It’s time to say goodbye to both those excuses. Scientists last week identified a protein defect that may explain many cases of male infertility (it’s also implicated in some female cases), so docs can understand and eventually treat the condition more effectively. This week, Fertell, a his-and-hers home test that’s been popular for the past year in Britain, is making its U.S. debut, allowing men to check their fertility at home. Taking the doc out of the equation removes some of the embarrassment, so the home test is easier to face than a clinic visit. A company called BabyStart already has a male-fertility test on the market, but it measures only sperm count; Fertell tells the patient how many of those sperm are good swimmers. If a man has 10 million motile sperm per milliliter, he’s probably good to go. Lower, and he should see a doctor.
