Semen analysis - anyone know what these results mean?

[acaciabluebell]

Can anyone please give me some advice around what these results might mean for us? We've been TTC for 12 months now. I'm 25 and have low AMH, my husband is 28.

Semen Analysis results

Volume: 1ml
Appearance: normal
Viscosity: normal
Liquefaction: complete
PH: above 8.0
Debris: +
Agglutination: isolated, tangled

Total count per ml: 105million

Vitality: 83%

Motility:
Total: 65%
Progressive: 55%
Non progressive: 10%
Immotile: 35%

Antisperm antibodies:
igA

Morphology is a little low, but that is probably compensated by the fact that the count is pretty high!

So 2% of 100 million = 4% of 50 million (which is a more average count).

@physicskate I didn't know it worked like that! Thanks. I'm concerned about the round cells % though

My doctor told me they were less worried about morphology so long as it wasn't 0.

Thanks

I would complain to the practice manager about having such sent to you at all without it being at all explained. You should as a couple be referred anyway to a subfertility unit now, particularly if this has not
already happened.

On a wider level this is also why such tests should be done in a subfertility department setting. Both of you should have been spoken to together re these results.

Sperm agglutination refers to the percentage of sperm stuck together in the provided sample. Sperm can stick together at the head, tail or head-to-tail. When reading your fertility test results, the percentage assigned to sperm agglutination represents the percentage of sperm stuck together in the sample.

Besides the sperm, there are often other cells in the semen, seen under the microscope. Round cells can be immature sperm, debris (junk), or white blood cells (WBC’s). This number is usually reported as a concentration of round cells, ie how many round cells there are, in millions, per cc. of the ejaculate. I would think it a given that more analysis is needed.

@AttilaTheMeerkat Thank you so much for your explanation. We are still waiting for our referral to be sent to the fertility clinic (since December). Right now we both have our separate GPs that we speak to. Neither of them really know anything and I'm constantly having to remind them of which tests etc we need. I wonder if I could call the lab who did the test to ask for clarification of the results? Or is it the responsibility of the GP

Your man could try calling the lab but it may well be that they will advise you to speak to the GP.

Thank you @AttilaTheMeerkat. Do you think we should be concerned about the low morphology if the motility and count is ok?

Have booked an appt with GP but need to have to wait 2 weeks for any sort of explanation.

Would also ask the GP about your referral at that time. Sorry to read you have to wait two more weeks for any further explanation.

These tests are going to need to be repeated in any case and not just to determine if morphology is an issue. This is because a single semen analysis is not definitive.

Update: I had my follow up consultation with the GP and unfortunately nothing was explained except to say the results 'aren't really normal'. I asked about if we need to repeat the test and the GP didn't seem to know. The fertility clinic is being sent off now though, finally. I wonder if I should follow this up further or just wait for the fertility clinic?

Hey @acaciabluebell, sorry to hear your GP has been so unhelpful. We had a similar issue - my partner called and was told his analysis had come back as ‘normal’. Great, we thought. I’m a bit of a worrier though and I have already been referred to the fertility unit for other issues, so asked him to get a copy of his results. Everything was normal or even good, except the morphology which was 0%! We called up and asked why they had said it was ‘normal’. They said that what they’d meant was that they couldn’t take any further action! After that we insisted on a follow up test, they weren’t keen but if you insist they will let you. One test isn’t definitive. We’re still waiting on the results of the second one. It’s taught me that you have to be really on it and willing to advocate for yourself in this process. GP’s often really aren’t that clued up when it comes to fertility.

@Floryella I'm sorry you had to go through this as well. I can't believe you had to insist on the repeat test. my Dr didn't say anything about a repeat test but I might call them back and demand one just like you have. When we dropped off the sample at the andrology lab they did mention that he would most likely need to repeat test too.

Hi.
Did anyone mention about hubby having sample sent for microbial culture and sensitivity? High round cells could be sign of infection

My partners came back 1% morphology also but we were told because his count and motility were above average it cancelled this out.
We're unexplained, so I had a feeling there may be more to it though.
We've just done egg collection and freeze all back on 24th March. Out of 11 eggs collected (17 but 6 were immature so we won't count those) we now have 4 day 5 embryos in the freezer
It was a year since that sample and then when he gave sample for egg collection day though so a lot could have changed. During this process he has into given two samples, one for testing and one for EC day.
I'd push for more if I were you.
My partner took wellman conception daily and dramatically reduced alcohol consumption/had stopped smoking during this time too. Pandemic and not being able to socialise helped us in that aspect

I didn't push as much with mine, because we had been ttc 5 years and nothing so I think I ultimately knew IVF would be our end option so just went with getting there quicker

@acaciabluebell

Update: I had my follow up consultation with the GP and unfortunately nothing was explained except to say the results 'aren't really normal'. I asked about if we need to repeat the test and the GP didn't seem to know. The fertility clinic is being sent off now though, finally. I wonder if I should follow this up further or just wait for the fertility clinic?

The GP definitely won't be able to advise you on this any further as they are not specialists. Hence why they shouldn't have given you such a detailed report. They'll know whether the results are normal or not and when to refer you. When they do refer you to the fertility clinic, you will have a chance to talk about all results in more detail, they will also do addition tests and repeat tests if necessary (sperm analysis for sure). Hope it all goes well!

@willithappen thanks for explaining your story. I'm really pleased for you that you got 4 day 5 embryos, thats amazing! Gives me more hope if we do go by the IVF route. I'm assuming you did ICSI?

@Poppys335 it hasn't been mentioned at all, but that's something I could bring up to the fertility clinic I think?

@Giraffaelina Yeah I think you are right. We are being referred now so it's just a matter of waiting. Thank you!

@acaciabluebell we actually just did normal IVF. I thought we'd have to do ICSI but they said because his other numbers were so high that it counteracted them 1% morphology!

I was told one of ours that didn't fertilise the sperm just swam round and round the egg instead 🙈

That is amazing @willithappen I hope we don't have to do ICSI either if/when we get to that stage. Lol @ the sperm swimming around the egg 😂

@acaciabluebell I was a bit worried when they said we wouldn't get ICSI as I was convinced it was a sperm issue and that it wouldn't work unless ICSI was involved but it went better than I expected! I had -17 eggs collected, 11 of those were mature and out of 11 a total of 8 of those fertilised! 5 made it to day 3 and then 4 made it to day 5. I'm now wondering if I have an egg issue but not to worry until I get through and FET

It's funny to imagine them isn't it haha. I wish they took a video of it all and let you see! I have a review appointment Wednesday for some reason also so will see what they say about our results that day

@acaciabluebell sorry for another post but I am a biomedical andrologist. Are you looking to go direct to ivf/icsi. With a few abnormal results hubby could be referred to consultant andrologist for advice and investigations which could help improve analysis. Normal we would look at samples in duplicate a week apart for a more conclusive result

Hi

My partners semen test is
Vol-2.5ml which I think is normal
PH-8.5- it says should be higher than 7.5 however I read up somewhere and it says should be between 7.something to 8- is this something to worry about
Consistency- normal
Count- 34million/ ml
Total sperm- 88million
73 percent live sperm
Morphology - 2% I know this has to be above 4
Abnormalities- mixed with mainly heads
Motility- 17 % progressive
14 non progressive
68 immobile

I know morphology and motility is low however is the ph something to worry about

Also does anyone know in general is if this is ok because my consultant said it’s satisfactory

Any help advise would be appreciated