# sperm test results



## emmah12 (Nov 16, 2009)

hello all,  its been a while since i last posted.  been trying to  stop obsessing about ttc. 

i have just received a letter from my consultant about a sperm test my oh had done back in dec. 

it doesnt give any figures, it just says ''there is a slight reduction of the sperm count ans significant reduction of the normal sperm concentration''

does this mean that the sperm that are there are mostly abnormal? im not overly concerned about the low count as i have managed to get pg 4 times since june 08.  i just cant stay pg  

we have just started ttc again and now this. feel so low now. 

have tried to get the exact figures but cons secretary says she cant give them and ivf wales say they dont have them.  can he call his gp and get them? we were told initially we would be able to get them from gp but they say they dont have access. 

tia ladies x


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## emmah12 (Nov 16, 2009)

have tried googling but cant make sense of any of it.  

gah! ivf wales wont answer the phone. is there anone there on monday afternoons?


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

i wish i could help but i dont know a great deal about sperm sorry

keep trying to call them

when is your next appointment?


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## emmah12 (Nov 16, 2009)

thanks kara

im going to see my consultant on the 18th, but other half cant make it. he works away and getting appointments sorted is a nightmare. 

just wish the letter was a bit clearer.


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

im sorry getting appointments is a pain for you 

i too hate letters like this


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## Shellebell (Dec 31, 2004)

It sounds like it's just the count is low, the concentration thing is how many swimmers are in a certain amount of fluid.
My DH had confused results at the intial tests from the Dr because the count was OK but had more fluid, so we were told OK then not then not sure    

If it was abonormal sperm it would state one of those long words to describe it   Let me find my book 


The tests are Volume - amount ejactulated, Density - number of sperm per ml, Motility - number of sperm showing normal forward movements, morphology - % of abnormal sperm.
Normal analysis = greater than 2ml with more than 20 million sperm per ml. Motility greater than 40% within 1 hour of ejac and less than 70% abonormal sperm. 

So they would have mentioned %'s and motility etc if there was a prob with the sperm themselves hopefully


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## emmah12 (Nov 16, 2009)

thanks shellbell.  hope your right 

no joy getting through to ivf wales or my consultant.  

will keep trying tomorrow.


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## emmah12 (Nov 16, 2009)

so finally managed to get  through to the clinic.

he has below average count, low morphology and low motility. 

that along with the fact that i have low free protien s levels mean the chances of us having a healthy pg are not the best.     

have to wait for next cons appt to discuss further. 

thanks for posting though.


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## Shellebell (Dec 31, 2004)

Awwww hun      I hope they can suggets something for you


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

emma 

hugs hun

i have no idea about low protein but i do know the way around your dh's sperm issue is Icsi so try and stay postive if  you can


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## emmah12 (Nov 16, 2009)

thanks ladies.

kara, the low proteins cause clotting problems. will be starting on heparin from bfp nest time.

we have an appt next week for repeat sperm test. fingers crossed it shows some improvement.


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

i use clexane now which is a low molucur weight herpian and this is often used to treat clotting problems in pregnancy so its good news that you will be on this

you could try put your hubby on some vits to see if the sperm improves, wellman vits is a good choice


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## mimi41 (Feb 28, 2008)

Emmah my dh has sperm issues and like kara said icsi is a good way round.  Vits are a good idea and better than wellman is fertilaid which you can order in Ireland.  Lyndon the embryologist called them the gold standard of vits for men.  Good luck hun


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## emmah12 (Nov 16, 2009)

he has been taking well man since just before xmas. hopefully they will help make an improvement

i did wonder if they would put me claxane instead.  i;m seeing haematologist on thurs to find out more. 

have had a look at the jabbing vid's.    not looking forward to that. 

mimi. i will look into ordering those now.  he's just dragged me round boots seeing if there are any other vits he can try. thanks for that.


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

oh emma the jabs really are ok though clexane can sting a little

i havent done a clexane jab vid but its very similiar to the others just no mixing etc as they are prefilled syringes, if you want a vid for the clexane i could do one lol

there are some good tips with clexane too to reduce bruising like making sure the air bubble goes in last and this helps seal the injection site, we can talk more about jabs etc once you have your plan of action

good luck with your appointment


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## mimi41 (Feb 28, 2008)

If you google fertilaid an irish company will come up.  They are a little expensive but i am sure they helped.

There are other vits but fertilaid has them all.  He will have to take 3 a day hopefully they will help


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## SarahJaneH (Nov 21, 2009)

Hi Emma

Sorry you are feeling down, my dh has the same problem - low count and morphology. He's done 2 tests now which confirmed this and also one was ok for motility another below average. He's taking vitamin supplements (fertilaid - I get mine from Ireland too)  so hopefully that will help. I think tests results can be variable - alcohol, heat, stress, caffeine etc can all affect quality too. We had our tests done at IVF Wales and were told that minimum 5% normal morphology is OK and dh came back with 1-2%, I think this is using strict criteria for morphology. ICSI is our way forward. We've had one go which sadly didn't work but are trying again very soon. Plenty of ICSI success stories on here to keep us positive. Wishing you lots of luck and hope you have some good news with the second test


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## emmah12 (Nov 16, 2009)

kara. just reading that post made my stomache turn    dont know how i am going to cope giving myself injections. my appt is actually on friday, not thurs. dont know how you do it!

mimi, fertilaid all ordered 6 months worth on the way. thank you for the recommendation. 

sarahjane. good luck with your next try at icsi. i ihavent had the numbers from dp tests yet. supposed to be seeing peter at ivf wales tomorrow to do second test. fingers crossed the results are a bit better this time


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

i remember well how scared i was on my first jab so that fear is normal hun


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## mimi41 (Feb 28, 2008)

Emmah they are worth it.  Hope things improve in the sperm department hun x


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## emmah12 (Nov 16, 2009)

hi again.

so..2nd sperm test shows the same as the first. 

count 16m, cant remember the motility and 1% morphology.  

cons suggested icsi. dont even know where to start. my head is a mess. 

i was so sure that it couldnt be a sperm issue as we have always fallen pg so easily.  

its all so unfair.


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## PixTrix (Aug 20, 2008)

Hi Emma, sorry that you have had this news, but as you say you have fallen pg easily so they are doing something right! ICSI will be a way around the sperm issues because instead of being left in the dish to do their stuff as in IVF they will pick a the good ones to inject straight into the egg so gets over the hurdle of having to fight for the egg if that makes sense! Sending you a big


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## mimi41 (Feb 28, 2008)

Hi Emma

I always have icsi and this just might be what you need.  I know its a bit of a mind number but at least you know.  Get those fertilaid down his neck and things could improve hun


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## Shellebell (Dec 31, 2004)

We are being ref for ICSI because of DH  but it doesn't mean that things can't happen on their own, as you say you have got a BFP before. 
BUT with ICSI they will be using the best boys for the job


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

emma i am so sorry your feeling down and i hope you see this as a way forward maybe not today or tomorrow but soon

as shelley says it doesnt mean things wont happen naturally


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## trickynic (Nov 3, 2009)

Hi Emma - you couldn't have got a worse needlephobe than me before treatment, honestly. I had to have hypnotherapy and all sorts. The first few are a bit scary because it's so new but you quickly get used to it. My DH always did them for me and by the end of tx I was even able to watch him doing it! As for your sperm results, my DH had an extremely low count - 700,000 I think - and they seemed to swimming in any direction but the right way! Doesn't matter with ICSI as they only need one sperm for each egg. Good luck for your treatment and hope you stick around on the forum to let us know how you are getting on


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## emmah12 (Nov 16, 2009)

thanks all, 

feeling a bit daunted by it all at the moment.  we have a 3rd sperm test on the 8th so hopefully there will a  bit of an improvement  


as we will be self funding, how long will we need to wait for treatment? think it will take a few months to save but really feel like i need to be doing something.  like i need a plan in place!


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