Please could someone help interpret sperm analysis results?

[LemonadeGirl08]

Hi, our semen analysis results came back and the nurse told us they were all within the normal range- huge sigh of relief. BUT when we got home and looked though them it said ABNORMAL FORMS 99% - that doesn't sound good to me... Can anyone compare results with me? Or has anyone had a similar result? We've been TTC for quite a while with no sign of a BFP, we are now waiting for an appointment with a consultation. My appointment isn't for another 3 weeks and I may just go mad waiting!

Thanks for much for any help!

[fairyfeatures]

hi,

This happened to us. Dh had NHS sperm analysis and was told everything 'normal' - upon reading the results. the only 'normal' factor was the count - which was above average - everything else, mobility, motility and quality were very poor.
My report didn't specify the term 'ABNORMAL' but the equal of that, I cant remember the term now, needs to be read and is important.
Rather than seek advice on here, my advice to you would be to make an appointment with a GP (preferably a fertility trained or interested one) to have them analyse the report for you. My GP was very helpful with this. She will no doubt advise that you need a second test in 3 months time but can certainly help.

Don't worry too much, happy ending for me. I am now 5.5months pregnant and that can be the same for you. Lots of luck

[LemonadeGirl08]

Hi Fairy thank you for your advice, I think I will give the GP a call and try to get an appointment... in meantime I end up googling everything and getting myself worked up! Its so frustrating that they clearly don't look at the whole reports in detail..

Congratulations on your pregnancy, could I ask did you up up receiving fertility treatment or were you able to get pregnant naturally?

Thanks again fo the advice xxx

[CatnipMouse]

Is there a 'normal range' for each measure listed on the report? From memory, anything less than 4% normal morphology is abnormal, if you see what I mean. But yes you should discuss with an expert. Sounds like you don't have a consultant's team yet who could explain the result so call GP surgery and ask for a call to discuss. They might not speak to you about it though due to patient confidentiality, it might have to be your partner who calls.

I know there are people who reckon there's a lot you can do to improve morphology (vitamins, no booze or hot baths etc, probably other stuff) but I'm not an expert.

[Shellster52]

Hi Lemonade. I have been in the same situation as you and as I read your story, all the feelings come flooding back as I clearly remember how stressful that diagnosis was. We were very lucky to have a son and were struggling with secondary infertility. My husbands first semen result came back with 98% abnormal forms. Subsequent results came back as 100% abnormal! My husband is a junk food lover and has put on 20kg since I met him so I assume there were a few good sperm to get our son and it just got worse and worse over time with his lifestyle.

Does your report give details of what the abnormality is. Ours said that the sperm have either small or missing acrosomes (the outer layer on the head of the sperm that contains enzymes to enable it to penetrate the egg.

Since you ask Fairy if she got pregnant naturally or required treatment, perhaps you are interested in the same for me since we are in the same situation - I did several rounds of IVF with ICSI to inject the sperm into the egg and overcome the sperm issue, and was finally successful in July this year. But I tried naturally every month for 4 years in the cycles we were not doing IVF and not a hint of BFP, so from my experience, I would say you are on the right path getting fertility assistance.

I did read that diet and exercise play a big role in sperm health but trying to get my husband to change was like banging my head against a wall. I am curious to know if you would consider your husband generally healthy or a bit overweight and a junk food eater like mine, since we both have the same diagnosis.

I hope your specialist appointment comes around quickly. How stressful that the nurse didn't discuss this with you and you are now left waiting and wondering.

[LemonadeGirl08]

Shellster Thanks so much for telling me your story it sounds like you have been on quite the journey! Huge congratulations on your pregnancy! It's reassuring to hear that it can happen!

My partner is very active swimming, cycling etc. and is one of those annoying people that can eat anything and not put on weight so his diet could be improved. I've been reading up on various vitamins that may help but the results seem a bit mixed, I guess there's no harm in trying though!

It would seem that as the count and motility are all with in normal ranges they aren't paying attention to the Morphology and unfortunately it does not give any further details. In fact it does not even mention Morphology- at the bottom of the list is just states Abnormal Forms 99%. Was it just the Morphology that was the problem in our husbands case?

I'm just frustrated as all our other tests have come back normal so this is the only thing I can think of that could be the reason why we are having no luck..I suppose I will just have to wait and see what the consultant has to say.

Catnip all the other lines of the report give a normal range next to the result but this line is right at the end and has no normal range next to it. I was wondering if the NHS don't think Morphology is important but that would seem odd. I think it might be quite a basic report as there is really not much detail when I compare it to other peoples.

Hoping for the next few weeks to fly by!

[Shellster52]

I would assume they are talking about the morphology or shape of the sperm when they mention the word forms Lemonade. For my husband, the initial test showed everything to be low - count, motility and morhphology. I then gave him supplements since I could not change his diet and the count and motility both increased to the normal range, but the morphology remained abnormal. Even though your husband eats a bit of junk, he sounds much healthier than mine with his cycling, swimming and active lifestyle. My husbands exercise is sitting in front of the TV and lifting chips to his mouth. I really hope you get some answers at your next appointment. Is the next appointment decide what course of fertility action to take? Let us know how you get on.

[toastyarmadillo]

Abnormal forms simply refer to the morphology of the superman. Covers things like missing tail, multiple tails etc. Motility Would be covered under a separate character. We also measured volume and other things. When I worked in cytology and did these specimens we reported motility and count based on a live sample but abnormal forms were counted using a fixed and stained (with special dye) slide. It's fairly normal to have what appears large numbers of abnormal forms but have it reported as "normal"

[toastyarmadillo]

Argh spermatozoa not superman