Sperm Test Results - Not good :(

[CrazyButterfly1]

Hiya,

Background; My tests day 21, day 3 and AMH reserve seem to be fine, I am 37 and DH is 43, neither have children. We have been TTC for over a year and a half maybe longer I have lost count.

We got the sperm test results for my DH, it does not look good and he has been referred to take a re-test that will probably take another 3 months before an appointment is given. DH did not ask for a copy of the result (although I asked him to get a copy) as he was upset and the GP was insisting on a second test before worrying DH any further.

The issues as far as I can understand are slow motility, something about the shape of the sperm and the sperm sticking together. DH is obviously upset and blaming himself that we may not be able to have a child let alone children.

I am trying to keep positive (absolutely gutted inside), but has anyone faced such issues ??

Is there any advice anyone can give to help "improve" the situation.

The GP has already referred me to the fertility clinic just recently although we were waiting for DH test results.

Thanks in advance and appreciate any advice anyone can offer xx

[Blueroses99]

Hello crazybutterfly. I was in your situation about 2 years ago and can assure you all is not lost! My DH had a second SA where things had got worse rather than better so we were referred for ICSI (more about that later).

Firstly sperm quality can be improved - it takes approx 90 days for sperm to mature so a 3 month routine of supplements and antioxidants can work wonders. I know that use of supplements has been disputed in these threads but all I can say is that the results improved dramatically between first cycle and second and the only difference is the cocktail of supplements and eating organic meat/fruit/veg/milk etc. DH was on a male conception multivitamin (NHP but others on the market), vitamin C, omega 3, antioxidants (Cellguard Forte), CoQ10 and vitamin d drops. He also ate Brazil nuts for selenium and snacked on fruit. My intake was similar but also zinc as I was diagnosed with low zinc. He took nothing before the first cycle, I tried to get him on a wellman daily and failed! But an unsuccessful cycle got him taking responsibility and as I said it vastly improved results and I got a BFP.

Secondly, ICSI is available to address any sperm issues. So instead of sperm swimming around and fertilising eggs in a Petri dish as per traditional IVF, ICSI means healthy looking sperm are injected into the egg. Low sperm count or low motility doesn't matter as long as there are some healthy sperm.

Getting Pregnant Gaster by Dr Marilyn Glenville is a good read. Hopefully this will put your mind at rest, but if you have any more questions I'm happy to help if I can.

[Blueroses99]

*Getting Pregnant Faster
Excuse typos

[CrazyButterfly1]

Hi BlueRoses, thank you very much for your advice and information. DH at the moment doesn't take anything perhaps these results may just give him the 'kick' he needs.

I have had a browse of the vitamins etc that you have said is there a certain mg he should be having? I may need spoon feeding regarding this as I am clueless and hate tablets of any form and kind! (although the only one's I have managed are sevenseas trying for a baby because the pills are tiny!)

I will also look up and have a read of this book you mentioned x

Many thanks once again xx

[meadowlark3]

Hi Butterfly,

What were the values for your DH? My DH was also a bit low on some of the metrics but GP said not to worry and never to rely on just one SA.

xx

[Blueroses99]

This is what we take: www.naturalhealthpractice.com/Plan_of_Action_W41.cfm

Somehow it's easier for DH to accept the 10+ daily capsules than the one a day!

[CrazyButterfly1]

Thanks would you suggest that this on its own will suffice or I should get this in addition to the other vitamins you have suggested? I think the results have given him a wake up call that he needs to do something !

[CrazyButterfly1]

Meadowlark- I have no clue! I had to go in to work and I asked him to get a copy of the results - didn't happen.

[SleepFreeZone]

My DP had slightly iffy results were his sperm swan in circles mainly. He cut out alcohol, went on fertil aid supplements (motility and count) and starting wearing loose boxers. I got pregnant a few months later so the result didn't prevent conception taking place.

[CrazyButterfly1]

Sleepfreezone-thanks DH has stopped drinking, he didn't particularly drink much as it was. I've just had a quick Google of fertilaid I guess I could get this from Amazon. I'm now confused as to which one to get this, wellman or NHP and the additional stuff blueroses kindly mentioned.

Both of you have given me some hope that all is not lost yet - thank you x

[SleepFreeZone]

I looked at the reviews on Amazon and was quite convinced. I took the female version plus the one for cervical mucus and he took the male. I also did fertility acupuncture and found that amazing.

[Ballstowinplease]

My husband only has 9million per ml. We tried for a year, Both had 2 sessions of acupuncture and the result is sleep next to me now.. DS was 1 last week. I don't know how it works, but it worked for us.

[Ballstowinplease]

Crazy all is never lost. It only takes 1!!!!

[CrazyButterfly1]

Thank you all for your positivity and advice ! I really do appreciate it since I don't have anyone really to discuss this with x

[Blueroses99]

It would certainly be beneficial to take the extra supplements that I mentioned - but it all starts becoming expensive and you could consider talking to a nutritionist (phone/Skype is available as well as face to face) to asses your DH's diet to see where there might be potential deficiencies- that's why DH was prescribed the extra stuff. On the other hand, antioxidants are known to improve sperm quality, coq10 is known to improve sperm and egg quality, and given it's now winter, most of us are vitamin d deficient so it's a fairly safe decision to take them anyway.

In the interests of full disclosure, the nutritionist we saw was at the Glenville clinic and we take their NHP vitamins because they are designed to be in the most easily digestible form e.g. alkaline magnesium ascorbate instead of acidic ascorbic acid as vitamin c, also they contain no caking agents or fillers. I buy my supplements from Amazon too, unless NHP have any special offers, which they do sometimes.

We both did acupuncture too, it's another hotly debated topic on these threads but I am a convert.

[FaithFromTheRealmsOfGlory]

Has he had his hormone levels checked? DH had a dreadful SA, poor motility and morphology. Essentially hardly any swimmers and they swam around in circles....they checked his testerone levels and they were really low so they checked his prolactin levels were high. Turns out he has a tumour on his pituitary gland causing a hormonal imbalance which has been treated with medication. All levels went back into normal ranges and I got pregnant about 6 months after the treatment kicked in (without any other interventions). DD is 3 now
It's definitely worth asking to get his prolactin levels checked. I just wanted to encourage you with our story.

[Hyland]

Our consultant at Harley street London told my partner to take Selenium(very smelly/tiny evil tablet) And Lcarnitign and Zinc. He said it would take 3 months to see an improvement. We was booked in for our first ivf and they told us that the improvement was massive in just a month.

We had a failed 1st ICSI and a failed frozen and a successful 3rd. Took us a year to go through treatment before BFP. 4 and a half years of trying all together.

[legoagain]

If the sperm are sticking together it may mean your dh is producing antibodies to his own sperm, as happened in our case. If this is the case then icsi would be an appropriate treatment as only 1 is needed! Good luck for the future.

[CrazyButterfly1]

Humans & Lego- thank you for your advice.

As of an update, My appointment at the fertility clinic is next Wednesday. What questions should I ask?

DH got A copy of his results and I have no idea what any of this means other than what GP told my DH.

The results read:

Volume (ml): 3.3
PH:7.7
Concentration (ml/millions):40.3
Motility (progressive %):22
Motiltiy (Non progressive %):10
Motility (Immotile %):66
Sperm Antibodies % bound (IgG):0
Sperm Morphology (normal %): 2
Total motile count (million): 30.5

Thanks again for the support and Advice everyone offers it is very much appreciated.

xxxx

[Ouch44]

Don't forget the no tight underpants, no hot baths advice. My DH did this and took supps too and v little alcohol and managed to go from terrible results to great results in just a few months.
Think he just took zinc and selenium but he was also eating enough seeds and nuts to feed a couple of birds.

[CrazyButterfly1]

Sorry Fat fingers - motility progressive is 24.

[CrazyButterfly1]

Ouch - thanks yep banned him from tight underwear and he is taking vitamins with great difficulty but he's getting there. May have to get some nuts good idea :)