Low AMH / possible sperm DNA fragmentation because of covid

[WishingWaiting]

Hi everyone, this is a bit of a long one - please bear with me! I'm a bit all over the place.

DH and I are having a really grim time with infertility and recurrent miscarriage (no living children). We've had a lot of rounds of IVF, but were going to try naturally for a few months at the recommendation of our miscarriage specialist. However, I had an AMH test last week and it has dropped an alarming amount - from 6.8 in August to 3.8 last week - I am only 34.

Our IVF consultant has recommended that we do another fresh round asap to bank embryos (with 'before it's too late' insinuated). We were getting our heads around that, but then found out today that DH's sperm DNA fragmentation could have been affected by the fact he had mild Covid (no temperature) over Christmas, which would mean we have to wait three months for it to recover. He's having the fragmentation test on Thursday but the results take three weeks, so we're left wondering whether we should get going straight away because of my AMH, or wait because of DH's sperm.

I was wondering if anyone has been in a situation where they have a low AMH but need to wait for their partner's sperm to improve, or if anyone has successfully conceived (naturally or IVF) after their DH/DP had covid?

I'm spiralling a bit and could really do with a bit of hope!

Thank you x

I’m afraid I am not in the same situation as you but did also get the surprise of a low AMH which has made us have to make decisions we were not planning on. I found after letting things digest for a few days it helped me make a decision on going ahead ... there is so much to take in and I think I was in shock for a few days. X

Sorry no experience but is it possible to bank your eggs and freeze them ? So you don't waste time for you but can still wait for his sperm to recover ?

@Furmummy thanks so much for sharing your experience, I agree it does take a few days for things to digest. It just feels at the moment that every time I've digested something (e.g. the low AMH), something else hits us (e.g. the sperm DNA frag).

@Marty13 that's an option, I need to ask my doctor about it if we get bad news from the fragmentation test. Thank you.

How do they know the fragmentation is caused by covid?

@Sixtyorforty I'm not sure, but the urologist at our clinic said that covid can affect fragmentation and that we would ideally wait three months for the sperm to recover. If you google it a few research reports come up.

Hi! My husband had covid over Christmas too. He had his sperm analysis in mid January and the numbers were super low (less than two mill). We have been quite low since hearing the news as we were able to conceive first time two years ago (ended in a MC unfortunately). We stopped after a while and started a few months back with no luck. He had all his tests done (testosterone and thyroid are fine, seems like there are no varicocele) so the one thing we can't rule out is covid as we read some studies online saying it could affect male fertility. He had a semi high fever for 5 days and other symptoms but didn't need hospitalisation.

We've been heart broken ever since. I am 37 and DH is 34 so time is running out for me. This would be our first child.

Would you mind me asking how you got more information regarding DNA? Were you referred to a fertility clinic? Don't feel like you have to answer, we are just trying to find answers and talk to others who may be in our same situation. As you say, every piece of the puzzle, every answer seem to be bringing is down so we are trying to stay positive.

I am here for you :)

@Alelivs was his sperm analysis before covid much better?

Hi @sixforty, thanks for getting back to me!
He only had one, and it was after covid but because we conceived so easily the first time, we are holding on to the hope that it has to do with covid (I am struggling to accept that one time may have been a miracle as we can't really afford IVF, though trying to go via NHS).

@Alelivs I have heard about studies showing that semen quality is only affected for a few months after so it may improve.

You should be able to do at least one round on the IVF for free. We did our free round last May. I had low AFC and DH had sub optimal semen.

@Alelivs I'm sorry you're feeling so heartbroken, it's so hard coping with and understanding everything.

We were told about the possible effect of covid on sperm by the urologist at our fertility clinic, so they recommended my husband had the DNA fragmentation. As far as I understand, it is a temporary effect - the sperm creation process takes around three months, so the stuff that was created after your/my husband recovered should be totally fine/back to normal (our concern is that my AMH is going down so fast that that might be too long). It might be worth your husband doing a DNA fragmentation test, although unfortunately the NHS doesn't do them and they're pretty expensive.

You should get at least one free round on the NHS - as you've been trying for a couple of years now you should qualify.

xx

@WishingWaiting hi, I saw your message and wanted to respond as I’m dealing with something similar - DH we’re trying for a year so went for fertility tests. I was fine but DH sperm count, morphology and DNA were abysmal. DH stopped smoking and Three months later another semen analysis test showed huge improvement - enough that our chances of natural conception were equal to that of IVF and the consultant telling us we should try for 6 months and see what happens. We were under Jonathan Ramsay who’s hypothesis was that DH had had Covid which had temporarily totally ruined everything in his sperm! 2 weeks after getting these results, we found out we were pregnant. Unfortunately I found out at our 12 week scan that I had miscarried. Having spoken to mr Ramsay, he would like to do another Comet test to check the DNA fragmentation, as if this hasn’t improved along with the count/morphology etc then he believes this ‘could’ be a cause for miscarriage. I’m a bit confused as I thought DNA fragmentation caused infertility, so if it was that bad how did we conceive in the first instance? Also, miscarriage can happen in 1 out of every 4 pregnancies, so couldn’t it have just been bad luck? Also, if he thought this could happen, why would he tell us to try naturally for 6 months?
DH does not want to have any more tests and wants to see if we can get pregnant again and carry to full term but I’m now terrified of having another miscarriage!

It’s so bad that Covid has caused us so many fertility problems and we ended up losing a whole year of trying.

Have you seen Mr Ramsay? How are you getting on now?

@Alelivs I know this thread is old but just wondering if you had a repeat SA done ? We are in similar position, have a child together who is 4 and conceived very easily. Now trying for no2 7 months no luck so husband had a SA done and all numbers are awfully low like 99% defects, a 2 mil count PH off, everything as worse as it can possibly be. So we are shocked and heartbroken. But remebered hubby had the flu and a moderate fever for a week 5 weeks prior. Test to be tested in about 2 months