Need to repeat semen analysis before NHS fertility referral can be sent?

[acaciabluebell]

We had our initial appointment with GP in December 2020, it's now March, so it's already taken over 3 months just to get a few blood tests done and a SA for my DH.

GP has said that if semen results come back as abnormal we will need to wait another 3 months and do a repeat test before the referral to the fertility clinic can be sent off.

That means it will be 6 whole months (!!!) of waiting for the fertility referral to be sent? Is this normal procedure? I don't see why we can't be referred while we wait for the repeat test?

The results come back in a few days and I have an appt with the GP soon after. I want to know if I have a leg to stand on when I speak to her.

It was Oct 2019 our last semen analysis was! My partner only had to do one. Everything came back 'above average' except morphology which was 1% but we were told that it outweighed itself with the high numbers.
The only other time my partner has had to provide a sample was Wednesday just passed when we did egg collection.

How long have you been trying? I think because we had been over the two years and not a hint of a BFP we were referred straight away and the tests were just procedure. I had day 21 bloods and partner had that one SA and that's all we had before our referral

@willithappen I think if the SA comes back as normal then we won't have to redo it, only if there's something wrong.

But I have a bad feeling that it will come back below average because DH didn't manage to get all of the 'sample' in the pot and I've heard that can affect results. He also abstained for close to 5 days which is the maximum time he was supposed to abstain.

We've been trying 12 months now.

Hi! It might depend on how bad the first result was? (A little bad or totally hopeless.)

For us 1 SA was enough for an US and andrology referral, which resulted in the fertility clinic referral. While we waited for that we had a 2nd one done though as we knew they would ask for it at the fertility clinic. And they did. And by now we've had a 3rd one too, to do the actual NHS funding application.

@AnonymousXXIX That's interesting, I didn't realise you could be referred to different services. Thanks for letting me know! I think we are being referred to the standard fertility clinic who will then do ultrasounds etc. I don't mind waiting for the 2nd SA, but I just want us to be on the waiting list while we wait!

@acaciabluebell our issue is only male factor and nothing else, that's why I was saying the first result might make a difference to the process and requirements. Ours made completely clear we would need IVF-ICSI no matter what happened next. But if the results would have just been a slightly low count, or kind of disappointing morphology, then they would def want to repeat it before taking any other steps because the next sample might actually be just fine.

I think it is up to your GP. We only had one SA done and were referred (though not because of the results of the SA, see below). I also have PCOS and am over 35 so that may have influenced their decision to refer. I would personally keep on asking your GP if they will refer you while you wait for the second SA. As you say, better to be on the waiting list.

And also, make sure you get a copy of the results to look at yourself. The receptionist at our GP said my partner's results were 'normal', but we got hold of a copy as we decided to go private due to crazy waiting list times in our area, and it turned out he had 0% normal morphology. We'd have had no idea if we hadn't gone through the results ourselves.