# Low morphology means nothing!



## Snowglobe21

So after 2 months of debating whether to post this thread due to personal conflicts over whether I should override the WHO and research done in the early 2000's, I have finally decided that I need to say something.

When men go in for a semen analysis and are diagnosed with "low sperm morphology" according to the kruger method, I think it should be completely and utterly ignored. I have read every study published on sperm morphology according to the kruger method because I am a university student and can access research studies the general public can't read for free. Most have found that sperm morphology can be very low in males and they can still father children. One study found the average was 3% in males that had fathered children and most found that anything 3% and over was fine.

That being said, a lot of false information is out there. Some doctors (looney's if you ask me) say that 14% is the normal. With the strictness of the kruger method, good luck getting anywhere near that. All I am saying is that my baby's father (husband to be soon) got me pregnant with 3% morphology on his last SA. That was after taking like 20 vitamins which did nothing. So another point of this post is saying, honestly vitamins do nothing and only make people feel like they are doing something better. My hubbies first SA was 4%. If your husband has normal sperm count and motility, I would say to completely ignore the morphology. My fiancee had over 200 million sperm and a high motility and vitality etc, and we have gotten pregnant twice in 15 months while I have PCOS. That shows me morph is not a problem at all and only the female factor is when faced with this. I have found it rare to find people only dealing with morphology as the issue. Typically, the wife has PCOS, Endo, etc or he has low sperm count or motility. I believe those are the real problem and morph just scares people.


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## charbaby

My o/h has had 2 s/as and one came back with 2% morph and the other 2.5% morph but are fertility specialist said there is no concern because of the amount he had and great swimmers. Think it only matters when you have less than 20 million spermies x


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## greekgirl

actually my OH has low motility (5%) but really high numbers of spermies. his morphology was never brought up by doc as a problem probably because of his 164million count. but lookingt at his morphology now it says normal is 14% and up and he has 7%! he has been taking wellman conception for two weeks... ?
probably won't help huh?
we have been trying on and off for over 2 years.
:shrug:


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## Armywife84

Hahaha, I told you Snowglobe!


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## kazzab25

Snowglobe thanks for the post! My oh had low everything! 5 million speem low morph at 1%and motility gave up smoking and now has 22 million, 4% morph and normal motility so it's nice to hear of your research regards the morph ! I too have PCOS


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## Posey

Snowglobe, thanks for the info. My hubby has 0% normal morph, we've been trying for 8 months. My RE, whom we saw last week, said very clearly to us that having 100% abnormal sperm does NOT mean we can't conceive naturally. At first I was delighted to hear this, but have felt so skeptical since... my hubby's counts are fab and motility is good. RE says he has been doing this for 25 years, and he sees it often where ppl with 0%morph will be booked for treatments, and cancel because they fall pregnant. I want to believe him, but still feel like there's such a small chance we'll get our BFP... this helped, to read this. Thank you xo


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## Sophe

what about under 3% though like 1%? still no bfp for us with 1% :-(


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## Posey

Ladies, I want to update... I got my BFP yesterday after 7-8 months of trying, with a hubby with 100% abnormal morphology (count and motility good). . . so it IS possible, don't give up!


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## Sophe

Posey said:


> Ladies, I want to update... I got my BFP yesterday after 7-8 months of trying, with a hubby with 100% abnormal morphology (count and motility good). . . so it IS possible, don't give up!

Maybe it was just a one off bad test though, 7-8 months isn't long at all.


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## Posey

Sophe said:


> Posey said:
> 
> 
> Ladies, I want to update... I got my BFP yesterday after 7-8 months of trying, with a hubby with 100% abnormal morphology (count and motility good). . . so it IS possible, don't give up!
> 
> Maybe it was just a one off bad test though, 7-8 months isn't long at all.Click to expand...

He did two, both 0% normal morph. You're right, 7-8 months isn't long. We saw an RE who told us that 0% normal forms does not mean natural conception is not possible, and he was right. More difficult, but not impossible.


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## Snowglobe21

Congrats Posey, thats awesome! Hi Sophe, glad to see you around still. I honestly wouldn't worry too much about the morph, I know I sound ignorant slightly for saying it but seriously I wouldn't just say things I dont mean to make you feel better. My hubbies last SA showed 3% morph. How much a difference can 1% to 3% be. I think people waste their time focusing on the morph as the reason they cant concieve when their are other areas to explore.


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## Snowglobe21

Good luck kazzab25! Best of luck with the next ICSI/IVF cycle!

@greekgirl. 7% is very good. They tested him according to the kruger method which now has anything greater than or equal to 4% as being normal. DOn't believe me, check out the 2010 sperm guidelines booklet by WHO. Also go to my thread SA MORPHOLOGY: POST YOUR RESULTS HERE. You can prob find it through the search tool or my posts. On it, I have posted 4 studies showing morphology means nothing and most men with low morph father a child. I also posted the WHO guidelines and the page numbers showing the breakdown of morph in men. We got pregnant twice in 6 months with 4% and then 3% morph on the second test so 7 is nothing to focus on.


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## Glitter_Berrie

I think drs aka crazies try to find something to make a problem out of it to make money when it comes to fertility :wacko:


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## Snowglobe21

I agree! We were about to start 500/month treatments right before we got pregnant. and if those didn't work it would have been a 15,000 treatment. He also scared us to death and my hubby was miserable for months when he was told he couldn't have kids naturally. UGH DOCTORS. (some of them)


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## greekgirl

thanks for the info. and that's terrible! they actually told him that?!


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## Nita

I agree morphology is not a big issue if count and motility are good

My oh did a test in India and normal form was 87% and here it was 4% only a month apart so there were no changes in his lifestyle

Also two fertility specialists who saw that it was 4% weren't too concerned at all as the rest was all ok


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## Nita

I agree morphology is not a big issue if count and motility are good

My oh did a test in India and normal form was 87% and here it was 4% only a month apart so there were no changes in his lifestyle

Also two fertility specialists who saw that it was 4% weren't too concerned at all as the rest was all ok


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## Chatnoir

At the end of 2010 hubby did an SA and his GP said we would need IVF as he had only 4% morphology. His count and everything else was fine. We were refered to a FS and he said 4% was fine as his count was good. We have been trying 18 months and have our next appt with the fs on Thursday.
Think hubby is still concerned his sperm could be the issue but I dont think it will be!


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## slick

hi,

this forum post ranks high on Google for low morphology and I think I remember reading it some time ago so thought it worth registering, & hopefully a crumb of hope to some couples out there. 

We'd been trying for a baby for nearly 2 years, 6 months ago I started going for sperm tests. The first was terrible, 1% morphology. I instantly improved my lifestyle and went back a month or so later and it was at 3%, which was much better but still not good enough. 

Since then, whilst I wasn't super obese, I've been losing weight, staying out of hot baths/saunas etc, keeping my laptop away from the crown jewels, avoiding standing near smokers, drinking less alcohol, taking numerous supplements, including Wellman Conception (might be a UK/EU thing), Zinc, Cod liver oil with Omega 3 and following a report a few months back, eating a few walnuts every day.

Following visits to a highly regarded fertility expert, IVF was very much looking on the cards. Ahead of starting the treatment in a few months time, and another sperm test in a few weeks time, last Tuesday, I'd started acupuncture with a clinic who were reporting success for men with sperm issues.

Then, this week, my wife did a pregnancy test and I'm delighted to say it came out positive. It's still very very early stages, but I hope that one of the above has helped my sperm count. I'm tempted to go for the sperm test to see if my morphology has improved further, if it does/has, I will report back.

I know this may not assist every man out there in the same boat, but I'm hoping one of these numerous small additions to my diet & lifestyle has made the improvement & may for others.


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## heatherlynn5

Hello Slick. That makes me so so happy to read your post. I am new to this forum and me and my husband have been dealing with low morphology (0-3%) for almost three years now trying to conceive. We have tried IUI and IVF. His morphology is the ONLY thing wrong with him, and nothing is wrong with me! It has been a struggle but we never give up hope that we will naturally get pregnant! Congrats to you and your wife!!!


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## lovie

I think your right snowglobe.

My OH has 1-2% morphology, it took us 20 months to get our BFP but we got there eventually :)


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## Rups

Hi, just want to thank u for these posts. Myself & Dh have been ttc 22months now and have just been informed he has low morp


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## Rups

Rups said:


> Hi, just want to thank u for these posts. Myself & Dh have been ttc 22months now and have just been informed he has low morp at 3%. Really upset at the mo, going back for 2nd test next week. Most of my tests are fine but I just need to get one more before I'm fully cleared. There is so little info on this topic online this tread is great thanks again


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## newie2

Hi, I'm new to this but after a week of distress I have read many of these posts and they have been very helpful. Last week we went to a FS who said my husband has 1% normal morphology and that we should consider/book in for IVF. We really weren't expecting this and feel very confused and worried. my hormones are good. 
We have been TTC since april (halfheartedly), we are 34 years and are wondering what we can do to increase our chances of natural conception before IVF? Is there any information out there that anyone knows of? 
It feels that if you talk to Drs they say IVF, but these posts are very encouraging!


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## CaliDreaming

Me and my dh are TTC #2. He had a SA done and had less than 1% morphology and a low normal motility. The FS didn't think this was bad at all and didn't even think we needed an IUI. We are doing fertility drugs and timed intercourse.

We also conceived our baby girl in eight months.


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## solsticemomma

So glad to read this thread. My DH has 3% morphology and a varicocele, and I'm so worried...we've been TTC for 11 months and I just finished a round of Clomid with estrogen. Feel so annoyed to know it's been him this whole time and we could have gotten results sooner if his urologist had just been competent at his job!!! My OB requested my DH's SA and immediately flagged the low morph, and sent us to a male FS. Who then caught the varicocele. We are awaiting secondary results which I believe will include some DNA analysis to see what our next course of action is, I really hope not to do IVF, but DH is ready to step it up lol. In the meantime maybe we'll get pregnant naturally from what you are all saying? though low morph also leads to MC from other boards I've read, so of course now I'm worried about that too as I wait for my BFP in the next few days. Oh man, so many things running through my mind! We are both 37 and so beyond ready for this baby.


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## WhiteOrchid24

Hi solsticemomma,
From what I have read there is no link between low morphology and MC. The issue with the morphology is basically that it just can't penetrate the egg but from what I have read there is no evidence to suggest any chromosomal abnormalities which may lead to a MC comes from the morphology of the sperm. Of course I could be wrong - it's hard when there is such limited information out there to do with morphology, that's just what I have read. Also 3% isn't the end of the world - anything from 4% upwards is fine so almost there! I hope you get your BFP soon :)


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## haleiwamama

Snowglobe21 said:


> So after 2 months of debating whether to post this thread due to personal conflicts over whether I should override the WHO and research done in the early 2000's, I have finally decided that I need to say something.
> 
> When men go in for a semen analysis and are diagnosed with "low sperm morphology" according to the kruger method, I think it should be completely and utterly ignored. I have read every study published on sperm morphology according to the kruger method because I am a university student and can access research studies the general public can't read for free. Most have found that sperm morphology can be very low in males and they can still father children. One study found the average was 3% in males that had fathered children and most found that anything 3% and over was fine.
> 
> That being said, a lot of false information is out there. Some doctors (looney's if you ask me) say that 14% is the normal. With the strictness of the kruger method, good luck getting anywhere near that. All I am saying is that my baby's father (husband to be soon) got me pregnant with 3% morphology on his last SA. That was after taking like 20 vitamins which did nothing. So another point of this post is saying, honestly vitamins do nothing and only make people feel like they are doing something better. My hubbies first SA was 4%. If your husband has normal sperm count and motility, I would say to completely ignore the morphology. My fiancee had over 200 million sperm and a high motility and vitality etc, and we have gotten pregnant twice in 15 months while I have PCOS. That shows me morph is not a problem at all and only the female factor is when faced with this. I have found it rare to find people only dealing with morphology as the issue. Typically, the wife has PCOS, Endo, etc or he has low sperm count or motility. I believe those are the real problem and morph just scares people.

WOW, thank you for the post! I'm gonna call my doctor and find out what standards were used on my DH's SA.... his count was 31 million, 41% motility and 4% morphology... doctor said our chances of conceiving naturally were less than 1%... pretty disappointing as you can imagine... DH is now drinking less and being really really healthy....we hope that will bring his numbers up and increase our chances but idk about growing his numbers to 9 digits....we'll see...


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## danita1880

I feel a lot better after reading these. my dh got his sa results with very good count and motility but less than 1% morphology. we did not understand very well what that was and I have been reading all morning about options IUI IVF ICSI.


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## danita1880

I agree with you, it is all about IUI ICSI and IVF


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## heykitty

Hi ladies,

I know this us an old thread but I spent ages reading this forum when my husband first got his test results and I wanted to add my experience now in the hope that it might make others feel a little more positive in the future.

We've been TTC for 15 months and, after I had been through the process if various scans and blood tests, my husband went for his first sperm analysis in dec 2013. The results came back with a blatant 'abnormal. Infertility due to majority of sperm having tapered heads. 2% morphology' written in bold across the top of the results. As you can imagine, seeing this staring back at us in black and white was upsetting for both of us and seemed so final. Dh's sperm count was fine and so was the motility but these results seemed to explain why nothing was happening. We resigned ourselves to going down the fertility treatment route and were told DH would need to test again in 3 months. 

3 months later and we've just had the new results back- sperm count and motility still high but morphology has now shot up to 6%. This time the results said: normal: no further treatment required! In the space of three months he's apparently gone from infertile to fertile! We're still not pregnant but I wanted to share my story with anyone who is feeling upset or disheartened with the test results. Sperm analysis varies so much from month to month (apparently it can be affected by illness, diet, whether it not hubby's been in a stag weekend and got drunk) and they only test a tiny section from the sample that's given in. Apparently it takes 3 months for the sperm to be formed so if the results aren't positive, think back to 3 months before. Bad results are not always 100% accurate and set in stone : they don't paint a complete picture.

Good luck to all you ladies out there who are TTC. x


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## Faithfully_

Hi Ladies,

I am going through a rough time of trying to stay hopeful that I will be able to conceive one day. My husband got a SA test done last July and August and was told that while motility and count were good, morphology was at 0%. He was advised that we may have to go the IVF route. While getting pregnant would not be impossible, it would take much longer. Miraculously, I got pregnant in August, but sadly miscarried at 10.5 weeks. We had started trying in Sept 2012 and was pregnant by August 2013. I started using an ovulation predictor kit in January; however, in July I used a fertility monitor as it tells you more fertile days. I am wondering if I am likely to get pregnant naturally again since I managed to conceive on my own last year. I have an appointment for an IVF consult on April 28th; however, I feel that fertility doctors may push straight for IVF instead of giving you a neutral opinion. I"m thinking I may have to do IVF with ICSI. I am trying to be positive, but some days (like today), I am just down and hurt thinking that it may never happen for me. Any advice is greatly appreciated! :) I have been using pre-seed for the last two months and my husband is on Fertail Aid.


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## heykitty

Hi faithfully, 

So sorry to hear you're having such a hard time. I do totally sympathise- there are certain times when it seems easier to stay positive and other times when it's heartbreaking when another month passes by and af arrives. I think what makes the process so difficult is that it seems so unpredictable and totally outside of our control- no matter what we do we can't seem to make it happen! 

I was a little surprised to see that your dh had been asked to test 2 months in a row. We were told by our specialist that it takes a good 3 months to see any improvement or change in sperm quality/ morphology as the sperm takes 3 months to mature and fully develop. My dh tested in dec and then again the following march so that any changes in diet or supplement could be judged. We took up eating really well (no take aways, lots of fruit and veg and no alcohol during the week.) and also vitamins. His morphology increased from 2-6%. May be worth asking your doctor for a retest? 

I spoke to a male friend who had been diagnosed with similar issues and the biggest piece of advice he gave me was to support each other, be patient, talk and listen to each other but try really hard not to put responsibility on one person. It was interesting hearing his perspective as he said it really affected him making him feel quite vulnerable and insecure. Think it was important for me to hear that. 

If you are told that you need to go down the ivf route don't be too disheartened. Go along to the specialist, listen to what it all involves and make an informed decision then. You're not committing yourself to anything and you haven't lost anything. 

Hope all goes well. Will keep my fingers crossed for you. Xx


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## haleiwamama

Hi Faithfully! Do not lose hope! Your (future) kids need a strong courageous mom, and it'll happen! 

I agree with HeyKitty... it takes 3 months for sperm to fully mature... but morphology is not the worst of things! Did the doctor tell you in detail what kind of anomalies he found? If not, you should ask because they only consider "normal" the cookie cutter type.. if the spermie has a neck a little longer for example, it will be considered abnormal... but that doesnt mean his spermie can't fertilize your egg! What was his count, volume, and motility? It's important to know what kind of anomalies were found... if the sperm had 2 heads for example, then it wouldn't be able to swim to the egg in time... but if it did, that does NOT mean the chromosomal content is abnormal... its just the shape..

I also wanted to tell you about my cousin... her husband had that stomach reduction surgery and as a result he became infertile... he literally had like 300 sperm... the doctor changed his diet, cut out alcohol and caffeine and 3 months later he had 300,000! Not enough to conceive naturally bu a huge improvement and they can now do IVF...

You're right about fertility doctors sometimes pushing you for IVF... mine certainly does... although after 4 months of fertility treatments with no results I'm starting to think he was right... IVF is not a bad thing... people like you and I should be thankful for it... what would happen to us if IVF didn't exist? I know its hard, and I say this to you, me, all of us, stay positive!

ALOHA! Daniela


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## Faithfully_

Thank you for your encouraging words! It helps to know that others are struggling along with you, especially when you see people having babies everyday and it's hard to understand why you can't. 

We are definitely going to get another SA done as the last one was in 2013. Hopefully there will be some improvement as hubby changed his diet and alcohol intake. Based on the last SA, it was mostly tail defects.

We are pretty good about not putting any blame on each other. Hubby seems to be handling this a lot better than I am. While I do tend to be optimistic most of the time, I feel as though his optimism never fails. He truly believes that we will have our baby one way or another. This definitely helps, but at the same time, I know there's no guarantee. I'm looking forward to my consult to see what the doctor has to say. I think not having any control over it is indeed what makes it so difficult. We're just trying to be as healthy as we can be!


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## Faithfully_

Haleiwamama,

Definitely happy that IVF does exist today. It's good to be reminded of the opportunities that we have today - thanks for that! :)

Once we get another SA done, I'll post updated information on motility, count, and morphology.


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## littlered03

Hello! I'm glad to see so many stories about low morphology (okay, glad isn't the right word - I wish nobody ever had infertility struggles, but you know what I mean) since I feel like it is so hard to find people with a similar diagnosis for their infertility.

Our only negative we found when testing was 0% morphology three months ago. We have been trying for about a year and four months. Everything else is good, including my DH's other counts.

I am happy to see success stories on here, but at the same time, I feel it can be hurtful/harmful (can't think of the right word to use here) to say that based on a few experience that low morphology doesn't matter. Our urologist, who is the best in our state and took months to get in to see, said that morphology is very tricky because they don't know if it matters. He didn't say it doesn't matter. What he said is that the studies show that half of men with low morphology have no trouble conceiving while the other half find it nearly impossible. Obviously, if we have tried for almost a year and a half (timed during my fertile window) and haven't gotten pregnant, there is a problem. I'm not saying we won't get pregnant naturally, with IUI, or that morphology is a horrible, huge problem, but I'm simply saying that so much is unknown about it that we cannot say that in all cases it does not matter. 

It's totally frustrating, as I'm guessing many of you would agree, that low morphology has no known cause, is subjective to test for, and has no proven affect to fertility in 100% of cases. I really hope we all have success stories to post, but I just wanted to put my two cents in to say that it does matter, otherwise most of us wouldn't be in this thread, but it is very exciting and hopeful to see people get pregnant with low morphology.


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## CaliDreaming

littlered03 said:


> Hello! I'm glad to see so many stories about low morphology (okay, glad isn't the right word - I wish nobody ever had infertility struggles, but you know what I mean) since I feel like it is so hard to find people with a similar diagnosis for their infertility.
> 
> Our only negative we found when testing was 0% morphology three months ago. We have been trying for about a year and four months. Everything else is good, including my DH's other counts.
> 
> I am happy to see success stories on here, but at the same time, I feel it can be hurtful/harmful (can't think of the right word to use here) to say that based on a few experience that low morphology doesn't matter. Our urologist, who is the best in our state and took months to get in to see, said that morphology is very tricky because they don't know if it matters. He didn't say it doesn't matter. What he said is that the studies show that half of men with low morphology have no trouble conceiving while the other half find it nearly impossible. Obviously, if we have tried for almost a year and a half (timed during my fertile window) and haven't gotten pregnant, there is a problem. I'm not saying we won't get pregnant naturally, with IUI, or that morphology is a horrible, huge problem, but I'm simply saying that so much is unknown about it that we cannot say that in all cases it does not matter.
> 
> It's totally frustrating, as I'm guessing many of you would agree, that low morphology has no known cause, is subjective to test for, and has no proven affect to fertility in 100% of cases. I really hope we all have success stories to post, but I just wanted to put my two cents in to say that it does matter, otherwise most of us wouldn't be in this thread, but it is very exciting and hopeful to see people get pregnant with low morphology.

Littlered, you raise a very good point and I agree with you wholeheartedly. From what I can tell, it seems that whether morphology matters or not depends on the type of abnormalities that are present, but we still don't know enough about it to say which ones matter and which don't. 

I think the best way to know whether it's going to matter is whether the man has ever been able to get someone pregnant or not. If he has, then it's likely that a low morphology is not going to matter for that man. For young couples who don't have any sort of track record, I can just imagine how devastating it is not knowing whether it's a factor or not. 

Good luck Littlered!


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## messica

littlered03 said:


> I am happy to see success stories on here, but at the same time, I feel it can be hurtful/harmful (can't think of the right word to use here) to say that based on a few experience that low morphology doesn't matter.
> 
> 
> Hurtful and harmful are great words. And I agree whole heartedly.
> 
> 
> Not everyone has years and years and/or even decades to wait around hoping and praying they'll eventually be able to overcome a morphology issue. Seriously now, where does that leave the masses who put all their eggs in that basket and never will??? Absolutely share your success stories, but to say morphology in regards to conception is absolutely a non-issue is beyond.....I can't even find the right word either......just yikes.
> 
> Vitamin regimens and lifestyles changes absolutely have been proven to improve numbers for many couples. And because of those improvements couples have been blessed with children.
> 
> Pretty much this entire thread makes me cringe. It does come off extremely arrogant, and completely discredits what many many couples have experienced as well as what science has proven in regards to odds a couple will conceive :nope:
> 
> 
> Not impossible for some, does NOT equate to the word *irrelevant.*Click to expand...


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## Faithfully_

Does anyone know what the chances of being able to conceive again naturally with low morphology is after being pregnant previously? It took me about 10 months to conceive, but unfortunately I miscarried in Oct 2013. I am trying again and DH will have another SA done soon. I am going for an IVF consult, but I am also just wondering if it would be likely to happen again.


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## heykitty

I think to imply that people have been hurtful and harmful with their words is harsh and extremely unfair. 

I sincerely doubt that anyone decided to post in this thread because they had a disregard for others or their experiences - far from it! The fact that this thread is featured in the section 'long term trying to conceive' suggests that we have all (unfortunately) had to experience the emotional roller coaster of ttc over a long period of time and we know all to well the heartache and frustration of that journey and the cruel glimmers of hope during the long 2ww. I don't think for a second people would want to add to that pain but rather they have posted their true experiences in an attempt to offer support or a different perspective based on real experiences. Many of us are surrounded by people who have (thankfully for them) managed to get pregnant easily and so we have no one to talk to who truely understands the process. We are left feeling very isolated and this is why these forums are so important. 

Of course there are reasons we are not getting pregnant and I would never disregard medical opinion- I'm desperate to find answers hence why I have put myself through endless tests- but I also want to know how accurate those tests are and if there is anything I can as a result. I think it's important for people to realise that spermatozoa analysis results can and do change within a three month period- that is a fact. By explaining that, I never intended on giving them false hope nor am I implying that results will change for everyone but rather I wanted to make people aware of the information I was given at a time when were emotionally exhausted and were given the impression that one set of sperm analysis results were 100% accurate. We are taught from a very young age how 'not to get pregnant' and how to use contraception but there is very little accessible information about temporary/ permanent infertility, what the processes are, what the potential problems might be, how to improve our chances of getting pregnant, age restrictions, iui, Ivf etc. we are all learning the hard way, as we stumble along this road.

I apologise if my post appeared arrogant. None of us have the luxury of having "years and years and/or even decades to wait around hoping and praying they'll eventually be able to overcome a morphology issue"- we have all posted in a long term ttc forum! I am in my mid 30's and am very aware of time ticking. This is why it's important for people to hear and learn about the whole picture and this is why 'responsible' threads and forums are important.


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## WhiteOrchid24

I wanted to respond to the initial email that heykitty is referring to above but I was unsure of how exactly to word it....So what I am going to say is that I agree that there is so little known about morphology and therefore it is a very difficult issue to have to deal with and yes it is true that some ppl can father children with very small morphology percentages and others unfortunately it seems can't. However I am pretty confident that the reason for this thread was to give us all some hope in a difficult time and to say that it has happened to some people and they were simply sharing very encouraging stories. I don't think for a second anybody was meaning to come across as insensitive or hurtful.

My husband's first SA a year ago came back with 0% morph. His 2nd one 6 month's later came back at 2% so I understand exactly what it's like to be dealing with that and i have spent a lot of time on this forum and on the internet trying to do research. Again our Dr. said it could still happen so we should keep trying and try to stay positive as well..... I know that can be easier said than done and nothing stops the pain, frustration and despair month after month when AF appears. 

Thank you for putting it so well HeyKitty and to the ladies that felt it was harmful and hurtful I am sorry that you feel that way but please I really do think this post was meant to encourage and offer advice and help. It did help me when I was looking for answers especially for something as confusing and not well documented as morphology. I hope in the future they will understand more about morphology and the role it plays on individuals and their chances with TTC.


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## messica

heykitty - I never quoted you nor was I referencing anything you said. I was responding to the original post and intent of this thread. Read the title. Poster stated that morphology means nothing and shouldn't even be considered as a factor when ttc long term. They also made the assertion that vitamin regiments never help. 

I stand by every single word I said.


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## messica

I'm glad it helped you whiteorchid. I'm glad it offered you hope. 

Unfortunately not everyone is going to see it that way and I do think such assertions completely denying studies and science are dangerous depending on who is reading (those deeply immersed in the grief of infertility struggles especially).


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## WhiteOrchid24

Thanks Messica. I understand how you feel though :hugs:


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## littlered03

messica said:


> heykitty - I never quoted you nor was I referencing anything you said. I was responding to the original post and intent of this thread. Read the title. Poster stated that morphology means nothing and shouldn't even be considered as a factor when ttc long term. They also made the assertion that vitamin regiments never help.
> 
> I stand by every single word I said.

I completely agree. I was never trying to say that the sharing of stories is harmful or hurtful - they are not! They are hopeful! I just feel that the name of this thread and as messica pointed out, the original post is saying that morphology "means nothing" and uses one success as the basis for saying that. I'm all for encouragement, success stories, questioning what we can do beyond what the doctors have told us, etc. I just think it is hurtful to say that it means nothing when people (just like us in this thread) are struggling or have struggled and suffered because of low morphology. It definitely means something but there is much more to be learned about it.

I'm sorry if my post seemed directed at someone else or a different post. I should have been more specific.


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## Faithfully_

Hi ladies,

Just a quick update from my last post. DH is going to get a SA done soon. He hasn't had one done since August 2013. I am hoping this time his morphology will be better. He has improved his diet and is taking FertileAid. I went for an IVF consult and the doctor told me that we have an excellent chance at having children. The previous SA had shown 0% morphology, but good count and motility. I was also able to get pregnant in August 2013, but unfortunately miscarried. I am going to get a HSG done and DH will be getting a SA done this month. If all goes well, the doctor suggested IUI with Chlomid. I really REALLY hope that it works and we don't have to go he IVF route. I thought he would have suggested that right off the bat. I'm also a little worried because my OB told me that I have a bicornate uterus based on the sonogram. The fertility doctor stated that you cannot diagnose with a sonogram, but rather, you need an HSG done. He did see a horn though. I really hope this is not the case!!


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## 291

21 months ttc. Morph 1%.
Count 12mil.

So I think less than 4% does make things pretty hard :/


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## CaliDreaming

291 said:


> 21 months ttc. Morph 1%.
> Count 12mil.
> 
> So I think less than 4% does make things pretty hard :/




291 said:


> 21 months ttc. Morph 1%.
> Count 12mil.
> 
> So I think less than 4% does make things pretty hard :/

Well, I think here the problem is not just the morph, but also the count is pretty low. Even if the morph were good, conception would still be difficult. I wonder if whatever it is that is causing the low count is also causing the morphology?

Anyway, I see that you have ICSI scheduled so no doubt that should do the trick! I wish you the best of luck.


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## Faithfully_

Hi Ladies,

I just wanted to let you know that I managed to conceive with 100% poor sperm morphology - so it is possible! I went for my first sonogram at 8.5 weeks and the doctor said that everything looks really good and I saw the heart beat! I'm still praying that everything goes alright (i'll be 10 weeks on Sunday) as I also have a bicornate uterus. In April, I went for an IVF consult and was in the process of scheduling an HSG, but then I got pregnant. There is hope after all :) I was especially nervous since my 1st pregnancy last year ended up not being viable and it had taken me 10-11 months to conceive. This time it took me 5 months. I started using Clearblue Fertility Monitor to give me the best days possible for conception.


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## CaliDreaming

Faithfully_ said:


> Hi Ladies,
> 
> I just wanted to let you know that I managed to conceive with 100% poor sperm morphology - so it is possible! I went for my first sonogram at 8.5 weeks and the doctor said that everything looks really good and I saw the heart beat! I'm still praying that everything goes alright (i'll be 10 weeks on Sunday) as I also have a bicornate uterus. In April, I went for an IVF consult and was in the process of scheduling an HSG, but then I got pregnant. There is hope after all :) I was especially nervous since my 1st pregnancy last year ended up not being viable and it had taken me 10-11 months to conceive. This time it took me 5 months. I started using Clearblue Fertility Monitor to give me the best days possible for conception.

Congratulations Faithfully!! I'm so happy for you!! I wonder if the Fertilaid helped with the morph. I guess if nothing else, it didn't hurt!


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## WhiteOrchid24

Congratulations Faithfully!!! That is fantastic news :D Who knows if the Fertilaid did actually improve things enough?!? My DH is currently on the 7 a day Fertilaid (normal, count boost & motility boost) so I am definitely hoping for a miracle! I hope all works out and you have a H&H 9 months :dance:


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## minuet

Faithfully - that is terrific news, so happy for you!


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## haleiwamama

Hi ladies,

I just wanted to update everyone... On our first SA sperm count was at 31MIL with 41% motility and 4% morphology. For the following 3 months my husband cut down on the drinking, started taking his supplements, and even took clomid for a while. On his new SA we were shocked to see that his count plummeted to 5MIL. WTF? We go super discouraged after that.. so we skipped our 2nd IUI and went straight to IVF..

and here we are now.. I started a Youtue channel for my cycle updates... check it out! https:www.youtube.com/lovecomadani


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## Wish4another1

haleiwamama
Same happened to is 1st SA 260 million but 0% morph, took supplements (DH not great t taking but did take something for 3 months) but 2nd SA 3 mil.... Now NTNP... 
Good luck on your IVF!!! FX for you


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## Faithfully_

Thanks for all the love and support :) DH actually had his sperm tested end of March and it was still showing as 0% normal. I'm thinking that Fertilaid made his count even higher which gave us a better chance at getting pregnant (even though count was initially fine - the more, the better!)


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## WhiteOrchid24

That's great to know Faithfully! I'm really REALLY hoping for our miracle! So happy for you :D


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## minuet

haleiwamama said:


> Hi ladies,
> 
> I just wanted to update everyone... On our first SA sperm count was at 31MIL with 41% motility and 4% morphology. For the following 3 months my husband cut down on the drinking, started taking his supplements, and even took clomid for a while. On his new SA we were shocked to see that his count plummeted to 5MIL. WTF? We go super discouraged after that.. so we skipped our 2nd IUI and went straight to IVF..
> 
> and here we are now.. I started a Youtue channel for my cycle updates... check it out! https:www.youtube.com/lovecomadani

Not to worry you or anything, but the first SA my husband had was after we found out he had testicular cancer - and he had 4% morphology and 33 million.
Two years later, and one year after chemotherapy, his SA shows 23 million and 50% morphology. That is a HUGE jump in morphology, and I think the cancer was making the sperm unhealthy previously, contributing to that terrible 4%.
If it hasn't already been done, may I suggest having your spouse tested for various things to see what might be responsible for unhealthy sperm? 
Most men with testicular cancer don't know they have it for a very long time. Not to scare you - it's actually rather rare - but now that it happened to us I want everyone to be aware of it and get checked out! :hugs:


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## haleiwamama

minuet said:


> haleiwamama said:
> 
> 
> Hi ladies,
> 
> I just wanted to update everyone... On our first SA sperm count was at 31MIL with 41% motility and 4% morphology. For the following 3 months my husband cut down on the drinking, started taking his supplements, and even took clomid for a while. On his new SA we were shocked to see that his count plummeted to 5MIL. WTF? We go super discouraged after that.. so we skipped our 2nd IUI and went straight to IVF..
> 
> and here we are now.. I started a Youtue channel for my cycle updates... check it out! https:www.youtube.com/lovecomadani
> 
> Not to worry you or anything, but the first SA my husband had was after we found out he had testicular cancer - and he had 4% morphology and 33 million.
> Two years later, and one year after chemotherapy, his SA shows 23 million and 50% morphology. That is a HUGE jump in morphology, and I think the cancer was making the sperm unhealthy previously, contributing to that terrible 4%.
> If it hasn't already been done, may I suggest having your spouse tested for various things to see what might be responsible for unhealthy sperm?
> Most men with testicular cancer don't know they have it for a very long time. Not to scare you - it's actually rather rare - but now that it happened to us I want everyone to be aware of it and get checked out! :hugs:Click to expand...

Wish4another1 WTH! thats a serious drop!!

minuet: I've thought of that too...Mine is so stubborn.. I've been asking him to see a doctor for the longest time but since he's a health enthusiast he feels there's nothing wrong... even getting him to take the pills was like pulling teeth...
were there any other symptoms with your husband?


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## minuet

haleiwamama said:


> Wish4another1 WTH! thats a serious drop!!
> 
> minuet: I've thought of that too...Mine is so stubborn.. I've been asking him to see a doctor for the longest time but since he's a health enthusiast he feels there's nothing wrong... even getting him to take the pills was like pulling teeth...
> were there any other symptoms with your husband?

Yes. The most obvious symptom is that one of the testicles "feels different". Most guys notice this on their own, and tend to ignore it. The cancer as it spreads, turns the tissue from "spongy" or however you want to describe it, lol, to firmer, harder, than the other one. It also didn't hurt to pinch/squeeze.
It definitely was very noticeable and from what I understand this is further along in the cancer progression
My husband noticed this change and looked it up online, and cancer was one of only real causes. Two weeks later he was concerned enough to go in to the doctor, and they removed it the SAME day. 
Thankfully he was still early on, as cancer goes - stage 1, and it hadn't spread beyond the testicle. But that was the only symptom - and one you can check for yourself without making him suspicious lol. 
If you suspect cancer as a possibility at all, you can get blood work done to test for cancer markers - AFP, HCG, and one other I forget. Men should NOT have HCG in their blood - this is a sign of a germ cell tumor. 
In fact there was a story somewhere about a man who turned a pregnancy test positive and found that way he had cancer!
Anyway, hope I helped and didn't worry you! :hugs:


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## haleiwamama

minuet said:


> haleiwamama said:
> 
> 
> Wish4another1 WTH! thats a serious drop!!
> 
> minuet: I've thought of that too...Mine is so stubborn.. I've been asking him to see a doctor for the longest time but since he's a health enthusiast he feels there's nothing wrong... even getting him to take the pills was like pulling teeth...
> were there any other symptoms with your husband?
> 
> Yes. The most obvious symptom is that one of the testicles "feels different". Most guys notice this on their own, and tend to ignore it. The cancer as it spreads, turns the tissue from "spongy" or however you want to describe it, lol, to firmer, harder, than the other one. It also didn't hurt to pinch/squeeze.
> It definitely was very noticeable and from what I understand this is further along in the cancer progression
> My husband noticed this change and looked it up online, and cancer was one of only real causes. Two weeks later he was concerned enough to go in to the doctor, and they removed it the SAME day.
> Thankfully he was still early on, as cancer goes - stage 1, and it hadn't spread beyond the testicle. But that was the only symptom - and one you can check for yourself without making him suspicious lol.
> If you suspect cancer as a possibility at all, you can get blood work done to test for cancer markers - AFP, HCG, and one other I forget. Men should NOT have HCG in their blood - this is a sign of a germ cell tumor.
> In fact there was a story somewhere about a man who turned a pregnancy test positive and found that way he had cancer!
> Anyway, hope I helped and didn't worry you! :hugs:Click to expand...

Absolutely!! Thank you so much for the information! I checked his testies and they feel ok to me... But I still asked him to go see someone, just in case..


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## danny1981

been ttc for around 6 months with no success. My partner is awaiting her hospital appointment to look into low progesterone levels but her doctor wanted me to have semen analysis done.

My results where

Volume 3.0
PH 8.3
Sperm Count 95
Progressive 80%
Non Progressive 2%
Immotile 18%
Normal Sperm 3%

The doctor then told me that im fine.

Looking at the internet it says that normal sperm should be 4% but my analysis form says normal should be 4% (3%-4%)

Ive asked the doctor to explain and im awaiting her feedback but anyone on here with any knowledge help me understand if i am ok or not ??

Thank you for your help in advance

Danny


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## Sophe

danny1981 said:


> been ttc for around 6 months with no success. My partner is awaiting her hospital appointment to look into low progesterone levels but her doctor wanted me to have semen analysis done.
> 
> My results where
> 
> Volume 3.0
> PH 8.3
> Sperm Count 95
> Progressive 80%
> Non Progressive 2%
> Immotile 18%
> Normal Sperm 3%
> 
> The doctor then told me that im fine.
> 
> Looking at the internet it says that normal sperm should be 4% but my analysis form says normal should be 4% (3%-4%)
> 
> Ive asked the doctor to explain and im awaiting her feedback but anyone on here with any knowledge help me understand if i am ok or not ??
> 
> Thank you for your help in advance
> 
> Danny

Hi,

I don't know the answer, I don't think even the fertlty Dr's know what impact morphology has on conception, this is something they are still exploring, (arrording to a study we am currently part of) my DH has 1 % normal forms, we had IVF is 2012, the sperm had a normal fertilisation rate when they were placed with the eggs. To say it means nothing as the title of this thread is not realistic. I would not rule yourself out of being a father though, as I think the history on this thread proves! Good luck


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## haleiwamama

My doctor says that morphology has nothing to do with genetic content... I also spoke with teh lab analyst and he explained that their tests are so strict nowadays that it's rare to see a guy have "normal" results", but that it doesnt mean your sperm is no good. He says it depends on the level of the abnormality... If your sperm has 2 heads for example, it wont be able to swim and reach the egg before dying out, but if for example the tail is 1mm longer, it would also be considered abnormal, but it would swim just fine. You seem to have a good quantity (Im assuming you mean 95 million) and they're 80% pregressive. 

6 months is not that long to try. Normally they say try for a year before seeing a specialist. Your partner could also get checked out in the meantime to make sure she has no issues.


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## DaTucker

Hi, just wanted to share my experience with low morphology! Dh was "diagnosed" with 2% morphology and we were also told we had less than a 1% chance of natural conception. After 3 1/2 years of TTC, we gave in and scheduled an appointment for IVF. 2 weeks later, we found we were pregnant...naturally! It might have taken a little longer than normal, but it did happen! Good luck to any of you dealing with it, it is definitely possible to get pregnant, no matter what those doctors might have you think!


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## WhiteOrchid24

That's awesome!! Thank you for sharing and congratulations :D Out of interest what was his count and motility like?


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## DaTucker

I can't remember exactly what the numbers were, but his count was high, and the motility wasn't the best but it was within the normal range. I'll try to find the paperwork to get exact numbers!


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## haleiwamama

DaTucker said:


> I can't remember exactly what the numbers were, but his count was high, and the motility wasn't the best but it was within the normal range. I'll try to find the paperwork to get exact numbers!

I feel like count is the most important factor... In our case we had 4% morphology which wasnt the worst... but the count was 30million and motility was 41%... so we just got tired and moved on to IVF...


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## DaTucker

I understand that completely, we're actually TTC #2 and I'm only wanting to try naturally for 1 year this time, before opting for IVF. I don't think I can handle another 3 years of TTC with no results!


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## haleiwamama

DaTucker said:


> I understand that completely, we're actually TTC #2 and I'm only wanting to try naturally for 1 year this time, before opting for IVF. I don't think I can handle another 3 years of TTC with no results!

I dont blame you... We TTc for almost 2 and I almost lost my sanity... I give you props for even waiting a year again... Im just gonna go straight to another transfer... I feel like I waited too long to start TTC (10 years) and then to conceive (about 2) that now I just want it for yesterday LOL


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## WhiteOrchid24

We had no probs conceiving #1.... we're now at the 3 year mark for #2 and I am about done.... but I just can't give up....I don't know if our first was a miracle or what but #2 certainly doesn't want to make an appearance anytime soon!!!!


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## DaTucker

Yeah the 3 year mark is when I really started feeling it. Let's hope you won't have to wait much longer!


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## DaTucker

haleiwamama said:


> DaTucker said:
> 
> 
> I understand that completely, we're actually TTC #2 and I'm only wanting to try naturally for 1 year this time, before opting for IVF. I don't think I can handle another 3 years of TTC with no results!
> 
> I dont blame you... We TTc for almost 2 and I almost lost my sanity... I give you props for even waiting a year again... Im just gonna go straight to another transfer... I feel like I waited too long to start TTC (10 years) and then to conceive (about 2) that now I just want it for yesterday LOLClick to expand...

If you have it, might as well use it! I'm planning on saving as many of dh specimens as possible juuuust in case.


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## JenJen007

Hello I am not sure if anyone is on here speaking of this any longer BUT my husband and I have been TTC for about 7 years. We have had a few miscarriages and we lost twins last September. He just did a SA and his morp was 1% and our doctor told us that we may never have a baby because of this. But reading this post gives me a lot of hope. So thank you everyone for posting on this topic and sharing your stories because it means so much to know we are not alone!


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## Sweetkat

My OH has morphology issues - his is 6-7% and 1.5 on the teratozoospermia index. After I had an MMC at 9&3 (the baby had stopped growing at 8&4), he had an SA and we got these results. All the Drs said miscarriage had nothing to do with his sperm so we tried again straight away. However I had another MC at 8 weeks (baby measured 4-5 but there was a very slow heartbeat at 7.5 weeks).

I don't know whether the morphology leads to miscarriages but I think it's linked to DNA fragmentation which leads to miscarriage. So I don't think it means nothing. It means sth, just don't know what.

I am 6 weeks pregnant (first cycle after the last miscarriage) and praying for a miracle.

Was anyone ever told that there is a link between MCs and morphology?


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