At-home sperm test for vasectomized men

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Nov. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers have confirmed the accuracy and reliability of SpermCheck Vasectomy, an at-home test for detecting low concentrations of sperm.

In the clinical trial, University of Virginia Health System researcher John C. Herr and colleagues used SpermCheck to evaluate a cohort of 144 post-vasectomy semen samples. The test achieved an accuracy rate of 96 percent in identifying whether sperm counts were greater or less than a threshold of 250,000 sperm per ml -- a level associated with little or no risk of causing pregnancy.

SpermCheck proved to be 100 percent accurate in identifying whether sperm counts were greater or less than 384,000 sperm per ml.

In the consumer study of SpermCheck, 109 lay volunteers obtained the correct or expected test result in every case. The consumer study achieved a 97 percent correct response rate on a 20-question survey about the test.

"SpermCheck Vasectomy is similar in size and function to a women's home pregnancy test," Herr said in a statement. "It's designed to help couples monitor and confirm that post-vasectomy sperm concentrations have reached infertile levels and avoid any surprises if recanalization occurs."

Herr discovered and patented the biomarker on which SpermCheck is based and is involved in commercializing SpermCheck.

The findings, published in the Journal of Urology, consisted of a clinical trial and consumer study.