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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Advice needed, Dp sperm morphology really low

63 replies

1Wish · 14/06/2007 09:43

Hi everybody,
Had my appointment with the specialist yesterday, who has confirmed I'm not ovulating, so I've been prescribed clomid

But as another blow i was not expecting dp sperm tests have come back dodgy. Count and movement are fine but his morphology is was only 1% on the first test and 2% on the secound. A normal count should be at least 15%.

The consultant said our chances of concieving are low but we should try with clomid for a year and then go for ivf.

I am absolutly gutted as i was sure it was just me who had problems. If anyone has any advice on how to improve morphology or their own stories it would be greatly appreciated.

The specialist just said 'keep your balls cool' basically, but im wondering if anyone's dp/dh has had supplements, diet or anything that helped them. thankyou

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Original poster
1Wish · 14/06/2007 11:43

Lol RahRah1, you've just made me really giggle for the 1st time in ages. Your so right about ovulation time not that i get it very often but i try at the supposed right time anyway.
Anyway last time i told dp we needed to get down to it, he looked at me seriously and said he was begining to 'feel used' i mean ffs. Then when I get af or there's no chance he's up for it constantly!!

RahRah I think you should boycott work for today and talk to us instead, theres not enough said on male factor problems on mn, I'm finding this all very theraputic

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RahRah1 · 14/06/2007 11:46

Littlefish - sorry cross posted.

It must of been a total shock and very stressful, I would of been the same as you and convinced myself that I had it too (yes, I join you in the drama queen devision). Our case is a bit different as we lost our baby in neo-natal and we decided against a PM. We thought the baby would of been genetically screened, but the pediatrician that came to see us afterwards advised that it is not standard unless requested. Then afterwards the consultant suggested both of us get genetically screened, just in case. But my husband is petrified 1) to admit that there was anything wrong with his son 2) terrified in case anything was passed on through him. However it is always the best thing to rule everything out and deal with things that are there. My DH seems to want to bury his head in the sand. But I have already told him that I will never forgive him if he did not have the test and it ever effected one of our children. It has still fallen on deaf ears. Hopefully he will change his mind.

You husband sounds like he really has got his head screwed on and worked with you. Mine tries but finds it difficult under pressure. I find it amazing that the family have not been tested... Its crazy how people just put things off!

Littlefish · 14/06/2007 11:47

Oh god yes, that bloody internal ultrasound. Just what I wanted, more knob shaped things!!!!

At the stage where we seemed to be having tests all the time, we decided to try and make each appointment as enjoyable as possible. We always booked somewhere lovely for lunch or dinner afterwards, which gave us time to be together and gave us a chance to talk (although funnily, we didn't usually talk about the tests or ttc).

RahRah1 · 14/06/2007 11:48

LOL - I feel used - LOL

OMG - I really try with my husband, but he is exactly the same! The last two months I have had... "my balls have been bleed dry and I'm not having it anymore! You need to be more precise with your ovulation as you can only have sex once or possibly twice in that time!" WTF!!! What a drama queen!

Original poster
1Wish · 14/06/2007 11:51

Littlefish- sorry didn't see your last message (((hugs))) I'm sure your dd will be fine.
I think some people just choose to bury their heads over some problems, at least you know the full picture. Think i mite ask the doctor for the tests as well

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RahRah1 · 14/06/2007 11:52

Well the first internal camera thing I had my husband found it fascinating and the nurse took great pleasure in showing him all my bits, whilst I squirmed uncomfortably on the couch! I don't think he was interested in the fact that I was having a scan, it was more he had never seen the insides of a women before!
The second one I took my mum and she was a bit more discrete!
That is a good idea actually about going out someone on the same day. We have an appointment on the 3/07/07 and I will suggest that to DH.

Littlefish · 14/06/2007 11:52

Rahrah, so sorry to hear about your baby. That must be so painful.

My dh finally got there, and yes, we definitely worked together in the end, but he took a lot of convincing.

I think in the end, it was seeing how much it meant to me, and how much effort I was putting in that made the difference.

Also, when we started ttc, he really wasn't that keen on the whole idea anyway. 2 and a half years later, and being constantly told by the medics that we would almost certainly not conceive naturally brought out his competitive streak and he was determined to prove them wrong.

The downside is that we would love another child, and dh is still convinced that we will conceive again naturally. I feel that we were incredibly fortunate but that we've had our miracle, and we therefore need to have IVF asap (I'm 39).

Anyway - it's someone else's turn to have a miracle . So I'll pass it on to you lot.

Original poster
1Wish · 14/06/2007 11:53

RahRah you are funny

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Original poster
1Wish · 14/06/2007 11:54

RahRah I meant that for your other message, I keep crossing threads i can't type fast enough

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Littlefish · 14/06/2007 11:54

You lot are no good for me at all. I'm supposed to be writing a presentation.

I specially arranged to work from home today (the first time ever), and what have I done?????? Absolutely no work on my presentation, but lots of MNing!!!!

Original poster
1Wish · 14/06/2007 11:58

Sorry Littlefish but you have to admitt this is a juicy topic. I'm supposed to be researching my dissertation for uni, mite change the subject to 'the power of mn in modern society'!!!

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RahRah1 · 14/06/2007 12:00

Thanks littlefish, it has been very hard and a total blow, but life is constant and you have to get on with it. So we have picked ourselves back up and trying for another child. Which is bloody hard work in itself! (as you know)

Do you think your husband is convinced that you will conceive naturally because it is easier than having to deal with the emotions of IVF? At which point will he consider look at IVF? I hear about so many people that try and try and then book in for IVF and low and behold they get pregnant the month before they are due to start! It is so hard going through it all again as it ends up dominating years of your life.

RahRah1 · 14/06/2007 12:02

I know I am working from home as well today and paying all the bills etc... I'll end up sending invoices to strange people... I have loads to do and have done one letter so far! LOL

Original poster
1Wish · 14/06/2007 12:04

lol Rahrah can i just ask how old you and your partner are?
Love your name by the way its what my best friends dd calls our other friend cos she can't say 'sarah'

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RahRah1 · 14/06/2007 12:06

Im 32 and my DH is 30 (I was 32 on the 7th June..boo hoo)
Its my husbands nickname for me as my name is Sarah too!

How old are you guys?

Original poster
1Wish · 14/06/2007 12:09

I'm 23, dp is 31, been ttc for 20 months

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RahRah1 · 14/06/2007 12:13

I wish I had started to TTC at an earlier age. we have been trying for 31months, but have managed to conceive, so this time round it has been 7 months so far.

Littlefish · 14/06/2007 12:14

DH and I are both 39.

In answer to your question RahRah, I think he will consider it if I nag him enough. He knows that time is definitely not on our side, and if we're going to consider IVF, we need to do before I'm 40 ideally. His answer at the moment is "we just need to have more sex" (typical male response!)

Having said that, I really, really need to lose weight before we consider IVF, and in spite of really wanting another child, I just can't seem to get motivated.

Original poster
1Wish · 14/06/2007 12:22

I know what you mean about getting motivated, I just keep thinking what's the point. And it's bloody dp who needs to change stuff in my case, i've got clomid!!!

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RahRah1 · 14/06/2007 12:27

I know the feeling, I have put on a 1 1/2 stone over the last year and I know the fertility consultant will suggest a bit of weight loss... GRRR. I have however lost a bit recently, as we want to go on a nice luxury holiday and want to fit into my normal holiday stuff... my hips and tummy have gone well out of shape. A certain amount of wobbling is going on!

Do you have to go private in your area for IVF? My mum who works in the local NHS has said they are restricting our area to one child and if you have one already you have to go private if you wish another. That is so wrong!

I went to see my consultant in Jan 07 and he advised he would like to see another clear 18 months of infertility prior to offering us any treatment, but I will be 33+ and we would of been trying for many years by then. Plus they have no reasons except for a one off for us losing our first child, so what if we lose another pregnancy, as they said I am much higher risk of miscarriage/prematurity due to the amount of bleeding I have in pregnancy. However they can not determine the cause. So they want me to try another pregnancy with aspirin and if that does not work then they will try me on stronger blood thinners. What I am basically saying have I got years to wait if my risks of losing a pregnancy is higher and what if we want more children. So that is why I want to push for treatment now, as I feel he is allowing the timescales to get tight.

How quick can you get IVF once you decided you want to go for it?

Original poster
1Wish · 14/06/2007 12:32

I think on the nhs it varries from about 1 -4 years depending on waiting lists.
My local area has just withdrawn all ivf for the next two years and the waiting list after that will be about 5 years according to my consultant, so it'll be about 7 years before we can get it.
but i think my local health authority is an exception, i can't believe they've stopped doing ivf all together, means i have no choice but to go private. Not easy when your a penniless student

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Littlefish · 14/06/2007 12:36

If you go privately, then it can all happen very quickly. We saw the consultant in the January and we could have started the next month. We decided to delay it until the April as it fitted in better with some plans we had (ever practical, even though I'm a drama queen!). Thank goodness we delayed it, or we wouldn't have conceived dd in the February.

When we were first ttc, we still couldn't have got nhs funding because there was an age restriction, and a weight restriction, both of which I fell outside.

Littlefish · 14/06/2007 12:37

Anyway ladies, lovely chatting to you.

Hving done almost no work, I'm now off out to try and buy some paint!

Best of luck RahRah and 1wish. I'll check this thread from time to time, so please keep posting and let me know how you're getting on.

RahRah1 · 14/06/2007 12:39

OMG that is awful!

How can they justify those kind of waiting lists and decisions! That is crazy.

I bet people have to move to get treatment!

I started to go private and went for a scan to start it off and he suggested clomid, as he felt my ovulation was a bit delayed and clomid would make me more fertile. However my NHS consultant advised that he would not treat me with clomid as it would present too many risks for me in relation with my past pregnancy history. (it has an increased multiple birth rate etc). So I am giving my NHS consultant one last go in July and if he still recommends 'time' and no treatment I am going to seek a second opinion. I sometimes doubt whether the NHS are pro-active in treatment and delay things until they are really necessary, so to prevent costs.

Original poster
1Wish · 14/06/2007 12:40

Thanks Littlefish it's been lovely chatting to you. Come back later il still be here!!

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