The £5 home fertility test for men

MEN could soon be able to check their fertility at home – using a £5 test and a mobile phone app.

Researchers are developing a device similar to a pregnancy test that could check the quality of men’s semen.

The DIY test – which could be on shelves within two years – will have dots that change colour to indicate the swimming ability of sperm cells and concentration. Men can find detailed results with a smartphone app.

Speaking at the Euro Sci Con Reproductive Health Summit in London this week, Reza Nosrati, of Toronto University, said the test could save men from having to see a doctor before they were sure something was wrong.

The test is being trialled at the university’s fertility clinic and is expected to be sold for no more than ten Canadian dollars – about £5.50.

Fertility tests for men in the UK cost about £30 and show only if sperm count is normal or low.