Sperm test & DNA fragmentation result

[bstrong0805]

We have been trying to conceive for about a year now and finally I convinced my husband to get a sperm and COMET DNA fragmentation test. The results were not too bad, but our doctor said it wasn't too good either.

• DNA fragmentation - Average comet score - 31%
• Sperm test, all parameters good including count and motility (~70%) but morphology is low - 3%

We are now debating what needs to be done - doctors are suggesting 3 month treatments but honestly we don't have much financial reserve left for this after all the vitamins and tests over the past year. My question to this helpful community thus is

• Anyone with similar results, who have gone ahead and conceived naturally?
• Any vitamins or supplements for male fertility improvement ? My partner is currently on Fertiaid, COQ200 and vitamin D (37 years, doesn't smoke, occasional drinking)
• Any other advice for us ?

Thanks in advance for all your help!

Hi @bstrong0805, hope you’re doing ok?

Just wondering what you decided to do?
And also wondered if your consultant had mentioned the possibility of Covid being the cause of the DNA fragmentation?

My husband had a disastrous SA result after we’d been trying for a year with no luck, we saw a urologist (Jonathan Ramsay) who suggested did more tests including a DNA fragmentation which showed 45% fragmented. A re-test 3 months later after quitting smoking, well man vitamins and lots of nuts and seeds, showed drastic improvements in Count, motility etc to the point mr Ramsay said we should be able to conceive naturally and that he would expect the DNA has improved alongside the other factors as is usually the case. He also said quitting smoking alone would not be enough to cause such improvements and that he believes DH must have had Covid which effects the sperm temporarily. Sure enough, a few days after our last appointment with him I found out I was pregnant. Unfortunately I had a miscarriage but that could just as easily be bad luck.

I would definitely try and do another test in a few months as it definitely fluctuates and Mr Ramsay said he has seen so many men have temporary bad quality sperm which had got better on its own.

Hope that helps

I’m not sure about dna fragmentation, it never got checked when DH had his 3 sperm tests but is morphology was low (2%, 3% and then 2% again). I did some research on this and morphology is actually the least understood of all the sperm parameters for conception. The ‘healthy’ level is 4% and up so your DH isn’t actually far behind. The only supplement clinically proven to help sperm is proxeed plus (pricey but worth it id imagine). There are also studies that have shown that the vast majority of men (think it was around 70% but don’t quote me on that) who have consistently had 0 % morphology, have conceived children within 2 years. So it may be well a case of taking a bit longer.

Anecdotally, we were recommended ivf+icsi due to ‘variable sperm parameters’ and im currently pregnant with our second child and we had no medical intervention. We did see someone for acupuncture which I am convinced did work but we’ve never had DH’s sperm analysed since. If you’re in the UK and commutable to west mids happy to share the name of the guy, I am convinced he worked miracles.