Low sperm count and morphology

jellybeans

Hi just wondering if anyone has been treated for low sperm count and morphology. We have just been told that we have both and wondering now is it straight to IUI/IVF or do they attempt to treat the problem with medications etc?? Our next appointment is not until October...the constant waiting for answers is the worst thing about this whole process

pwurple

My hubbie had low morphology and motility. He managed to improved it pretty drastically in the space of 3 months by cutting out booze completely and eating a bit healthier.

We weren't offered any treatment for it. We were told because of it we would not be candidates for IVF, it would be straight to ICSI... Which is the next level up again in cost and complexity.

We have conceived since.

jellybeans

thanks for the reply, do you mind me picking your brains about your journey???

did you conceive on the first shot at ICSI? and how much was it...I have no idea how any of this works...how much it is...what's included in the price etc? money is an issue unfortunately also did your hubby take supplements etc?

josip

I had poor sperm results before our fourth round of IVF. They were so bad that the doctor told us we'd be doing ICSI. As far as I remember the morphology was measured as part of a DNA fragmentation test which showed fairly scruffy sperm. For previous rounds they'd been acceptable for normal IVF without breaking any records.
So for 4 months prior to the IVF, I cut out all caffeine (incl Coca-Cola) and alcohol and got out for relaxing walks with my wife in the evening. I was already cycling to work and playing soccer, so wasn't unfit.
Then on the tablet side of things, this is what I took daily.

• Vitamins: list them all
  • C – 1000mg
  • E – 400 IU
  • B Complex
  • Folic Acid 5mg
  • Selenium
  • Zinc
  • Amino Acids

ii. Acetyl-l-carnitine
iii. L-arginine

Try to watch out for special offers for the carnitine and arginine and bulk buy, they can be expensive

I think I was also on the Q10/nutri-nano.
The water soluble ones of the above, you'll need to take daily. The fat soluble ones you can take less often.

By the time it came for IVF the count and morphology was back up to normal and we were able to do a normal IVF round.

jellybeans

I see and did your counts improve to normal levels? like above 20million etc? I haven't been back to get our results interpreted so I dont know anything about ISCI etc...I was told that based on my partners first results we would be referred over the HARI but they then sent me off to get HSG and Ultrasound aswell as all the blood tests etc and my partner to get a more indepth SA done in HARI. I'm awaiting our return appointment to hear what will be next for us but I could wait to hear the results of the indepth Semen Analysis so I got them to send them out. His Semen count results were

Sperm Count: 11million
Total Motility: 55%
Progressive: 45%
Non-Progressive: 10%
Morphology: 3%


all of that is after excersizing, not smoking, no heat near area, no caffeine and taking wellman conception for a couple of months prior to the test. There's a whole other section where it says the following

Volume Washed: 2.0
Count: 8
Progressive Motility: 90

it also says "This sample was Oligoteratozoospermic but prepared well in the lab" Not sure what this means???

My ultrasound was normal and HSG looked good also, only thing I'm anxious about is my progesterone which was 18 on day 21. My period was only 24 days though that month so Im not sure how that will affect the results.

I am pretty stressed out at the moment and trying to figure things out through google and boards like this. The next available appointment is middle of September and the thoughts of having to wait till then is killing me....lots of tears....lots of online searches and lots of agonising over the wait time

pwurple

We actually didn't go for the ICSI. It was crazy expensive, we were saving up for it. I spoke to my GP about it. The man has a reputation of bring a bit of a genius for this stuff. retired now alas.

He advised the changes in husbands diet. retested until we saw an improvement. he put me on three cycles of microlite (the pill), then tried staight away after coming off it. We conceived that way.

Second time we conceived was similar, pill again and coming off it. but we were doing blood tests every few days and follicle tracking as well.

You could try NAPRO maybe. I have pals who have had great success with them if the IVF is too much.

jellybeans

God you are very lucky...do you mind me asking what his results were before and after?

josip

Hi Jellybeans, my count got back to the low 20s and progressive back to around 55% if I remember correctly. Your partner's numbers seem fairly good. The count figure can be fairly subjective and depend a lot on days since abstinence, even within a lot of clinic guidelines of 2-5 days.

Your partner seems to be making a good effort from the details in your post. The only other things I can think of are: alcohol consumption? This is less black and white than smoking. Many people would claim that giving up alcohol adds stress to their lives and isn't worth any potential benefits. A lot of clinics would be more in favour of cutting it out/minimising it. I found that Erdinger do a great n/a beer, a big improvement since Kaliber days.

Also I remember reading at least once place that from the point of view of sperm production the more often you have sex the testes get "tuned" better for producing sperm and you'll get better numbers.

Best of luck.

jellybeans

Thanks Josip ye he doesn't drink and we are doing the every second day recommendation to rejuvenate the sperm etc....a lot of people are recommending a concoction of different vitamins so we might try that .....

josip wrote: »

Hi Jellybeans, my count got back to the low 20s and progressive back to around 55% if I remember correctly. Your partner's numbers seem fairly good. The count figure can be fairly subjective and depend a lot on days since abstinence, even within a lot of clinic guidelines of 2-5 days.

Your partner seems to be making a good effort from the details in your post. The only other things I can think of are: alcohol consumption? This is less black and white than smoking. Many people would claim that giving up alcohol adds stress to their lives and isn't worth any potential benefits. A lot of clinics would be more in favour of cutting it out/minimising it. I found that Erdinger do a great n/a beer, a big improvement since Kaliber days.

Also I remember reading at least once place that from the point of view of sperm production the more often you have sex the testes get "tuned" better for producing sperm and you'll get better numbers.

Best of luck.