# Should we do iui/ivf if icsi fails?



## mittens (May 3, 2008)

Hi

Because we are finding it so hard to move onto donor sperm, we wondered whether it might be worth covering all bases before we do. We have only ever done icsi - because of a my dh low sperm count and this is when we had zero fertlisation first time, and low fertilisation the next. 

We have never tried clomid, iui, ivf. Is there anything to say that these methods wouldnt work better for us?
Could we be getting bad fertilisation rate because icsi just doesnt suit my eggs or my dh sperm?

Also I read with much interest what you said about arrested development of embryos on day 3 due to sperm problems. Could you elabourate on this for me? We are being told our problem could be a sperm issue (high abnormal forms, low count) and our embryo was slow growing on day 3 and transfered that day resulting in bfn.

Thanks for your help 

Mittensx

Hello Mittens,

ICSI is one of the most advanced forms of fertility treatment, if your Consultant had considered clomid or IUI an option they would generally have tried this first. And remember IUI and IVF are only really suitable if the sperm is normal or very slightly suboptimal.

You would be very unlikely to get fertilisation with IVF if the Embryologist has seen problems with the sperm - ICSI was actually developed for poorer sperm samples as IVF would not get fertilisation with severe sperm problems.

In the first few days of development the egg has more of an influence on development and around day three the DNAfrom the sperm begins to increases its influence. But poor embryo development on day three by no means is a complete diagnosis for a sperm issue. But when looking at the sperm down the microscope, fertilisation and embryo development are all taken into consideration against a background of no egg problems this strongly can indicate a sperm problem.

Best wishes


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## CrystalW (Jul 25, 2007)

mittens said:


> Hi
> 
> Because we are finding it so hard to move onto donor sperm, we wondered whether it might be worth covering all bases before we do. We have only ever done icsi - because of a my dh low sperm count and this is when we had zero fertlisation first time, and low fertilisation the next.
> 
> ...


Hello Mittens,

ICSI is one of the most advanced forms of fertility treatment, if your Consultant had considered clomid or IUI an option they would generally have tried this first. And remember IUI and IVF are only really suitable if the sperm is normal or very slightly suboptimal.

You would be very unlikely to get fertilisation with IVF if the Embryologist has seen problems with the sperm - ICSI was actually developed for poorer sperm samples as IVF would not get fertilisation with severe sperm problems.

In the first few days of development the egg has more of an influence on development and around day three the DNAfrom the sperm begins to increases its influence. But poor embryo development on day three by no means is a complete diagnosis for a sperm issue. But when looking at the sperm down the microscope, fertilisation and embryo development are all taken into consideration against a background of no egg problems this strongly can indicate a sperm problem.

Best wishes


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