Mail-In Semen Analysis

Available across Canada, FlowLabs’ mail-in kit offers a convenient way to complete a semen analysis, with clinically validated results you can trust. Collect your sample privately at home and send it to us for a semen analysis – without visiting a lab.

Don’t have a requisition? Download a blank requisition form for your healthcare practitioner to complete, or speak with a specialist through FlowTelehealth to get started.

What This Test Evaluates

Once your sample is received at our lab, it undergoes a comprehensive semen analysis to evaluate key indicators of sperm health, including:

Sperm concentration (count)
Motility (movement)
Morphology (shape and structure)

These core measurements are analyzed using validated laboratory methods. For most individuals, the parameters included in this test provide a clear and meaningful starting point for understanding fertility and determining next steps.

Because your sample is collected at home and shipped to the lab, some time-sensitive measurements are not included in a mail-in test. These include factors such as pH, liquefaction, viscosity, vitality, round cell concentration and count, and anti-sperm antibody testing, as these require more immediate analysis.

A More Convenient Way to Test Your Fertility

Our mail-in semen analysis testing kit offers a flexible way to complete a semen analysis from home if access to a lab is difficult or you want to get started without delays.

FlowLabs’ mail-in option aims to make fertility testing more accessible across Canada while maintaining the same accuracy standards as our on-site services. The kit is designed to preserve the integrity of the sample during collection and transportation, and your sample is analyzed in our specialized lab using validated laboratory methods, ensuring results you can trust.

How the Mail-In Kit Works

Getting started with a mail-in semen analysis kit is simple and convenient:

Order your kit: Register online and have your collection kit shipped directly to you within a few days. Open it immediately, as some components must be placed in the freezer.
Collect your sample: Carefully follow the included instructions (or watch the linked instructional video) to collect your sample at home and prepare it to be sent to FlowLabs. If the instructions are not properly followed, it can invalidate the test results, and you may be asked to visit a FlowLabs location in person to provide a sample.
Send it to our lab: On the same day (or at most, the next morning), use the provided pre-paid packaging to return your sample for analysis.
Receive your results: Results are sent to your clinician (and you, if registered for MyChart) within 5–7 business days after your sample arrives at the lab.

More detailed instructions are available here if you’d like to read about the full process.

Is Mail-in Testing Right for You?

The mail-in semen analysis test can be a good option if:

You live more than one hour away from a FlowLabs location, e.g. in a rural location, or somewhere without access to fertility testing
Travelling to a lab location in person is difficult

For some individuals, booking an appointment at a FlowLabs location may still be recommended depending on specific testing needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is a mail-in sperm test?

FlowLabs’ mail-in semen analysis is designed to provide reliable results using clinically validated methods. Your sample is analyzed in our specialized lab, ensuring a high standard of accuracy for the core parameters used to assess sperm health.

How does a mail-in semen analysis compare to the other semen analysis test that FlowLabs offers?

The mail-in semen analysis kit measures three of the most important indicators of sperm health: sperm count, motility (movement), and morphology (shape and structure). Many semen analysis tests at other commercial labs only assess the first two.

Because some aspects require more immediate analysis, a regular FlowLabs testing appointment also assesses factors like pH, liquefaction, viscosity, vitality, round cell concentration and count, and anti-sperm antibody testing. However, the results of a mail-in test are comprehensive and still provide a meaningful assessment of fertility.

Do I need a requisition for a mail-in sperm test?

Yes, you’ll need a requisition from a licensed healthcare practitioner. If you don’t have one, you can download a blank requisition form for your healthcare practitioner to complete, or book a virtual consultation through FlowTelehealth to get started.

Is the mail-in sperm test available across Canada?

Yes. FlowLabs’ mail-in semen analysis kit is available across Canada, making it easier to access fertility testing regardless of your location. To order one, you must have a requisition from a clinician in the province in which you reside.

How do I send my sample to the lab?

Your kit includes detailed instructions and prepaid shipping materials to return your sample. (You can also find these instructions here.) Once collected, you’ll ship it back to the lab on the same day (or at most, the day after).

How long does it take to get results?

Results are typically available within 5–7 business days after your sample arrives at the lab.

How does the cost of the kit compare to on-site testing?

In both cases, the cost of the semen analysis is covered by OHIP, your provincial healthcare program, or eligible insurance. However, patients must cover the cost of the kit, which includes the components and shipping logistics.

I have had a vasectomy. Is the mail-in semen analysis appropriate for post-vasectomy testing?

No. Our mail-in semen analysis has not been clinically validated for post-vasectomy testing. For accurate confirmation following a vasectomy, please book a Post-Vasectomy Sperm Test at one of our FlowLabs locations.

Don’t Have a Requisition Yet?

No problem. FlowTelehealth, a separate service offered by Flow Health Services, offers a simple way to connect with a fertility specialist from home* – at no cost to the patient.

Through a secure virtual consultation, you can:

Ask questions about your fertility
Receive a requisition for testing
Get guidance on your results and next steps

*FlowTelehealth is not currently available to patients in BC, Quebec, Yukon, Nunavut, or the Northwest Territories.

Order Your Mail-In Semen Analysis Kit

Take the next step with a convenient, discreet from-home sperm test available across Canada.