Low sperm motility/ ICSI

[Hellomotto2]

I have been referred to the Hommerton fertility clinic in London, last week I spoke to my GP and she said she would refer me, I have since received a letter saying the clinic will call me to book an app but didn’t give any indication of a time frame. I’m so scared as I’m 35 next month and my partner has low motility sperm - he had SA test two weeks ago and the on the diagnosis comment, the doctor wrote ‘this sample fits the criteria for ICSI due to low motility’
I’m seriously worried about this COVID back log and time is obviously so important - I’m a bit new to all this, its my understanding that once you go private, you can’t go back to NHS, is that correct? Any comments would be appreciated

@Hellomotto2 can I ask how low the motility was? My Dh only has 14% and we didn't get a comment like that on the result. Even with his dire count and morphology too! And my understanding is the same with yours re private. I'm 35 in March so we'll be going private as only been trying 13 months and it's 2 years for most places to get it on the nhs.

Hello @notyetamumbuttrying, we have been trying for about 10 months actively, but been together nearly 5 years and I’ve not been on contraception. His motility is only 31 percent, both our GPS were happy to send us both for tests as we both have existing conditions that could potentially effect our fertility ( I think I may be ok and it’s just his sperm) so I hope, because we’ve been referred to the fertility clinic now maybe the ball will get rolling soon? I’m so worried about it all to be honest! I’m really worried to go private Incase it doesn’t work on the first few cycles cause obviously the money will be insane and we will have to get into debt, But either way it would be a privilege if we got to do it on the NHS and it worked after one or two cycles and if not - at least then we would have the option to go private after that. So have you tried with the NHS yet and still on the wait list, but will you go private in the mean time?

@Hellomotto2 my Dh's results said 32%+ was normal so that's interesting they referred you with a result of 31% if everything else was ok...I'm really concerned over what my gp is doing they told us to keep trying!! He has low count and morphology too and he's done lifestyle changes to try and change it. He'll have a repeat SA in Nov and I'm expecting it won't have improved that drastically so we'll have to go private. I can't wait another 11 months for nhs ivf. We're just waiting for our referral to come through but if it doesn't by Nov we'll get a repeat SA via the gp and then move onto private. How long did your referral take to come through?

Hello @notyetamumbuttrying, I just want to check what is “Dh” lol, I’m new to all the lingo! Yes so his GP didn’t really talk him through the results of everything else, so without comparison of sperm count and morphology - then we don’t know? His could be dire too, I’m a bit worried now!! But GP deffo said on the phone it was a motility issue and the sperm clinic said in the comments it was motility (so I’m still praying it’s just that) I guess we will no more when we actually get seeing a specialist face to face and we can show her the papers with all the results he got from the SA clinic. His GP has said she will refer him BUT my GP has already referred me to the Homerton fertility clinic in London - I got a letter from them this week saying they will contact me to make an appointment, so technically, my referral hasn’t happened yet as god knows when the app will be? I assume him and I will have to attend the clinic together. If it’s any help to you, my GP said even though the results of his SA weren’t great, “it’s always the woman who has to get the referral” so I’m now a bit confused that his GP is also gonna refer him? It’s also confusing and the lack of clarity only adds to the stress of it all. I hope you guys get a referral soon, I can’t believe they tell you to keep trying, that’s a bit of a bum. I guess if nothing happens for us in the next couple of months with the NHS, we may also have to think about going private too!

@Hellomotto2 oh sorry lol, it's "darling husband" so husband as he's not always darling 😂 what parameters did they say the motility should be, or didn't they? Yeah so same with our referral, it had to go through me even though my fertility is fine, but I guess because we'd be getting the treatment it has to be us. Ask to get a print out of the results so that you can research yourself, that's what I did. Yeah I was shocked, I got DH to call back the next day to ask to speak to a different dr. We then got the referral put through then. I'm surprised the hospital where he had the test done didn't write it on the form. It was st. Thomas's as well! Yeah I'm pretty sure it's two years before nhs ivf treatment in London, that's what our ccg says and we're in Greenwich so not far from you.

@@notyetamumbuttrying ah I see lol! Well I’m not married, so I guess he’s my darling boyfriend 😂 anyway, yeah they did give us the print out and and it’s actually quite detailed. She even put a comments section on it re the motility and said “this sample fits the criteria for ICSI due to motility being below normal parameter” and it said the motility was 31?? I’m sooooo confused! And I don’t understand all the other results. I think they could at least tell you what it all means in layman’s terms, I mean I get the appointments and treatments take a while to come through, but even a phone call to talk through the results with the clinic would be super helpful. And the GPS don’t specialise, so they don’t know either! I have been googling like crazy, but still don’t reallu understand - i read somewhere that normal sperm moltility should be over 80% to concieve ... so surely 31 isn’t great? Oh you are quite close by! but even with us being referred to Homerton - that might be different from St Thomas’s? It really is a postcode lotto :(

Can you take a pic and post it on here? @Hellomotto2 our results said over 32% for motility, I bloody hope it's not 80 or else we're screwed 😂 was his count per ml over 15 million? And was his morphology over 3%? If both of those are yes, you're probably fine! My husbands was low in both these areas as well.
So he only went to at Thomas's for the semen analysis. Our local hospital will be in woolwich. The gp should be able to talk you through the results, they did us, even though they clearly couldn't give more than what was on the sheet.

@notyetamumbuttrying well this is why is was freaking out when I saw this over 80 shite! But then his must be bad if she has recommended it for ICSI? I will take a pic and post it tomorrow discreetly

@Hellomotto2 yeah just omit personal details and focus in on the numbers. Not that I'm a sperm expert 😂 but have been researching it all since our abysmal results. He's seeing a urologist on the 28th Oct so I can let you know what further info we get from that.

@@notyetamumbuttrying oh yes please do, mine is also seeing a urologist but the app is taking forever to come through! I would be interested to hear your comments re that and the SA ...

@notyetamumbuttrying here are the results from the SA, the only thing I really understand is the motility and that’s all that it says in diagnosis box as well. Let me know your comments, thanks so so much!

@Hellomotto2 so interesting to see how other clinics do it. I'll find my Dh's one for you. So they've said motility should be 40% plus, whereas ours told us over 32% is fine and I've also heard that at least a third of the sample should be motile which makes sense for us to be given the 32% figure. The volume is slightly low so perhaps that's why as well? Have you asked to speak to a dr to talk you through the results yet?

@notyetamumbuttrying thanks for that! That’s good to know and makes sense re motility, the volume is low yes, I was worried about that, but she doesn’t mention the volume in the comments, so annoying! but they do give a range of 1.2 ml ... he is on tablets that can effect volume (sorry for tmi) x ,

Have been followng this. Would anyone know what these nrs mean?

Ph 8 (1.5x10); sperm nr 8.00 (>39x10); motility grade A 0.00 (result 29.00); motility grade B 29.00 (result 33.00); grade C 4.00; grade D 67.00; morphology result 0.00 (>4%). Classification oligoasthenoteratozoospermia treatment recommendation icsi.

No underlying health conditions at all so massively confused by what looks to me v bad results!

@AnonymousXXIX I’m not entirely sure, did you google the big long word after ‘classification’ it could be low count. I see they have also recommended ICSI for you. ICSI seems to be always recommended Male infertility from what I now understand ... sorry I couldn’t be more helpful

@notyetamumbuttrying did you have any updates on your appointments? - turns out I was incorrectly referred to Homerton, when I should have been referred to one closer to my GP's, so I've had to start the whole process again with my GP and now waiting for my initial app to St Georges! Hope all is well! :)

@Hellomotto2 wow how annoying! Hope it doesn't take too long 🤞🏾
Good timing with your question! Dh had his urologist appointment this morning. He had a blood test and needs an ultrasound on his balls! He had a physical exam and she couldn't see any varicoceles so that's good! She also put a referral through so got two on the go now lol! I chased up the initial one and found out it's gone to guys and st Thomas's so I at least know that now. Waiting on a callback from them to see when the first appointment will be. I'm still thinking we'll just go private once we get a second SA booked in for November as getting pretty impatient now. It's 14 months next week and I'm 35 in March, I just need to get pregnant now and I just don't see it happening naturally with the sperm the way it is. I need to know if the changes he's made have even done anything or not. Feel like I'm going crazy tbh!

@notyetamumbuttrying can you help with these results? 🤷🏼‍♀️ X