other people in your life, such as your partner or parents, may feel they need to know whether your fertility has been affected. Although this may seem like a good reason for finding out, the decision to have the test is yours. If you have a partner, or there are other people who may be affected by the results, it may help to talk to them before the test. Together, you can clarify what you are hoping for from the future, how the test results might affect this and how you would cope depending on the results. Deciding when to get a fertility test You may prefer not to find out about your fertility until you reach a certain point in your life. This may be: when you feel emotionally strong enough to deal with the results when you reach a certain age when you ve met the person you see as your long-term partner when you want to start a family. Your decision will probably depend on how you re coping generally after having cancer. You may already be going through other major life events, such as taking exams, leaving school or college, leaving home or starting a new job. These can be stressful and challenging times. In this case, you may not want to add the emotional effects of having a fertility test. Cancer and its treatment will often affect your fertility, even if this is only temporary. It s important not to have any fertility tests too soon after you ve finished treatment, as they might give an artificially low assessment of your future fertility. Specialists usually suggest that you wait at least six months after treatment ends. This will allow your body to recover. Page 2 of 5 Questions about cancer? Ask Macmillan 0808 808 00 00 www.macmillan.org.uk Fertility testing for young men (MCS 5 pages).indd 2 04/02/2015 16:12:05
Who can help? Choosing to have fertility testing is a big decision. You might find it helpful to share your thoughts and feelings with other people. These may include: your partner, if you have one family members trusted friends professionals, such as doctors, nurses, social workers or counsellors. How do men get a fertility test? You can ask your cancer doctor or GP to send you for a fertility test (semen analysis). This will be at a local laboratory. Your doctor then usually refers you to an NHS fertility specialist to discuss the results. These tests are free. If you ve had your sperm frozen and stored in a sperm bank, you can ask to have this tested. You can also ask a private fertility clinic to do this. The sperm bank or private fertility clinic may charge you for the test. What does the test involve? You produce a sample by masturbating (wanking) into a small container. You will probably be asked to do this in a private room close to the laboratory. This means the sample can be analysed quickly, making the results more accurate. You might be nervous about doing this, especially in a strange place. The staff at the clinic will be very understanding and will try their best to put you at ease. You may be allowed to produce the sample at home and take it into the laboratory within an hour. If you do this, you need to keep the sample warm until you get there, for example in a pocket. Questions about cancer? Ask Macmillan 0808 808 00 00 www.macmillan.org.uk Page 3 of 5 Fertility testing for young men (MCS 5 pages).indd 3 04/02/2015 16:12:05
How accurate is the test? No laboratory test is 100% accurate. The test should be able to check whether you are producing sperm. If sperm are being produced, the test also checks how many there are, how well they can move, and their shape and size. This gives the doctor an idea of how likely it is that you could make a woman pregnant, and whether you re likely to need fertility treatment. Test results If the test shows normal sperm production If the test shows that you are producing sperm at normal levels, you ll need to use contraception if you re not trying to have a baby. You can repeat the test every year to make sure the result hasn t changed. If you have normal results over several years, you may want to think about whether you still need any frozen samples you have in storage. Your doctor may discuss this with you. You can also talk about it with the counsellor in the clinic. There should be no pressure to get rid of samples if you want to keep them. If the test shows below-normal sperm production If the test shows that your sperm production is below normal levels, there is still a possibility you can become a father. So it s important to use contraception if you are not trying to have a baby. You ll be advised to wait at least three months before having another test to see whether the situation has changed. If the test shows no sperm production If no sperm are seen in the sample, it might be useful to have the test repeated again later. If you re not trying to become a father right now, it might be reasonable to have a test every year. If you want to become a father, you may decide to have the test done more often. It can take up to three months for the testicles to make sperm, so most doctors advise you to wait at least three months between tests. Even if you ve been told that you re not producing any sperm, you should use contraception if you are not trying to have a baby, as sperm production can start again at any time. Page 4 of 5 Questions about cancer? Ask Macmillan 0808 808 00 00 www.macmillan.org.uk Fertility testing for young men (MCS 5 pages).indd 4 04/02/2015 16:12:05
Second test Your fertility doctor may ask you for a second sample. This is to check the result of the first test. The doctor may also ask you to have other tests (usually blood tests) if you want to try to have a baby. More information and support More than one in three of us will get cancer. For most of us it will be the toughest fight we ever face. And the feelings of isolation and loneliness that so many people experience make it even harder. But you don t have to go through it alone. The Macmillan team is with you every step of the way. To order a copy of Fertility support for young people affected by cancer or any other cancer information, visit be.macmillan.org.uk or call 0808 808 00 00. We make every effort to ensure that the information we provide is accurate and up to date but it should not be relied upon as a substitute for specialist professional advice tailored to your situation. So far as is permitted by law, Macmillan does not accept liability in relation to the use of any information contained in this publication, or thirdparty information or websites included or referred to in it. Macmillan Cancer Support 2013. Registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Registered office 89 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7UQ REVISED IN DECEMBER 2014 Planned review in 2017 Questions about cancer? Ask Macmillan 0808 808 00 00 www.macmillan.org.uk Page 5 of 5 Fertility testing for young men (MCS 5 pages).indd 5 04/02/2015 16:12:05