Please help! Advice on extra/more in depth tests that are worth doing

[Hol24]

Sorry for the long post but just so desperate for any help/advice. Struggling to conceive, fell pregnant once naturally right before starting treatment but had a missed miscarriage which we discovered at 7 weeks (blighted ovum). No luck since. We have had 2 rounds of medicated IUI recently which have failed despite me having 2 mature follicles after clomid and ovitrelle.

Are there any extra tests that you think are worth paying for other than the standard? We had the following last year: I have had bloods (progesterone, FSH, oestradiol, TSH, LH, prolactin, testosterone, free androgren, AMH). All results were normal according to the consultant - on a natural cycle my progesterone was 31 so only just above ‘ovulation’ figure but she said that’s fine?! My ultrasound showed good follicle count and HSG clear. I have regular 27/28 day cycles and get a positive ovulation test every month around day 13/14.

I do suffer with thrush regularly so considering a microbiome test. I’ve also been spotting 1-2 days before my period some months.

Partners semen analysis good except for morphology which is borderline (12%-18%) on different tests. He does have a varicocele so we wondered whether to have the DNA fragmentation test?

Can anybody recommend these tests or anything else worth paying for? Our area only funds 1 round of IVF so really want to explore everything we can first.

Really hope someone can offer some advice - thanks in advance!!!

@Hol24 my husband did the comet test despite ivf clinic saying his sperm was fine based purely on the spermanalysis. Comet test found an issue with high fragmentation so for us it was worth doing. We’ve been trying for #2 for coming up to 2 years but I’ve also discovered other issues - low amh but me being almost 42 not unusual, blocked tube treated with laparoscopy, some immune issues, and now this sperm issue. How long have you been trying?

Thanks for replying, TTC feels a very lonely place sometimes. Glad your blocked tube could be sorted.

I have read a few posts on here that said semen analysis was fine but DNA fragmentation was high so it sounds like its definitely a test worth having. Have they gave you any idea of how to improve his results?? I have just been googling extra supplements to try on top of the usual conception vits and coQ10. Also ordered ‘it starts with the egg’ to see if theres anything else we can try to improve our chances.

I am almost 32 and have been trying for over 2 years. Just feels like forever doesn’t it. Are you thinking of moving onto ivf soon? We are taking a few months ‘break’ while we get these extra tests and then will give our final free iui a go and if that fails and we have no success naturally, onto IVF.

Do you mind me asking how you found out about immune issues?

@Hol24 I’d read about immune issues being a problem as had had three miscarriages and read that recurrent miscarriages are not due to chromosome issues. However after testing the last miscarriage, it was indeed a chromosome issue and the frozen embryo when tested also had chromosome issues so I’m wondering if it’s just the quality of embryos.

I think my husband was told to have vitamins (Impiryl) vitamin d, ibiquinol and can’t remember the full list and other things like getting a urine test to check infection, keep the area cool, healthy lifestyle.

Weve already had an ivf cycle. Thinking about cycle #2.