United Kingdom
Semen analysis in the UK
How semen analysis works in the UK under NICE and the NHS, what a private test is buying, and where verified London prices are published.
- Published
- Modified
- Clinician review
- Not yet
Short answer
A UK semen analysis used for fertility assessment should be read against the WHO reference values in NICE NG257. You usually arrange it with a GP if you are using the NHS. Private testing exists too. The verified comparison so far is London, where published semen analysis prices run from £199 to £278. Other cities are withheld until they meet the same bar.
Key takeaways
- Reference limits match the rest of this site: 16 million/ml, 39 million in total, 42% total motility, 30% progressive motility, 4% normal forms.
- NHS advice is to see a GP after a year of trying, or six months if the partner is 36 or over.
- The laboratory’s abstinence and drop-off rules are the ones to follow.
- London is published. A city page is not created just because people search for it.
| Measurement | Reference value | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Semen volume | 1.4 ml or more | Within the current reference range at or above this value |
| Sperm concentration | 16 million/ml or more | Within the current reference range at or above this value |
| Total sperm number | 39 million or more | Within the current reference range at or above this value |
| Total motility | 42 % or more | Within the current reference range at or above this value |
| Progressive motility | 30 % or more | Within the current reference range at or above this value |
| Vitality | 54 % or more | Within the current reference range at or above this value |
| Normal morphology | 4 % or more | Within the current reference range at or above this value |
NICE also cites semen pH of 7.2 or more. These are lower reference limits, not a fertility diagnosis.
Arranging it
Speak to a GP if the couple has been trying for the interval the NHS describes, or sooner if there is a known problem: previous testicular surgery, cancer treatment, anabolic steroid use, or a semen analysis that already showed no sperm. The GP requests the test. You may be asked to book an andrology appointment rather than produce a sample at home. Some services only accept samples produced on site.
The report
Use results explained for the lines and preparation before the day. If the first result is abnormal, expect a repeat in about three months unless sperm are absent or extremely low. Do not pay for a stack of unrequested add-on tests, such as routine antisperm antibodies, which NICE says not to offer routinely.
Directory
The UK clinic page explains how listings will work. HFEA’s own search remains the place to look for licensed treatment centres. A diagnostic laboratory may not appear there.
Related
Sources
- Fertility problems: assessment and treatment (NG257) — NICE, 2026
- Low sperm count — NHS
- WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen, 6th edition — World Health Organization, 2021
- Choose a clinic — Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
How this page was prepared
Drafted with automated research assistance and checked against the cited primary sources. A named clinician has not reviewed this page. Medical review is pending. Changes to reference values are not published automatically.