Semen analysis- help?! Is it as bad as I think

[Turtley]

After 20 months ttc. Dh got his semen analysis results back today, the doctor told him it’s not her area of expertise but he’s marginally low..
Looking myself the sample didn’t have enough sperm to be able to do morphology
This doesn’t seem good to me.
And what does 110^6 even mean, I was expecting an estimate in millions per ml?
I’m so confused seems like a waste of time I’m none the wiser!

Yes unfortunately it sounds like he didn't produce a big enough sample for them to be able to run all the tests

They don’t want to retest him though which is strange surely? And the volume he did have was considered normal? It’s so frustrating being so clueless

I don't understand why they don't write the results more clearly for non medical individuals who often just get given the results and sent on their way. Some sort of outcome on the bottom would be helpful... E.g. 'you might struggle TTC without fertility support' / 'crack on, you're fine'.

My husband had his results delivered by a doctor who "wasn't an expert" (maybe let one who is deliver the results then?) and they very much made it sound fine, no directions on what next. Took them to my GP to add to my records for eventual fertility referral and my GP said they were really not good and we'd more than likely/definitely need IVF! 🙄

Is it worth calling back and asking for a better explanation or advice on next steps for you both or take them to your own gp like I did? Have you had any tests for you yet? I'm getting my GP to do our referral as we are at separate surgeries, and she is the one who wanted a repeat semen test so my husband phoned his GP to request one because his "wife's doctor said so"!

Whilst I don't understand the way they've written it... the semen volume was clearly fine. But the concentration of sperm within the semen was too low. Semen volume is everything - the fluid that carries the sperm and the sperm itself (plus other stuff I imagine that I don't know about!).

@WeightlossKin thank you for replying! All he was told was that his results look marginally low (looks worse than that to me!) her words were that It’s not her expertise and he still has some and some are moving in the right direction. She won’t refer because it has to be done by my doctor apparently (we have separate gp surgeries) and my doctor seems to think I’m 33 and should be fine. I’ve had blood tests for everything except day 3 which I had to push for they confirm I’m at least ovulating but he doesn’t seem to want to refer me for anything!
I have got an appointment for a hysteroscopy because I had abnormal bleeding a year ago but even then I don’t know what that’s for other than an abnormality in my womb that may possibly not be helping in getting pregnant.
I feel absolutely in the dark about everything nobody seems to want to give me an explanation for anything and after so many months trying it’s really getting to me now.

You've been trying almost two years, at the two year stage I'm not sure how they can refuse a Fertility referral You might end up having to have further testing done, you might not be eligible for IVF yet (you might not even need it obviously) but they shouldn't delay you receiving appropriate fertility testing from a fertility clinic.
If they did refuse, I would write a polite letter of enquiry to your Practice Manager (or ask the GP directly if you're less dramatic than me) asking them to explain how, when and on what grounds you'd be entitled to such a referral.
33 is young but not when you approach the need for further TTC help. Can you arrange a phone appointment with your GP? Ask them if they'll look at your husband's results and do the referral on the basis that he's got a very low concentration of sperm, and of those there, they are mostly non progressive motility? No amount of being young or continuing to try for years is likely to change that.

I've got PCOS and don't always ovulate. I went for a scan so they could say 'yep, you still have pcos', 21 day blood test could neither confirm nor sent ovulation, plus two years TTC, but that wasn't "enough" for a Fertility referral, but the sperm analysis being shocking was enough on it's own (I'm too fat for it though, trying to shed the pounds for a Christmas referral 🤞).

I think a hysteroscopy is what they do to look for those abnormalities isn't it? People I know with endometriosis or heavy periods have had them and had polyps or endo removed. It's probably worth having (in my opinion, someone who has never had it done).

Utterly frustrating isn't it? You really need to fight your own corner and be your own advocate. Often goes against our need to people please, but really necessary at this stage.

Has your DH done all the things that can help?
Conception vitamins for men (my husband has been taking Wellman conception - will find out next month if they've made any difference), people rave about Impryl (£60 a month!). Not smoking/reducing alcohol/no hot baths/not cycling/loose boxers only/drinking lots of water/being a healthy weight... That kind of thing? If so, make this clear to your GP too!

It’s all very confusing. When my DP had his analysis, his volume was 2.3ml, clearly less than your 3.2ml. And they managed to do all the tests. His immotile (C) % was much lower than yours, so perhaps it’s not the volume, but the concentration that matters.

I would try and get someone to explain it properly to you. But it looks like motility is the biggest issue. There are lots of supplements that people swear by to increase sperm count and motility in particular. Definitely worth looking into those, if you haven’t already.