Male fertility
Sperm vitality testing checks what proportion of sperm in a sample are alive, using a stain or dye that only enters dead cells. It is particularly useful when most or all sperm are immotile, because it distinguishes between sperm that are alive but not moving (which may still be usable for treatments such as ICSI) and sperm that are dead. Low vitality with very low or absent motility may prompt further tests to look for structural sperm defects or other underlying causes.
Also known as: sperm viability, live sperm test
Sources
- World Health Organization (who.int)
Last reviewed: 9 September 2026. Written by the Antega Editorial Team. General information only — always follow the advice of your own clinic, doctor or pharmacist.