Low sperm, motility and morphology

[notyetamumbuttrying]

Hi, hoping to get some advice please. We've recently found out (late last week) that we have male factor. Dh's results were as follows:
25million
5million per ml
14% motility
2.3 morphology
56% vitality (normal)
4.5 volume (normal)
Everything else is lower than normal...
He had high ph too but not sure if this means too acidic or alkaline?

He is on wellman conception and has been for about 11 months but not continuously, so hoping a continuous 3 months will make the difference. As well as not smoking, binge drinking and doing some exercise. I've also bought some oranges as heard vitamin c is good too. Just looked up proxeed plus, can that be taken as well as wellman does anyone know? He'll need his repeat SA in nov so I'm hoping to see a difference and if not it's iui/ivf for us 😬 I just need my day 3's this week (which will be on day 5 due to availability) then we get our referral. I'm hoping it doesn't take too long as I'm 34 and he's 37, we initially wanted two...but after a year of trying and now this diagnosis, I don't know anymore. Any advice, anecdotal or otherwise would be appreciated. Thanks so much!

Sounds good @Sylva123 @JandL2020

We both followed a strict diet for round 3 which is similar to above. We got a fertility nutritionist who recommended 4 different veg with lunch and 4 different veg with dinner and then 2 ‘good’ fruits with breakfast and low carb high protein. It wasn’t too bad once you got into it although we’ve fallen off the wagon spectacularly now!!!

Glad to hear your DH is feeling more motivated @sylva123 long may it last!!!

Hi OP, we had bad sperm across the board. Nothing was normal in it. We went with ICSI due to this and was successful. The only thing we changed leading up was he ate a handful of nuts everyday

Thanks @DaisyMay25 can you remember his numbers and did they suggest changing diet/lifestyle to help the sperm? Keep trying to get mine to eat Brazil nuts but he despises them! He is eating oranges though so that's one thing, and he's given up smoking. He's not drunk for two weeks either. I've said he doesn't have to go tee total but he does like having all day sessions lol so think he'd rather just not have any. So were you referred first or did you go private for the ICSI? Congratulations on being successful! How far along are you?

@notyetamumbuttrying I can't remember sorry, they actually said to us that we couldn't do anything to improve it...we did walnuts too and tried to just be healthier in general. We was referred after a year of trying, the clinic did their own tests before referring us for ICSI. Thank you! He's actually 9 months old now 😊 wanting you do a frozen transfer soon though

@DaisyMay25 this is so reassuring to hear! My OH is really low in all areas too - his second test actually showed a deterioration rather than an improvement which was a shock. We're starting ICSI next month.

My DH morphology went from 3% to 6% in 6 months.

No alcohol, exercise, limited caffeine and diet wasn’t too sugary but he ate his deserts! Biggest contributed was he started taking proxeed for 6 months which I think made the difference!

That's interesting @DaisyMay25 we've been told we still have a chance but that was by a GP...
Only a year, that's great! I'm sat waiting for my callback now for our referral. 😬
Aww lovely, so glad you got your baby!!
Thanks @ChicaXS he said he'd buy some on payday so just waiting for tomorrow to see...
He doesn't drink caffeine but he does need to exercise! He's also gone tee total for two weeks now but not sure how long he'll keep that up for lol! He loves chocolate and is sat eating a wispa gold as I type lol! I need him to kick that habit too. Grr he's so annoying lol! You wouldn't think he was unhealthy to look at him cos he's skinny, he's prob under weight tbf.

Notyet, I've no direct advice but just wanted to let you know my DPs numbers were all worse than yours. Concentration of 1.6mil per ml and about 7% motility. I'm not 5 weeks and 2 days pregnant from IVF with ICSI on first try ap keeping positive that he/she will carry to term.
Stay positive - science is incredible 😊

Great to hear @ThoroughlyForumed! Was this nhs or private? Trying to weigh up options over wait times and cost now. Dh still thinks he can get his sperm to improve so we'll get a repeat SA in November first and decide after that, but I like to be well informed if I can.

We got NHS funding as had been trying over a year (although paid privately for our fertility tests). Once we had the infertility diagnosis it was easy to get the NHS funding as our situation was so dire (only one given in our LA). We were then lucky as we could pick a private clinic to have the treatment becasue it was in our catchment area si just finished and luckily it was successful (so far!). We would pay to stay at the same clinic again though privately if it didnt work out as they've been so great

Good to hear @ThoroughlyForumed I wish you all the best with it

We got the referral through for the urologist today! Anyone's partner been to one before and knows what should be asked or what to expect?

Hi @notyetamumbuttrying, we have also been referred and my DH will have an ultrasound next week (he has low count and morphology). We've been told that he will have a consultation with the urologist afterwards, but we haven't received any appointment details yet. Hope you won't have to wait too long!

@Azahar8 we've got the date, 28th Oct. just wondering what to expect but seems that not many men actually see one. Hope you don't have to wait long! And good to see his motility is normal, you've got more chance and less to improve than mine has. It's feeling like it's a really hard task! Are you getting a second SA in 3 months? Ours will be mid November. I'm so interested to see if its improved or not as he's done lots of lifestyle changes now.

@notyetamumbuttrying Ah it's good you have the date already! My DH's first SA had low everything so he started taking wellman, Vitamin C, CoQ10 and Brazil nuts. After a month he did a second SA and the motility had improved significantly, but the count was still below 5 million and morphology is 0%. I am really hoping for a natural improvement while we are waiting but I guess we will need ICSI in the end.

@Azahar8 is that what the drs have said? Are you on the wait list for ICSI then?
Mine won't eat Brazil nuts 🙈 but he is on proxceed plus now, having swapped wellman out. He used to take them but not always religiously. He's doing the proxceed properly though, stopped smoking, limited booze, eating oranges, exercising more. So I hope it makes enough of a difference to not need ICSI but we'll see! I'm not adverse to ivf, I'd rather just get pregnant any which way now. 35 next year so want to be pregnant before that birthday.

@notyetamumbuttrying
Was your DP not happy with wellman?
We haven't been referred to ivf yet, still waiting for initial appointment with gynae and urologist. However, I have read that ICSI is recommended for concentrations

@Azahar8 he hated the taste! He prefers to the drink the sachets which surprised me.
Oh interesting. His was 5mil so I'm sure we'd do it too. We'll be going private tho as not prepared to wait another 10/11 months. We'll get second SA in Nov and then go from there! Hope your appointments come through quickly!

Thanks! Hope you see improvement in the second SA and good luck with your treatment!

Thank you @Azahar8

Some light hearted memes to cheer this thread up 😜