Specimen Requirements

Patient Preparation/Specimen Collection/Specimen Handling.

Post Vasectomy Semen Collection Patient Instruction form must accompany the sample, see forms menu.

• Some references suggest to wait twelve weeks (3 months) after a vasectomy procedure before collection of a post vasectomy check specimen or as stated by provider
• It is recommended that patients have at least 20 ejaculations within the 12-week period after the vasectomy procedure prior to submitting a specimen for vasectomy check
• Patients should abstain from any type of ejaculation prior to collection of specimen for a period of 2-5 days.
• The preferred sample is produced by masturbation into a sterile container.
• If a condom is used, a non-spermicidal condom must be used.
• Avoid the use of lubricants. 
• It is important to collect an entire specimen and it is critical that the lab is notified if any of the semen was lost.
• Incomplete ejaculation and/or incomplete collection of total ejaculate may cause false oligospermia (low sperm count) or false azoospermia.
• The specimen may be collected on site or off site.
• Write first and last name, date of birth, and date and time of collection on the specimen container.
• Semen specimens may be rejected due to improper storage, such as frozen or refrigerated samples, or overall transportation of sample at a lower or higher temperature than the recommended range of 20℃ to 37℃.
• Specimens should be received and testing completed within 48 hours