Low sperm count & morphology... options?

[kerwin129]

Hi everyone

So have been TTC for just over a year with no success. I had 21 day bloods & thyroid check which all came back okay. My OH had a semen analysis which was not okay... sperm count was only 1.4 million and morphology was 0! Found this out today and been quite a shock and a lot to take in. I am 25 and OH is 29. His Dr has suggested bloods for him and also a referral to a specialist. We are absolutely gutted, but going to take each day as it comes.

Has anyone else had similar experiences or conceived through other means like IUI or IVF. Even wandering if at this point these options are viable.

OH is healthy, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, healthy weight and exercises regularly. He has stopped taking hot baths in the last couple of months and had been taking Wellman preconception tablets however stopped these and taking vitamin c and zinc.

Any advice on how to increase sperm count and morphology?

Thanks!

 

[MariaIsabella]

Hi kerwin129,

My DH had 0% morphology as well. We thought for sure that was the reason why I didn't get pregnant so we got on the waiting list for ICSI with NHS. ICSI is when they insert the sperm into the egg when you do IVF since with 0% morphology they think the sperm as an abnormal form so it cant penetrate.

Either way, while waiting for ICSI they discovered I had hyperplasia in the endometrium ( had invasive scan to confirm ) which makes it hard to get pregnant so had to be treated for that before IVF. Once treatment was done it was time for IVF with ICSI and it turns out we never needed the ICSI but only normal IVF since the sperm managed to get in to the egg without issues so 0% morphology was probably not the cause of infertility but my endometrium issues.

Just to confirm 0 morphology had no effect I am now pregnant naturally with my second.

Sperm count I am not sure of though but what I have read is that count can be improved with lifestyle changes but since your OH seems to be doing everything correct I am not sure. I do know sperm analysis can change so I would do another in a couple of months.

Also, I do believe you definitely would have a good chance with IVF. Have you spoken to a specialist?

x

 

[kerwin129]

Hi kerwin129,

My DH had 0% morphology as well. We thought for sure that was the reason why I didn't get pregnant so we got on the waiting list for ICSI with NHS. ICSI is when they insert the sperm into the egg when you do IVF since with 0% morphology they think the sperm as an abnormal form so it cant penetrate.

Either way, while waiting for ICSI they discovered I had hyperplasia in the endometrium ( had invasive scan to confirm ) which makes it hard to get pregnant so had to be treated for that before IVF. Once treatment was done it was time for IVF with ICSI and it turns out we never needed the ICSI but only normal IVF since the sperm managed to get in to the egg without issues so 0% morphology was probably not the cause of infertility but my endometrium issues.

Just to confirm 0 morphology had no effect I am now pregnant naturally with my second.

Sperm count I am not sure of though but what I have read is that count can be improved with lifestyle changes but since your OH seems to be doing everything correct I am not sure. I do know sperm analysis can change so I would do another in a couple of months.

Also, I do believe you definitely would have a good chance with IVF. Have you spoken to a specialist?

x

Thank you MariaIsabella for your reply! Did you have any symptoms of hyperplasia?

No not yet, but going to my doctors today to ask them to refer me to a specialist. Yeah we can't understand why his count is so low, so when OH goes back after his bloods I've told him to question about investigations into a varicocele as I've read this can affect fertility and most men tend not to get any symptoms. I agree, another sperm analysis would be useful in a couple more months! He is very motivated to do whatever he can to make this happen. We were hoping that because of the lack of sperm that it would affect the presence of morphology (I've read they only look at about 200-400 sperm).

 

[tinselcat]

My ex OH had 0% morphology. He improved his health (diet, phones near crotch etc) and started taking two types of men's vitamins for conception (alternating) including maca. Pretty sure that wellman was one of these. After several months he was retested at 4% and a year after at 8%. All the other numbers leapt up too. For reference he was starting out as a teetotal vegetarian who exercised a bit and ran 10k's so not particularly unhealthy to begin with.

To complete the story we had our baby on 3rd round of ivf/icsi.

 

[MariaIsabella]

Hi kerwin129,

My DH had 0% morphology as well. We thought for sure that was the reason why I didn't get pregnant so we got on the waiting list for ICSI with NHS. ICSI is when they insert the sperm into the egg when you do IVF since with 0% morphology they think the sperm as an abnormal form so it cant penetrate.

Either way, while waiting for ICSI they discovered I had hyperplasia in the endometrium ( had invasive scan to confirm ) which makes it hard to get pregnant so had to be treated for that before IVF. Once treatment was done it was time for IVF with ICSI and it turns out we never needed the ICSI but only normal IVF since the sperm managed to get in to the egg without issues so 0% morphology was probably not the cause of infertility but my endometrium issues.

Just to confirm 0 morphology had no effect I am now pregnant naturally with my second.

Sperm count I am not sure of though but what I have read is that count can be improved with lifestyle changes but since your OH seems to be doing everything correct I am not sure. I do know sperm analysis can change so I would do another in a couple of months.

Also, I do believe you definitely would have a good chance with IVF. Have you spoken to a specialist?

x

Thank you MariaIsabella for your reply! Did you have any symptoms of hyperplasia?

No not yet, but going to my doctors today to ask them to refer me to a specialist. Yeah we can't understand why his count is so low, so when OH goes back after his bloods I've told him to question about investigations into a varicocele as I've read this can affect fertility and most men tend not to get any symptoms. I agree, another sperm analysis would be useful in a couple more months! He is very motivated to do whatever he can to make this happen. We were hoping that because of the lack of sperm that it would affect the presence of morphology (I've read they only look at about 200-400 sperm).

At the time I did not realize these were symptoms but after being treated I did have some. My periods were heavy and very painful ( needed pain killers ) but I thought this was a normal change since I got older. Once treated I have almost no pain at all!

Think a new sperm test would be good. My DH had different results. First one came back 0%, Second 2-3% and a third I think was 6% so they can vary!

 

[miamia]

MariaIsabella - good luck !

 

[BunnyFlops]

Try FertilAid For Men with countboost and motility boost

 

[FBTTN8079]

My hubby had smoothies with spirullina and selenium to help boost and with our clinic Serum they did the sperm improvement protocol and saw a great imrpovement, still evidence of fragmentation in some but
were able to have IVF instead of icsi & our twin boys are now 20 months

 

[miamia]

FBTTN8079 - congrats!

 

[tigerpaws]

Hubbys morphology was a bit better but not good at all. We were told icsi was our only chance.

First round of IVF I had put him on LOADS of supplements I'd read about, for months before the cycle, and even tho the sample looked so good they decided to do IVF instead of icsi, which was the original plan, only 2 of 13 fertilized, and only 1 made it to transfer, which was day 2. I had protested but they knew better.

Second time, when they did icsi, we retrieved 18 mature eggs, 15 fertilized and 6 made it to day 5. Havent had a transfer yet as I ended up getting ohss.

so the difference was huge for us with icsi, and the supplements only made a visual difference that fooled the professionals to thinking it was a good sample. I stopped his supplements after 1st IVF as it was insanely expensive so there was nothing left in his system.