A Not for Profit Laboratory

The Bedford Research Foundation's clinical laboratory is a not for profit, Massachusetts public charity. The laboratory operates on the principle that revenues and information from existing laboratory tests should be used to support research and the development of new tests.

Semen Specimen Collection

Home Semen Collection Kit

It is important to remember that SPAR is designed as a clinical trial. The current protocol calls for sperm from two specimens with an undetectable viral burden for each conception attempt.

Semen specimens may be delivered to the
laboratory for testing using two methods:

  1. Specimens may be Walked-In to the Davis Square lab within 90 minutes of specimen collection.
  2. Specimens may be Mailed-In via Priority Overnight FedEx from almost anywhere in the world.

Both methods use the Foundation’s Live Semen Transport Kit; designed specifically for SPAR. The Mail-In kit is the first overnight delivery kit that does not require freezer packs because of its specialized refrigeration medium added to the specimen before shipping.

The Live Specimen is Analyzed for:
  • Sperm Count to assess fertility.
  • Sperm appearance (morphology) for advanced assessment of fertility and development of sperm.
  • Immunostain for estimation of other types of cells in your semen.
  • Viral Testing for detection of HIV RNA / DNA particles in specimen.
  • Private Sperm Cryo-Banking Cryopreservation of sperm for personal use only. We use standard sperm cryobank procedures to store specimens until needed.
Which Kit Should I Use?

The Mail-In Live Semen Transport Kit is recommended for most patients. Walk-In Live Semen Transport Kits may be recommended for patients with special infertility needs or specific time constraints.

How Do I Order a Kit?

An order form for your first kit will be included in your Intro Pack. We recommend submitting this kit in coordination with your initial consultation with Dr. Kiessling. The sperm count in your semen specimen may influence your treatment options. A $100 initial deposit is required with your first kit; this deposit will be credited toward specimen testing fees.

Order additional kits by emailing: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or downloading the order form and faxing it to: (617) 623-9447 or mailing it with payment to: PO Box 1028, Bedford, MA 01730.

To help protect the confidentiality of our patients, online ordering and credit card payments are not yet available. All payments must be made by check or money order.

Important Notes About Viral Testing:
  • Each specimen must be accompanied by a signed consent for HIV testing. A form is included in the kit or can be downloaded here.
  • Semen specimens are HIV tested in batches. Some specimens may require repeat testing. This means it may take two to four weeks to receive your specimen results. Viral test results are not given over the phone, they will be mailed to you.
Specimen Shipping & Receiving

Mail-In kits can be shipped:

  • Wednesday evening for arrival Thursday morning, or
  • Thursday evening for Friday arrival, or
  • Friday evening for Saturday arrival.
Walk-In Kits may be dropped off Fridays from 9AM to 1PM and Saturdays from 9 AM to 1 PM.

Ordering Additional Kits

Order additional kits by emailing: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or downloading the order form and faxing it to: (617) 623-9447 or mailing it with payment to: PO Box 1028, Bedford, MA 01730.

To help protect the confidentiality of our patients, online ordering and credit card payments are not yet available. All payments must be made by check or money order.