Fellow’s mail-in semen analysis makes it easy for you to understand what's going on with your sperm health. If you’re trying to get pregnant, planning for the future, or just curious about your reproductive health, Fellow is an easy, comfortable, and cost-effective way to get information about your fertility.
Not working with a doctor just yet? Fellow provides the only clinical-grade mail-in semen analysis available directly to consumers.
You'll need to produce your sample after you've been abstinent (meaning no sex, no masturbation, no ejaculation whatsoever) for a minimum of 48 hours, but a maximum of five days. This is because studies show that sperm health improves when you haven’t ejaculated for a couple of days, but declines as your sperm age inside the reproductive tract past day five. It’s also crucial that you ship your sample on a day when it will actually reach us overnight. This means researching where your local UPS Store is and dropping your sample off before the overnight shipping cutoff time (usually 3:00 or 4:00PM, but you should check) on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. **(Please note: these requirements are different for Vasectomy Tests)**
Your kit must be shipped back on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday morning, and you must send it back the same day you produce your sample. This is important, because your kit must ship overnight via UPS (the label is already on the box), and if you send it Friday–Sunday it will not reach our lab in time, your sample will be rejected, and you will have to test again. After you’ve produced your sample, you’ll follow the instructions to mark your collection cup and pack and seal your kit. Then, you'll drop your kit off at a UPS Store (not a Drop Box or Access Point) before the overnight shipping cut-off time, Monday-Thursday.
When it comes to accuracy: yes. Fellow is the only mail-in semen analysis that is clinically validated and peer-reviewed. Our laboratory is CLIA-certified, just like traditional labs. This means that we have demonstrated that we can provide the same results as what you'd receive at a fertility clinic or your doctor's office, as long as we can analyze your sample within 52 hours of when you produce it. That doesn’t mean we’re just like everybody else. With Fellow, you’ll produce your semen sample at home. No more ratty old magazines and vinyl couches in some lab. No more waiting for an appointment and making awkward chit-chat with the person scheduling your semen sample production. Our semen analysis is also likely to be cheaper than going with a traditional lab, and we typically provide free replacement kits if your sample can’t be analyzed.
Results are usually returned within 2 business days of when we receive your sample at our lab. With overnight shipping, this usually means 2-3 days from when you drop your sample off at a UPS Store. Once your results are approved, we'll send you a secure link via email to view your report in your Fellow account.
In order to make sure you get your results, it’s crucial that you follow the instructions closely. In particular, make sure that you produce your sample on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, and drop your sample off that same day at a UPS Store—before the overnight shipping cut-off time (usually 3 or 4PM, but you should check).
(Please note: Shipping times and results turnaround are different for customers using our Vasectomy Test.)
Fellow is making waves in male reproductive health precisely because we address this exact problem. Our mail-in semen analysis process is published and peer-reviewed in one of the leading scientific journals on reproductive health, Fertility & Sterility. This means we have demonstrated that we can provide clinically valid results despite the delay between when you produce your sample and when we get it at our lab. How does it work? For one thing, overnight shipping is included in the cost of the kit so that your sample reaches us as quickly as possible. Your kit also includes a vial of preservation solution that is designed to stabilize your sample during the shipping process, along with a gel pack that helps maintain a reasonable temperature. Despite these measures, some of your sperm will die in transit (poor little guys). That’s why we developed and validated an algorithm that accurately predicts how sperm degrade over time. Using this algorithm—and the date and time of when you produced your sample—we can calculate clinically accurate results. (Please note: Vasectomy Test kits ship back to us via UPS Ground.)
Your semen analysis kit includes a specimen container (the thing you ejaculate into), a vial of preservation solution (designed to keep your sperm healthy in transit), detailed instructions (to help you get it right), and a gel pack (to help stabilize the temperature of your sample while it makes its way to our lab).
Your kit will ship in an outer box that can be discarded. The kit itself functions as a return shipper box, and it will already have the return shipping label attached to it.
(Please note: The Fellow Vasectomy Test kit does not include a gel pack.)
Yes, but the only part of the kit that expires is the preservation solution (which helps keep your semen sample stable during transit). The preservation solution expires on the date listed on the sticker on the outside of the box. If this date has passed or is coming up soon, simply reach out to us at support@meetfellow.com. We’ll send you a new vial of preservation solution, free of charge.
If the preservation solution in your kit has expired (or is nearing expiration), please do not send back your kit. Instead, reach out to us at support@meetfellow.com. We'll send you a new vial, free of charge.
Please leave the gel pack exactly where it is in the kit. There's no need to remove it or put it in the refrigerator or freezer, even if it's not cold. The gel pack is designed to keep your sample at an optimal temperature during the overnight transport back to our lab in San Leandro, CA, and it will work best if you don't handle it at all. **(Please note: The Fellow Vasectomy Test kit does not include a gel pack, and ships via UPS Ground.)**
At this time, all Fellow kits are paid for out-of-pocket. If you have an HSA or FSA account, you may be able to seek reimbursement from your plan. The first step would be to check with your plan provider. If they approve the expense, you can pay for your kit with your personal credit card and then submit a receipt for reimbursement.
Detailed receipts are available via your Fellow account by logging in and clicking your name in the top right corner of your screen.
We are happy to provide a refund up until your kit ships out to you. Once your kit ships, we generally cannot provide refunds or accommodate returns. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to support@meetfellow.com.
“Morphology” refers to a measurement of how many of your sperm cells are shaped normally. Fellow uses a Computer-Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA) system to perform Fellow Semen Analysis (FSA) testing. In order for the CASA system to report on morphology, it must detect a certain concentration of sperm cells that are “motile” (a technical way of saying moving around). That's because the CASA system uses an FDA-cleared algorithm which correlates many different sperm cell metrics (including motility) to evaluate morphology. What this means is that a “no result” morphology outcome is related to whether or not your sample has enough moving sperm cells to be analyzed. If you have a low sperm cell count or low motility, repeat testing won't necessarily guarantee that you will get a morphology result. FSA is designed primarily as a screening tool. We make it easy and comfortable to test so that we can increase access to male fertility care. If you have low motility and a “no result” morphology and want to know more, you should consider visiting an in-person lab for either a WHO⁶ or a “Kruger Strict” morphology evaluation.