Morphology

[TheKitchenSinkkk]

Currently TTC 18m and looking into IVF. I am 35, AMH 34. Investigations normal. Partner has 2% morphology but everything else is normal (actually count motility etc a long way above what is needed for normal).

Have seen ABC fertility. They have advised ICSI (with mild IVF - they don’t do conventional). However I have read quite a bit about 2% morphology and seems like this is not particularly reliable/an issue given that everything else is good? Those of you that have been through all of this, should we get a second opinion/think about going down down the conventional IVF route?

www.mumsnet.com/talk/conception/4462432-How-we-increased-DHs-morphology-and-sperm-count-with-supplements?reply=117275465

2% whilst is below the "normal level" of 4% that they look for it can be affected by lots of factors - in 5 rounds of IVF in 18 months my DH ranged between 1% and 6% so I wouldn't necessarily worry too much about it at this stage if his count his high

I'm surprised they haven't mentioned your AMH though - that's very high for your age and suggests PCOS - to be honest with an AMH that high most clinics would only offer you mild anyway due to the risk of OHSS

Thanks for the thread - very helpful!

re PCOS - I’ve had a scan/bloods and don’t have it. Thanks for the advice - sounds like mild would be better for me. I know someone who got OHSS and it was grim! I’d prefer IVF without ICSI in the first instance if possible so that’s very reassuring.

@TheKitchenSinkkk if morphology is low you could have a comet speed test done to check for high DNA fragmentation. The treatment would be ICSI anyway but over time you can improve it. 2% is low and will definitely make things take longer but with a normal count, you will eventually get pregnant. My OH went from 0% to 9% morphology in 7 weeks. The biggest changes were 2 sachets of Proxeed, 200 mg Pycnogenol and omega 3 with zinc. Hard to say for sure but I think it must have helped. Our fertiiity consultant says it's the quickest to fix too. Good luck!

Obvs I meant sperm ... not speed

I second the proxeed plus, totally changed my partners sperm analysis.

Amh is really high so might be other hormonal factors they haven't picked up on yet, not being negative in any way. Just happened to me. I'm 34 and had Amh of 32 or something.

We got mild IVF with ICSI at ABC in January and now 18 weeks. Just another side of the coin- they had recommend ICSI 4 months prior and DH started on proxceed in the hope that his 2% morphology would improve. On the way, both the morphology and the count were worse than before. That being said, I am still glad he did the proxceed as I'm sure it was nothing to do with that, it was just a bad day so make you your prepare yourself for needing to do ICSI just in case so that you aren't disappointed.
Out of interest, is there a reason why you don't want ICSI?

Ooooo I remember you from other threads @LondonladyTTC - congratulations!

@FlyOnTheWall89, thank you! ❤️

@TheKitchenSinkkk My DH’s morphology was 2% too and low count too. On the advice of our GP and fertility consultant, he took wellman conception, zinc, vit c, pycegenol (pine bark) and vitamin e and everything went up massively - morphology was then 6% and we fell pregnant a few months after that. We had been trying for a over a year and half. We were also told that we’d likely have to go for ICSI and we’re just a few months away from starting IVF. Hope this helps! X

Lovely story @poppet131 - kind of the one I now dream of... how low was count of you can remember? We have borderline low count 40 million (concentration is 8million per ml) and everything else is now fine after the great morphology increase. Starting IVF in the next few months too. X

Thanks! Will get the proxeed and look into the comet test.

Thanks, will definitely look into the proxeed plus. What sort of hormonal factors do you mean? I haven’t had anything mentioned to me yet by the gp or fertility clinic

Congratulations! I love hearing these stories :).
re ICSI - I suppose it’s the possible increased risk of birth defects (though I realise this is not proven and likely isn’t the case; we also have several friends who have had health babies with ICSI), and I guess also the extra money. I feel in a way surely we would get some decent blastocysts (given high sperm count and my ovarian reserve) with conventional IVF - but I’m not an expert of course!

Congratulations! I love hearing these stories :).

re ICSI - I suppose it’s the possible increased risk of birth defects (though I realise this is not proven and likely isn’t the case; we also have several friends who have had health babies with ICSI), and I guess also the extra money. I feel in a way surely we would get some decent blastocysts (given high sperm count and my ovarian reserve) with conventional IVF - but I’m not an expert of course!

Sorry replied with wrong message earlier. Congratulations to you too!
Sometimes I do wonder whether we should just hold on a bit more and see what happens…

@FlyOnTheWall89 and @TheKitchenSinkkk Count was 9million per ml. DH was also told to stay hydrated and drink lots of water to help with motility too as he had issues with viscosity in his sample. To be honest, it was heartbreak every month and we had nearly given up. The only difference the month I got pregnant was that I had a hycosy (it was fine and my tubes were clear) so we think it’s a combo of things improving on DH’s side and having my tubes flushed that did the trick. I had read stories like this myself but never thought we’d be ones of the lucky ones. Sending you all lots of luck and baby dust x

Wow @poppet131 dreamy. Very similar to us. I had a HSG last month - tubes all clear and no pregnancy. It's the last month or two of trying before we start IVF. Nurse consultation is in a few weeks. X

Hi @FlyOnTheWall89 I didn’t realise how in sync we were! My HSG was March, also all clear. No BFP in April. Currently on May and have been referred to IVF. Apparently there is no waiting list so they think we’ll proceed quickly. Do you know what protocol you’re going for? I’ve chosen a clinic that uses natural/mild/modified IVF.

Oh very similar @Decaffe. So I really feel no one told me I even had a choice of clinic tbh. We live very near a good hospital with good stats and I've been sent there for all our tests. They've been very good with everything so far. But, they only offer long protocol which is what I will have sadly. I'm really in two minds about changing because it sounds pretty brutal and TTC is hard enough without it wrecking my body and making me feel completely shit. I have no issues at all and a very regular cycle but that is what they do and when I spoke to them, they wouldn't do a different type of cycle for me. My OH is away for a few weeks on a delayed covid holiday with friends so we will probably begin next cycle or the following one.