2% morphology - that's bad right?!

[MummyIwanabe]

Hi girls, I'm norm on the TTC threads but thought I'd come on here as we just got some SA results and it doesn't look good.

Yest doc called OH and said overall results were good but morphology was lower than average. Fair enough we thought but they're good so that's positive.

Got results in writing today and morphology is 2% the average is 15% that means that a lot of them are deformed and unable to swim maybe

I just want to cry now, we thought the result was good and the doc didn't mention being referred or anything but online I've read 2% is really bad and really decreases our chances?

Has anyone else had a percentage like this for their OH?

Please help I don't know what to do. Doc is useless and I can't see how this overall can be good. Everything else was normal but I've read morphology really affects things

My OH results were:

5ml - volume
Concentration - 45ml
mobility - 50%
Progression - moderate
Morphology - 2% (very below average) average being 15%
Mar test - normal

This was taken after 6 days of storing it up lol so the counts high but probably because it had been a while.

Anyone else had this experience? will we need IVF?

 

[Mrs G]

Hi girls, I'm norm on the TTC threads but thought I'd come on here as we just got some SA results and it doesn't look good.

Yest doc called OH and said overall results were good but morphology was lower than average. Fair enough we thought but they're good so that's positive.

Got results in writing today and morphology is 2% the average is 15% that means that a lot of them are deformed and unable to swim maybe

I just want to cry now, we thought the result was good and the doc didn't mention being referred or anything but online I've read 2% is really bad and really decreases our chances?

Has anyone else had a percentage like this for their OH?

Please help I don't know what to do. Doc is useless and I can't see how this overall can be good. Everything else was normal but I've read morphology really affects things

My OH results were:

5ml - volume
Concentration - 45ml
mobility - 50%
Progression - moderate
Morphology - 2% (very below average) average being 15%
Mar test - normal

This was taken after 6 days of storing it up lol so the counts high but probably because it had been a while.

Anyone else had this experience? will we need IVF?

Hi hun

We had male factor issues too with morphology and yes (sorry) 2% normal forms is not great. One question though, why 6 days abstinance??? Normally you are told to only go 2/3 days before a sample as they start to die naturally after that time. I don't know if there are links with this to morphology rates?

In my experience gp's are crap at these results, we were also told that everything was fine...! I know this is really hard but (cliched as it sounds) it does only take one.

There are loads of things which will affect results - a cold, a heavy drinking sessions, meds. Does oh drink/smoke etc. I would recommend getting him to make sme lifestyle changes, get him on a good vitamin and rebook another test in about 3 months.

There are lots of us on here with MF. I hope someone else can offer you a bit more help.



Kath xx

 

[caline]

My DH had 1% morphology on his last SA. The general consensus from the clinic was that morphology (or normal forms) isn't necessary a predictor for fertility. The mobility is more important. They even said that they may stop measuring morphology sometime soon.

This is just what we were told by several different fertility Drs. As Mrs G says, it does only take 1, and your DH has good mobility, and 2% of a sample is still a good few million (or whatever it works out at)!!

We were also told 2-3 days abstinence before sample. 6 days sounds far too long. Also DH did 3 samples to get a kind of overview, as a one off can not be accurate, as Mrs G pointed out. I think you need the sample repeating with a shorted abstinence period.

We need IVF but I have endometriosis. Try not to worry too much

 

[MummyIwanabe]

Thank you you 2 for your posts

it was 6 days because they said no sooner than 3 and no later than 7. We did 6 as it was the first opportunity we could do the SA sample and we were really keen to know the result rather than go into our cycle and near my Ov and my OH giving away his sperm I was keen to have it rather than a lab!

OH is transferring doctors to different county now so hope to see him next week where he may suggest another sample who knows.

We are pretty good, we don't drink, smoke, eat badly. We take wellbeing woman, wellbeing contraception for men, maca, I take evening primrose.

I know it only takes one which is good, I'm hoping it will eventually happen but I'm beginning to think we will need some help like ivf to achieve our dream

 

[Aphrodite]

I'd definitely get another test done as it can change. My DH's has varied each time he's done it. Try it with a 3 day abstinence and see if makes any difference. My DH morphology is so bad they didnt even give us a percentage, just 'MOST' abnormal!

The good news is his motility is 50%, anything lower is considered bad, so although his count is low the motility is good. My hubbys count went from 7 to 18 million and motility from 14 to 11. So although the motility went down, the count went up, so a good idea to get a re-test.

All is not lost, I think there might still be hope for you both yet! And yes GPs are crap when it comes to these things, the doctor initially wouldnt let DH have a copy of the results, and then he said, well its not that bad, it only takes 1. Yet when we saw both fertility doctors they said its pretty bad, I would recommend ICSI as ur not likely to get pregnant any other way!!!!

Its awful being at this stage though and not knowing what's going to happen, I remember it We also are healthy tee-total, dont smoke etc. Good luck with a repeat test. x x

 

[MummyIwanabe]

Hi Aphrodite. Thanks!

Yes I'm hoping the doc next week will send us for another test. His motility is 50% and the count is good but what it'd be like after 3 days instead of 6 I don't know. Its this soddin morphology bit that its hard to figure out. I've read you can't do much to improve it, only that it changes from sample to sample. Will be good to see another result. I just can't wait that long! hahaha! May go private for the sample test pay the £125 or whatever and get an answer sooner so we can go to the GP and say ok same morphology or whatever and move on from it. I hate to see my hubbie so upset so it's worth speeding up the process if we can.

good lukc with your ICSI very soon, maybe that will be an option for us at some point! x

 

[Mrs G]

Hi Aphrodite. Thanks!

Yes I'm hoping the doc next week will send us for another test. His motility is 50% and the count is good but what it'd be like after 3 days instead of 6 I don't know. Its this soddin morphology bit that its hard to figure out. I've read you can't do much to improve it, only that it changes from sample to sample. Will be good to see another result. I just can't wait that long! hahaha! May go private for the sample test pay the £125 or whatever and get an answer sooner so we can go to the GP and say ok same morphology or whatever and move on from it. I hate to see my hubbie so upset so it's worth speeding up the process if we can.

good lukc with your ICSI very soon, maybe that will be an option for us at some point! x

We paid for a private test and consultation and tbh the consultants know much more what they are talking about than the gps. If you can afford it, I would DEF recommend it. We went to the local fert clinic for the consultation and completely bypassed the gp referal as the consultant agreed to treat us just based on the meeting with her. It might be worth looking around on here to see where other people are being treated and what is close to you. Also look on hfea website as they list all clinics.

Good luck. xx

 

[DragonMummy]

we were told that to improve morphology (we have 6%) to refresh the guys every 2 days. We were also told 48 hours abstinence before the SA so I reckon your sample was probably a bit stale (no offence!!). There's things you can do to improve it before your next text.

Get hubby to clear his boys out every other day (or just bd every other day), take vitamin c and zinc. no hot baths and nice loose cotton boxers - no tight pants!

 

[FBbaby]

We too had abstinate for 6 days before doing the sample just because of work circumstances. The bad news in our case is that the count was under normal too, so if we manage to increase morphology by holding out only 2 days, we are likely to lower the count, argggggg......

 

[beauty]

We managed to hold for 3 days count still low but wen we did the first test it was 2 days and count was even lower.. SO i think if we ever did it again would be to hold it for maybe 4 days.. they say 3 to 4 days being the best i think on the form we got!!

Is the morph the test they do after its been an hour.. Sorry if sound stupid but dont they do some sort of test after an hour etc on the sperm what is this for as well??
xxxx

 

[MummyIwanabe]

We will talk to Gp and if we don't get any joy bypass him/her maybe. We'll need to do another sample I'm sure and maybe one that has only been 2-3 days or something.

Morph is looking at what shape, size they are etc.

I'm waiting for a callback from a clinic but they haven't called me back! have to get onto them on Monday

Thank you so much for your posts.

 

[grneyednurse]

Morphology and motility can be very labile and I definietly wouldn't base your chances on one SA. Especially after 6 days abstinence! Afert 3 days morphology and motility go wayyyy down! It's numbers that matter more and I see more women getting pregnant no matter what the issue as long as they got the numbers as morphology and motility can change day to day...more so than if one consistently has a numbers problem!

 

[MummyIwanabe]

Thanks grneyednurse! We shall definately do another sample. Fingers crossed!!

 

[Mrs G]

We too had abstinate for 6 days before doing the sample just because of work circumstances. The bad news in our case is that the count was under normal too, so if we manage to increase morphology by holding out only 2 days, we are likely to lower the count, argggggg......

Count would not be significantly lower after 2 days, in fact after 3 they start dying off so it is not unusual that your count was low after 6. Even if the count is lower, motility an morphology are done as a % rather than a number.

Good luck.

 

[Mrs G]

We managed to hold for 3 days count still low but wen we did the first test it was 2 days and count was even lower.. SO i think if we ever did it again would be to hold it for maybe 4 days.. they say 3 to 4 days being the best i think on the form we got!!

Is the morph the test they do after its been an hour.. Sorry if sound stupid but dont they do some sort of test after an hour etc on the sperm what is this for as well??
xxxx

I think they do the motility and morphology tests straight away. They also do something called a liquifraction test which looks at the state of the sample after some time. I'm not really sure what this tells you, maybe how quickly it deteriorates??

Good luck xx

 

[Sinead]

Hi hun, just to give you some good news, my dh was found to have 2% morphology and 44% viability (both very low), however he was advised to take zinc and 1 month later (I think) we got our BFP, we now have a very healthy 5 1/2 month old girl.

Hope that gives you some hope xxxx

 

[FBbaby]

that's great news sinead, thank for posting and giving us hope.

MrsG, that's the first thing I told the consultant when he told us the count, although my reasoning was that it was 50 minutes before we brought in the sample and i was concerned that over an hour had elapse before it was tested, but the consultant replied that the count included live and dead sperm (as in total sperm per ml), and ironically, the one good result was the motility at 65% (so little dead sperm). So considering it was 'old' sperm and that it had been out for at least one hour, they must swim quite good!

 

[MummyIwanabe]

That is great new Sinead. Its good to hear its possible and congratulations! I would love to have a BFP some day. Feel a bit confused about what to do right now. I think another sample is best bet. Booking an appointment tomo with GP. After that I don't know I've read so many articles, there's more supplements and accupunture etc and its all a bit overwhelming! Where do you start and how do you not spend a fortune! lol

I read that to improve morphology you should BD every 2-3 days to keep them regular. I'm hoping 6 days is why it caused the morphology to be 2% but who knows. I'm hoping our new GP is going to be sympathetic and helpful.

xxx

 

[grneyednurse]

That's what I was thinking about 6 days affecting the morphology... I wouldn't woory too much about your single sample! Liquefaction test is a simple test where the semen is left to sit room temp and supposed to liquefy to a clear light straw color from that white gel-like state it comes in (pardon the pun) originally after 20 minutes lol You could even do it at home if you so dare or have some to waste lol That usually is done with any SA, wonder why they didn't do it with yours?