Can the Y chromosome be tested for missing parts?
Another blood test is called the Y chromosome deletion test which can be done by a few specialised laboratories in Australia. The Y chromosome deletion test checks if important genetic material, which controls sperm production, is missing on the male sex chromosome (Y chromosome). This problem happens in about one in 20 men with low sperm counts. It is not possible to correct this genetic defect and, because each male child receives his only copy of the Y chromosome from his father, it seems likely that this form of male infertility will be inherited by male children born with the help of assisted reproductive technologies.
