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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.

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Original poster

please...anyone pg when partner has high abnormal sperm rate?

13 replies

dizzy36 · 03/04/2005 14:28

really hope someone can reply straight away...my dh sperm ok in terms of count and motility but abnormal rate 86% (1st sample resulted in 94% abnormal!!) anyone else similar and got pg. DH has already fathered 3 times so am keeping my hopes up - anyone reasure me?

OP posts:

BellaLasagne · 03/04/2005 17:16

Sorry, can't reassure you but just wanted to let you know you're not alone .

My dh now has high abnormal count due to mumps orchitis 4 years ago. We're fortunate in already having 2 children but have been ttc no. 3 for 10 months. It doesn't help that I'm 40 but we haven't lost hope. The GP said if we didn't want more children we should still use contraception so we're keping our fingers crossed!

Hope you get a positive response soon.

Twiglett · 03/04/2005 18:17

yes, but I'm afraid I don't remember the percentages (think it was in the 70s though) - he also had a higher than normal count and good motility but also (due to illness / medications) higher than average abnormal rate

I was told it was the 3 taken together and never one on its own and not to worry about the 'abnormal' word (they are abnormal in the sense that they wouldn't be able to fertilise an egg)

HTH

Original poster

dizzy36 · 04/04/2005 14:25

Thanks for the comments. Bellalasagne, I've been ttc for 3 years in total with one m/c during that time so the odds are can get pregant question is when will it happen. Hope it happens for you very soon, best of luck.
Twiglett, I wasn't given any reasons why my dh had high abnormal or the implications for conceiving. He also has above average count and good motility so made me feel a bit more +ve that its all 3 taken together that counts, I didn't know that before thanks.

OP posts:

BellaLasagne · 04/04/2005 15:01

Good luck and babydust to you too dizzy. At least the upside of your loss is that you know you can conceive.....

Another question - does anyone know if there are any risks associated with conceiving while dh/dp has high abnormal count. I'm assuming that only the good healthy ones will get through and it would only be one of these that would stand any chance of fertilising the egg?

Original poster

dizzy36 · 04/04/2005 17:51

my last pg m/c because of abnormalities. gp assured me that my dh abnormal rate had nothing to do with it. Apparently its as you say only the good ones can acutally fertilise.

Is it true that only about 300 sperm actually survive the 'trip' to the fallopian tubes to fertlise the egg. I've worked out that out of 119 million sperm, if 78% good motility and only possibly 15% normal then that leaves approx 13,923000 normal sperm. That sounds like plenty enough to me or have I worked it out wrong.

OP posts:

BellaLasagne · 05/04/2005 07:45

I know it's not many (in % terms) that survive the journey and it really is a case of 'survival of the fittest'. Your sums sound about right, and as our GP said, my dh can still get me pg, it's just that the probability is reduced.

I worked out from our figures that he'd have about 1 million 'good' guys, so surely some will be getting through?

I think our main problem and risk factor is our ages, I'm 40 and dh is 42. How old are you?

Original poster

dizzy36 · 05/04/2005 08:37

I'm 37 next mnth, dh is 33, he's never had any illness or been on any medication that you'd think would affect his sperm - he does smoke and hasnt reduced his alcohol intake while ttc - can only think its his lifestyle thats causing it. Did an early pg test this morning as going for tests at the fertility clinic later (not looking forward to that). Was convinced I was pg but was -ve. Am almost certain its due to dh swimmers because always 'time it right'. Really hope nothing else shows on these tests later, think thats why not looking forward to it and won't get the results until end of the month!

OP posts:

BellaLasagne · 05/04/2005 13:33

Oh dear - hope it goes OK for you at the clinic.

Don't know if it helps but our GP (who's rather old fashioned but seems terribly sensible IYKWIM) told us not to 'try' too hard, not to use OPKs as they add to stress (which is a big factor) and to just enjoy ourselves. All good stuff, but v difficult ot do when the clock is ticking loudly and you're tryng not to stress about being stressed!

He also told dh to slow down on drinkng (doesn't smoke but I understand it's a major factor) and to wear looser trousers. I've also been giving him zinc supplements to help boost the little dears! Apparently lifestyle changes take at least 3 months to be of any benefit so the sooner you start the better.

Good luck,

Original poster

dizzy36 · 05/04/2005 14:39

just got back, my scan looked ok. got to have a hormone test as well in next few days. just have to wait and see what outcome is.
My dh has always smoked and drunk the level he does and only now seems to be a problem. He also takes a multivit that includes zinc - I'm hoping its just going to take us a bit longer than normal but it would be nice if someone could guarantee that - to be honest the tests are just to find out if theirs a problem, don't know if I want to go down the ivf route.
Since my m/c my periods gone a bit weird (25-27 days and don't get going for a couple of days). Have only started using the opks recently as couldn't tell when I ovulated. The opks show that I ovulate between day 11 and day 15, hope thats normal. I don't feel that I'm getting stressed about it but my body might think differently.

OP posts:

BellaLasagne · 06/04/2005 08:23

It's amazing how little stressed you have to feel for your body to play up. If you've pinpointed when you O by using OPKs I'd give them up now as they're not supposed to be terribly accurate, and they're pigging expensive!!

It's really hard, isn't it? One the one hand, you know that you need to know when you O but on the other, you want to try to forget about ttc and relax. I'm working on the basis that if it's going to happen it will, although I do still 'engineer' some bd in the couple of days before I O just to make sure there's a chance .

How does your dh feel about making any lifestyle changes that would improve your chances? To be blunt, he'd be forced to make quite a few if you have a baby!!

Original poster

dizzy36 · 06/04/2005 15:39

I know what you mean about the expense, I don't like to think how much I've spent so far. To be honest I had the 'it'll happen when it happens' way of thinking the first yr of trying but it'll be 3 years in July that we've been ttc and can really get to me sometimes especially when I let the possiblity that it might not happen get into my head. Having pg friends and family members telling me all about scans etc doesn't help me destress.
My dh hasn't really tried to change his lifestyle, I don't think he feels its necessary. We'll see what this fertility clinic says at the end of the month, if they say the reason we're not pg yet is because of his swimmers and his lifestyle then he'll have to start thinking seriously about changing. I sometimes think maybe he doesn't want it as much as me (I gave up smoking 3 yrs ago and lead quite a healthy lifestyle in preparation for pg) but he assures me that he does.

OP posts:

BellaLasagne · 06/04/2005 15:49

I assume he'll be going to the clinic with you? Maybe then he'll think about it a bit more and do something positive

Original poster

dizzy36 · 07/04/2005 08:36

yes he will be. To be honest he has tried giving up in the past but finds it really hard (as do most smokers). Maybe a Dr say so will give him more incentive (and some willpower).

OP posts:

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