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Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

ICSI advice

8 replies

CerysMcD · 10/10/2021 13:03

Hi everyone,

We’ve been TTC for 9 cycles but have found out that my husband has a low sperm count (9 million per ml) and also low motility (don’t know the specifics of that). Doctors never mentioned morphology.

We’re getting impatient as people who have started trying after us have already got pregnant. So we’re thinking of paying privately for ICSI as I am 29 with no issues and husband is 34. We thought the earlier the better. I know we’re young but I thought the better the success rate.

Can anyone else share their IVF stories that are similar to mine? With just MFI? It would be greatly appreciated and I would just like to know as I don’t know anybody who has gone through it. I am also afraid of the whole IVF cycle and needles etc so am nervous about that.

Thank you 🙏

OP posts:
Sunshineonarainydaymakesmysoul · 10/10/2021 13:28

MFI. Me 29 -no issues, DH 30.

We were lucky enough to be successful on our first cycle.
We had our only 2 embryos transferred and now have a teenager.

However, I wasn’t aware there were increased risks of ADHD/ASD with ICSI. I doubt that it would have affected my decision to go ahead though as I was so desperate to have a baby, you tend to think things won’t happen to you. However, teen has a joint diagnosis, is difficult and challenging but I am so grateful that our ICSI worked. I just wish I had a child that found life easier.

We kidded-ourselves that, as it had worked first time, it would be pretty straightforward to have a much wanted sibling.
7 further cycles, which resulted in 4 miscarriages and 3 failed cycles, certainly took its toll on our relationship, finances and -mine especially- mental health.

I don’t think anyone goes into ivf/icsi thinking it won’t work -you wouldn’t bother if you thought that would you? But it certainly is an emotional rollercoaster.
DH now does say he wishes he had considered donor sperm. At the time he wouldn’t entertain the idea but it, possibly, would have been less traumatic/more successful -who knows-but it certainly would have been cheaper. We would be mortgage free if we hadn’t spent so much on ICSI.

Without ICSI I wouldn’t be a mum, it’s all I wanted to be in life. The injections, daily internal scans, egg collections, embryo transfers and the dreaded roller coaster of the 2WW, desperately hoping for a positive, are all worth it.

Wishing you lots of luck on your journey Flowers

firefly37 · 10/10/2021 13:46

Hi @CerysMcD
My partner and I were 36 when we started fresh cycle number 1 which was successful with our son and we were 39 for fresh cycle number 2 which was successful with our daughter. My partner has had a combination of low count, low motility and abnormal forms so we had ICSI which worked just grand!
We are now 41 and starting fresh cycle number 3... However I researched loads of vitamins for my partner to take and after 3 months his sperm is now fantastic and completely normal! He takes ubiquinol, l-carnitine, NAC, proceive for men, alpha lipoic acid and omega 3. Xx

CerysMcD · 10/10/2021 19:54

Thank you for your responses. In the back of my head I’m thinking maybe I’m rushing into it but I also think if I wait until I’m older and it doesn’t work, would I regret not doing it sooner?

It’s definitely made me have another think but I will probably go for it and hope that it does work.

OP posts:
Saltisford · 10/10/2021 22:49

We both have fertility issues and had ivf on the nhs - the doctors decided on the day of retrieval that we must have ICSI to proceed based on sperm quality… we have a lovely two year old son who seems neurotypical! In terms of needles etc etc I would say that the treatment is actually fine. Once you’ve done it once, it’s straightforward and it’s the giving birth bit that hurts more 🤣 On a serious note I’d say the emotional pain of infertility is far far worse than anything physical.

CerysMcD · 12/10/2021 09:21

Thank you! We don't think we could justify paying for more than 2 'goes' at it, so I'm really hoping in the back of my head that it works. Would never have thought that this would happen to me!

I'm booked in for a scan on Friday as husband already did SA last month so don't have to pay for another test. As far as I know I am healthy and fertile according to the GP. Hopefully my ovarian reserves will be OK too.

If we fail with these, then we are best to leave it for another 1-2 years in order to save the money back up and maybe see if we can conceive naturally. Even if I'm 40 having a child at least that gives me another 11 years of trying!

Thank you all. It's appreciated.

OP posts:
Unknown51 · 04/01/2022 16:42

Hey just wondering if anyone can help me I’m new to this forum starting my benfola injections on the 18th of this month feeling really nervous. I am 26 Both me and my partner have got problems I have pcso I had stage 2 endometriosis I also had a polyp removed December Im with create fertility Birmingham and I am on a short protocol I actually was on clomid before being referred for ivf and responded well to clomid just didn’t get pregnant my partner has low motility but not poor enough to not get me pregnant they said. I need some positive story’s please as I’m not feeling very hopefull due to partners low motility I am doing icsi x

BMWqueen · 05/01/2022 13:36

Do it now!!
I waited until I was 34 and wish I hadnt.

my partners sperm was so bad we would have never had our girl without icsi

fertilitymum · 09/07/2024 10:36

Hello! Anyone who did ICSI, how are your babies developmentally now?

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