Low sperm morphology and PCOS

[Gee1235]

Just had all our initial test done privately despite trying for 18 months naturally with very very long cycles a PCOS diagnosis and the GP won't refer us for fertility help on the NHS until end of November.

My AMH was mid range at 35 for my age and I had a total of 38 follicles between both ovaries.

My partner had a low sperm count of 14 million per ml but produced 4.5ml which took him above the total for low sperm which is 39 million and he had 63. His motility was good at 55% but morphology only 1%.

The consultant offered us a couple of options which was to have more sperm testing (dna fragmentation) or to try some proxeed and retest again in a couple of months, along with the fact my partner has just started treatment for really under active thyroid which can impact morphology.

We opted to try clomid for three months with the proxeed and retest everything in a few months time if no luck.

Has anyone had a increase in morphology in such a short amount of time?

And has anyone had any success on clomid but with low morphology?

Hey @Gee1235
When ttc our first, we were told my husband had 2% morphology (I also have pcos). He cut out alcohol, ate really well, no hot baths and took wellman conception tablets. His morphology went up to 7% within 3 months and we got pregnant.
We are now on letrozole ttc number 2 - and he's been doing the same thing since late May.

@Rg1987 oh wow that's amazing! Did you conceive with clomid or anything the first time or just natural?

It's good to hear that someone else in the same position had a successful outcome! Good luck trying for number 2 😘

@gee12345 thank you :)
We conceived our first with no treatment, unbelievably. Weirdly I found out I was pregnant the day I had my first fertility appt (we'd been trying for a year at that point)!! I was terrified of miscarriage etc... so I kept rescheduling out appt until I was about 16 weeks, as we'd waited ages to get referred 🙈
Best of luck to you too xxx

@Rg1987 no way! I'm not surprised you kept rescheduling I think I would be the same as you have to wait so long for all the appointments and that, I bet you couldn't believe your luck!

Sorry hope you don't mind me asking are you periods regular with your PCOS, or did you do anything to help with it? My GP told me I wasn't ovulating after doing blood tests and then in the next sentence told me to keep trying naturally til November when she'll refer me through NHS like hitting your head against a brick wall sometimes 😩😂!!

Thank you 😘 xx

100%!!! I couldn't believe it for a good few weeks! My husband kept saying ' you must have pee'd on the stick wrong' haha.
Don't mind at all. I have v v irregular periods, naturally. Anything from 40-65+ days! To help I take 1500mg metformin, inositol and vitamin D. I've just started 6 months of letrozole...
Ah god I know what you mean about unhelpful GPs. In their heads November may not be far off but for ppl who experience infertility, waiting around is one of the worst aspects!
We went privately for our letrozole treatment as it's not too expensive (compared to other treatments) and the NHS don't offer much in the way of help for those with secondary infertility (not having a go at them at all, i know they have to draw the line somewhere).
Are you young? I know a few people that have found GPs try to delay referrals due to age....

@Rg1987 hahaha that's amazing 😂!!

Oh god same as me then just feel like your constantly waiting around even more so don't you constantly in limbo waiting with long cycles.

Yeah considering I have pcos the guidelines for my area are 6 months of trying if you've got a condition that effects fertility or a year otherwise and we had been trying 18 months at the point of my appointment so it's just frustrating that's why we are doing our clomid privately as like you say the cost isn't too bad and then if we need the Nhs then they will skip that bit a refer straight from the ivf/icis!

I'm 26 so guess time is on my side but that doesn't make you want help any less but they don't always see it that way.

Did you find metformin helps? I've heard good stuff?

@Gee1235 think your plan sounds v sensible! Fingers crossed clomid does the trick for you.
Yes metformin is fab. Really helps with the symptoms of PCOS for me (mostly weight gain). I was also kept on it in my first trimester of pregnancy. PCOS women are at a slightly higher risk of miscarriage and metformin has been shown to help reduce numbers of miscarriages. Can't speak highly enough of it