Male Fertility Tests Cost Comparison

We've all heard reports in the media about the so-called 'postcode lottery' affecting NHS services and fertility treatments in particular, but is private fertility treatment any better? We wanted to find out if payment rates for fertility testing for men were consistent at different clinics throughout Britain, or if, for example, a clinic in London would charge more for a semen analysis test than a clinic in Glasgow or elsewhere.

No Easy Answers

After some investigation, we found that it's very hard to tell. All the fertility clinics we checked clearly listed their prices for testing male fertility, but they package the tests in different ways. Some clinics charge for a semen analysis test in combination with a consultation and a pelvic scan for the female partner. This makes the semen analysis seem much more expensive than that another clinic where the semen test is priced individually. However, this may not be the case at all when you see a breakdown of all the elements of the more expensive clinic's test package.

North to South - and West

Below are the prices we found for male fertility testing at clinics in Scotland, England and Wales. The clinics will remain unnamed. You'll notice that some clinics stated their prices for initial screening tests in addition to the semen analysis, but others did not.

Glasgow

The private fertility clinic we looked at in Glasgow charges:

£110 for a semen analysis

£40 for a Chlamydia test (Chlamydia being an STI that can cause infertility in both men and women)

Cardiff

In the Welsh capital, one clinic prices its male fertility tests as follows:

£325 for a semen analysis along with an initial consultation (meeting with a fertility specialist, a fertility nurse and a pelvic scan for the female partner)

£175 for a repeat of the semen analysis one year later, again in combination with a scan for the female partner

Wolverhampton

Tests at one Wolverhampton clinic will cost you:

£150 for a semen analysis

£135 for all-round initial screening (includes HIV test, tests for Hepatitis B and C)

London

The London clinic we investigated also packaged its semen analysis costs together with the costs of other services:

£140 for semen analysis

£125 for a consultation to discuss the results of the semen test

£25 for an additional test of the semen culture and sensitivity

Initial screening tests were priced as follows:

HIV - £29

Hep. B Surface Antigen - £26

Hep. B Core - £28

Hep. C - £55

Chlamydia - £53

Please Note

These private clinics are independent, private businesses and they have the right to change their prices as they see fit and charge whatever amount they feel is appropriate for their services. We in no way mean to imply that any of these charges are unreasonable or that they should not vary from clinic to clinic. The most reliable way to get price information on male fertility tests is to contact the clinic in question and ask for their brochure.