Male fertility check, aisle 9

For the first time ever, two major U.S. drugstore chains are selling a male fertility test. The at-home test, known as SpermCheck Fertility, is already available online from Walgreens and CVS; in April, Walgreens will begin offering the $40 product in stores.

The test provides an approximate sperm count, indicating whether the count is within the normal range or not. And while a sperm count is only one indicator of male fertility, it s a good first step toward identifying a problem, says Dr. Ross. However, a full semen analysis, which costs about $100 in a medical lab, will still be necessary to determine semen volume and sperm motility.

ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross believes it s about time that a male fertility test was available alongside the numerous female ovulation and pregnancy tests in drugstores. The test s increased availability will most likely raise people s awareness of it as a simple option. There s no longer any reason that women should have to go through invasive infertility testing before it s been determined, via a much simpler test, whether a couple s difficulty conceiving is due to inadequate sperm concentration.