How much does a semen analysis cost privately in the UK? (2026)

A private semen analysis counts and assesses sperm in a sample produced after a few days of abstinence, and is the first test of male fertility or a check after vasectomy.

Several UK hospital groups publish guide prices on their websites. In the listings we retrieved, semen analysis ran from £115 to £500, depending on the hospital, the variant listed and what that provider counts in its price. The table shows each entry as published.

Because each provider defines its package differently, the cheapest figure in a list is not automatically the best value. Compare what each includes before you compare totals.

After two to seven days without ejaculation, you provide a sample by masturbation into a pot, either at the clinic or at home, delivering it within the time required and keeping it warm.

Ask who explains the result and what repeat testing costs, because a single result is often not definitive.

The report lists volume, concentration, motility and shape, compared against WHO reference values. Values below the reference do not mean a man cannot father a child, and values within it do not guarantee fertility.

Because results vary between samples, a second test after a few weeks is usually advised if the first is abnormal. A fertility specialist considers the whole picture, including the partner, before recommending treatment.

The headline figure hides several moving parts. In the case of semen analysis, the following tend to decide where a quote lands.

• Fertility analysis versus post-vasectomy check: a basic presence-or-absence check is simpler than a full fertility analysis.

• Laboratory accreditation: specialist andrology labs apply WHO methods.

• Number of samples: abnormal results are usually repeated.

• Consultation: interpretation by a doctor adds a fee.

• Add-on tests: DNA fragmentation and others have limited evidence.

A fixed price is only as useful as its small print. Here is how the common items tend to divide between included and extra.

Insurers usually do not cover semen analysis for fertility, though some cover it when requested by a doctor.

Insured patients should confirm the benefit limit, the excess and whether the consultant is on the insurer list. Self-funders can compare a fixed package price against an itemised estimate, and ask whether credit is available.

NHS semen analysis is arranged by your GP as part of initial fertility investigation, at no cost to the patient.

If you are weighing private against NHS care, remember that NHS referral gives you a right to choose a provider in England and an 18-week standard for non-urgent treatment. Check current waits in your area before deciding.

There is no recovery.

Ask your provider to explain, in writing if possible, what is covered if the course of care changes.

• Sperm counts vary from day to day, so one abnormal result should be repeated before conclusions are drawn.

• Some home kits only test concentration, not movement or shape, and cannot replace a laboratory analysis.

Ask each provider for an itemised written estimate, then put them side by side. These questions are specific to this procedure.

• Is the analysis a full fertility test or a basic check?

• Does the lab follow WHO standards?

• Is a repeat included if abnormal?

• Who explains the result?

• Is the consultant fee, anaesthetist fee and hospital fee shown separately, and are any of them estimated rather than fixed?