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Original poster

Sperm analysis - please help!!

33 replies

HayMay · 16/04/2022 07:10

Morning x

My partner had his sperm analysis results last week which were really really low:

Volume: 4.2mls
Initial count million/ml: 1.5
Progressive motility: 28%
Rapid %: 16%
Total motile count: 1.764
Normal forms: 3%

I know the above is really bad and I just can't stop thinking about it!

My partner is fit and healthy and exercises a lot and eats well (ish) - we are tightening things up there. He doesn't smoke or drink excessively. He's been taking vitamins for a few months but isn't great at taking them (I have to remind him!) and I've bought a few more for him to try after reading loads on here and elsewhere.

So.. have you/your SO ever had a repeat semen analysis and got better results (even with results like the above?). It took him about an hour to get to the hospital with his sample, so was cutting it fine and we had abstained for much longer than recommended for various reasons (about 14 days!) - but trying not to kid myself in thinking this could change the results (as If anything, surely longer absistence increases column and count etc)

I know we've just got to hold it out and wait for the next appt and referrals etc I Just feel so down and don't want to talk to my partner too much about it as he feels awful already so trying to take the pressure off him - he's already doing what he can to try to improve himself. It just came as such a shock and unfortunately, my nature is to think the worst.

Thanks so much reading & responding x

OP posts:
Original poster
HayMay · 16/04/2022 11:35

@Decaffe

My thread may help.

That said, did you tell the clinic that he’d abstained for 14 days? I don’t think they would have proceeded with the analysis had they known.

Just commented on your thread and now just researching vitamins!

This is what my partner is taking currently:

â—¦	CoQ10 - 300mg (+ vit c 150mg, vit e 15mg)
â—¦	Zinc - 15mg
â—¦	Vitamin C - 1000mg (+ rosehip 20mg)
â—¦	Vitamin D3 - 2000 IU
â—¦	Maca Root - 125mg
â—¦	Ashwagandha - 1100mg
â—¦	Zeta West men fertility tablets:

Vit D3 - 25ug
Vit E - 100mg
Vit C - 100mg
Vit B6 - 10mg
Folate - 400ug
Vit B12 - 20ug
Zinc - 25mg
Selenium - 100ug
L-arginine - 100mg
L-carnitine - 100mg
Taurine - 100mg
Coenzyme Q10 - 30mg

Just looking at ordering the omega 3+6 capsules now. I am taking a B complex vitamin already which contains:

Vitamin B complex (B1 - 10mg, B2 - 15mg, Niacin 25mg, pantothenic acid - 100mg, B6 - 10mg, B12 - 25ug, folic acid - 400ug, biotin - 100ug, choline bitartrate - 250mg, inositol - 250mg, PABA - 50mg)

Do you think it would be too much for him to take the vit B complex as some of them are already included in the zeta west fertility vitamins? Hope it's not a silly question, just worried as he's taking a lot! Thanks again for your advice x

OP posts:
thislittlebird · 16/04/2022 11:24

The hour cut off is fine, that won’t be the issue, unless he didn’t keep it warm. We did an hour to the hospital with the sample in my bra and was worried they’d all die, but the clinic were very chilled and said some people have to travel 2 hours plus and it’s fine. Anyway, long story short, the one hour of travel was fine on the day of our ivf.

I wouldn’t have abstained for that long though, as others said. Just the amount they say. My dh doesn’t have low count, he has low quality, and he has to ejaculate every other day/every day to refresh the supply as such. But that’s not normally the case for low count, which is why your best bet is to run the test again, abstain the advised amount of time, and then see a urologist/andrologist for next steps. It’s all very individual and there could be a number of things at play. Good luck, and try not to worry too much @HayMay

Original poster
HayMay · 16/04/2022 11:12

@Decaffe

edited at poster's request In your OP you have it the wrong way round - longer abstinence negatively affects sperm quality.

That’s why clinics won’t run the analysis if the abstinence been longer than five or so days.

I’d bet anything that if the test was redone after three days of abstinence, his numbers would be a lot better.

Thank you so much. No he didn't mention anything to them about it. I hadn't realised and he'd not mentioned anything about the abstaining period - it was only when I found the leaflet that I told him! (Silly I know!)

I'm off to read your thread now. Honestly, this is just consuming my mind 100% at the moment, I'm just so emotional and thinking the worst.

Thanks for responding x

OP posts:
Decaffe · 16/04/2022 10:39

edited at poster's request
In your OP you have it the wrong way round - longer abstinence negatively affects sperm quality.

That’s why clinics won’t run the analysis if the abstinence been longer than five or so days.

I’d bet anything that if the test was redone after three days of abstinence, his numbers would be a lot better.

Decaffe · 16/04/2022 10:36

My thread may help.

That said, did you tell the clinic that he’d abstained for 14 days? I don’t think they would have proceeded with the analysis had they known.

FlyOnTheWall89 · 16/04/2022 08:34

Hi again @HayMay I commented on your other thread.

We did a second SA and got morphology from 0% to 9%. Could have been genuinely better / it's quite a hard one to accurately count. My OH is taking Proxeed and has tightened up lifestyle habits although is generally healthy and fit. Other areas didn't really change sadly.

The urologist we saw thinks covid is having an affect but it does depend how badly he had it. If it was fairly light, it's probably not impacting massively. As I said before, I urge you to get him checked for a varicocele - this is a big common problem for low sperm count. Repeat next month with only 2-5 days abstinence and tbh, if you're that far from the hospital, I'd really push him to do it one of their rooms, not at home. An hour is pushing it.

I know how you feel and I've goggled everything about the subject. I started a thread with my OHs numbers which are better than yours, but still below 'normal' guidance and pretty much everyone said IVF is what they needed (or they advised moving to IVF rather than trying for too much longer) ...but there is absolutely a small chance of pregnancy every month so don't give up but expect a bit of a longer road ahead. It is totally horrible and so hard on a relationship.

I read a lot about pycnogenol which you haven't mentioned above... have a read. Good luck x x

Original poster
HayMay · 16/04/2022 08:00

@Nora11

Such a long abstinence can definitely have a negative effect! We were told no more than 5 days I think. Being so close to the hour cut off could have had an impact too. Did he keep the sample warm on the way to the hospital?

My husband had borderline count/motility and only 1% morphology, the first two have improved slightly after 3 months of vitamins and diet changes. Also if your partner has had a virus or illness in the past 3 months that can have a temporary negative effect too.

What sort of vitamins has he been taking?

It's really hard getting a bad result and I felt the same as you with needing to talk about it but not wanting to make my OH feel worse! It's really tough. Sending you love and hope things improve on his next test!

Thanks so much for responding and for your lovely message. It actually brought a tear to my eye, I'm obviously emotional!!

In terms of vitamins, this is what he's taking now:

*CoQ10 - 300mg (+ vit c 150mg, vit e 15mg)
*Vitamin C - 1000mg (+ rosehip 20mg)
*Vitamin D3 - 2000 IU
*Zeta West men fertility tablets containing:
Vit D3 - 25ug
Vit E - 100mg
Vit C - 100mg
Vit B6 - 10mg
Folate - 400ug
Vit B12 - 20ug
Zinc - 25mg
Selenium - 100ug
L-arginine - 100mg
L-carnitine - 100mg
Taurine - 100mg
Coenzyme Q10 - 30m

But I have just added the following from yesterday:
*Zinc - 15mg

  • Maca root - 125mg *Ashwagandha - 1100mg

Are there any others that you'd recommend?

I've also got some Brazil nuts, walnuts, asparagus etc and will just try to be better generally! We both had Covid just before Christmas, but I think it should be out of his system now, hmm, who knows! I guess I'm looking for a glimmer of hope but also don't want to trick myself, it's so hard!

Hope you are okay x

OP posts:
Nora11 · 16/04/2022 07:45

Such a long abstinence can definitely have a negative effect! We were told no more than 5 days I think. Being so close to the hour cut off could have had an impact too. Did he keep the sample warm on the way to the hospital?

My husband had borderline count/motility and only 1% morphology, the first two have improved slightly after 3 months of vitamins and diet changes. Also if your partner has had a virus or illness in the past 3 months that can have a temporary negative effect too.

What sort of vitamins has he been taking?

It's really hard getting a bad result and I felt the same as you with needing to talk about it but not wanting to make my OH feel worse! It's really tough. Sending you love and hope things improve on his next test!