Help Sperm test results

[JaneyUK]

Help please, my husband(38) and I (35) have been trying for a baby for over a year and have just been told my husband has poor sperm.

His results were:-

Count 85M
66% rapid progressive motility
1% Morphology

Obviously he was devastated when being told these results over the phone and shocked so didn't ask many questions. Can anyone advise how bad they are? Can the Morphology figure be improved some how/likely to be better on a different test?

We are now waiting on a referral to a urologist.

Thanks

 

[Moorebetter]

Is he taking any vits? the count is good maybe you can look into a multi vit. to increase it. gl!!!

 

[JaneyUK]

Hi thanks for the reply. Only a multivit and zinc, but are in the process of looking into which others to take.

 

[hopingforit]

The count and motility are really good. The morphology is bad.

I'll explain it this way:
You have 85 million sperm per ML.
1% of them are shaped correctly - others probably have 2 heads, 2 tails, big head, small tail...something like that - those ones cannot result in pregnancy.
So, of the 85 million per ML - 850k would be shaped correctly.

The urologist visit will definitely help. They can see if there is something easy that can be corrected. Does he wear tight underwear, have a laptop on his lap, cell phone in his pants pocket? I know those can affect count so I'd guess they may be able to affect morphology too. I'm not 100% sure on that though. Also, remember that SA tests can vary. One month, my DH had like 29% motility with only like 6% rapid. The count was normal at 53 million. The next month when we had an IUI, his motility was good both pre and post wash but his count was only 12 million per ML. Was he sick at all in the last months? That could negatively impact it.

I don't know if IUI would be appropriate for your 1% morphology but IUI can wash out the bad sperm and leave most of the good sperm to insemination. Also, ICSI can help with people who have bad SA. They take one sperm and put it into one egg so they choose one of the strongest sperm, correctly shaped. So, if the urologist can't find anything, you still have options.

I know it's hard but don't worry too much. There are ladies on here who have achieved pregnancy through azoospermia which means there are no sperm detected in semen.

Hopefully he does another SA and the results are better. Good luck.

 

[Snowglobe21]

It's not near as bad as you think. I'll explain when I get home and can go on my computer. (typing on my iPhone is tough) just so u know my hubby has 3% and we concieved twice (one mc)

 

[Snowglobe21]

OK so 1% sound terrible, but the Kruger method which is the type of morph test done is very tough and some studies have found the average man has 3-5% normal sperm. It is very disputed medically as to whether it has any relevance. I have a lot I could say, but there is a really good threat called SA MORPHOLOGY: POST YOUR RESULTS HERE that you should search. On it, I have posted 5 medical studies showing morphology is a useless indicator. I have also linked to a urology website for male fertility that discounts morph completely etc.

On my hubbies first SA, he had over 200 million sperm, great motility and vitality, but only 4% morph so his family doctor who knew nothing about male infertility told him he was infertile. Well, then he had a second test done after taking tons and tons of vitamins and it was the exact same results except 3% morphology.We went to the fertility clinic after a 3 month wait in mid-february and we actually concieved that same week, (just didn't know it until one of my bloodworks for my PCOS showed I was pregnant).

So its really not the end of the world. Google morph and you will find blogs with people with 1,2,3 and even 0% morph and they concieved. Chances are your husband is 100% normal, it is just this new ranking system.

I know what hes going through right now, my husband sank into a depression when he got his initial results, but after doing the research, it showed that morph really isnt that bad and our fertility doctor discounted it completely. Don't ask your GP or family doctor about it, they dont know fertility at all!

School up on the kruger method and you will understand what im trying to say. But please, please for you and your husbands sake, read through the posts on the thread I pointed out. One study of men who already were fathers found 3% was their normal.

 

[JaneyUK]

Many thanks for the replies. Feel much better now

Hopefully on the next SA after lifestyle changes and taking vits it will improve.

My husband does use an iPad on his lap a lot during the evenings(will keep it away from now on), mobile phone is normally in his jacket pocket. Tight under wear no, he wears boxers, trousers maybe a little tight during the day though. He was a little run down with a cold about a week or so before the sperm sample was taken, apart from that he is very healthy only very slightly over weight, our diet is pretty good and we both drink very little alcohol.

He does drink around 4-5 very strong coffees a day, so that will have to stop, not sure if that could have affected the morphology? We have ordered the following vit/supplements to try and improve his sperm.


Acetyl L-Carnitine 500mg 1x a day.
Alpha Lipoci Acid 200mg 1x a day
L-Carnitine 500mg 1 x a day
L-Arginine 500mg 1x a day
Pycnogenol 200mg 1 x day
Maca 500mg 1 x day
Zinc 15mg 1 x day
Vitamin C-1000 1 x day
plus his normal multivit

Thanks so much for the replies and advice.

 

[Snowglobe21]

Hate to say it but honestly those changes won't affect morph at all. My hubby started taking over 15 vitamins a day and cut out heated seats etc and his next SA was worse off and we are now 16 weeks pregnant, it's not his morph trust me. Your hubbies count is a lot lower than my husbands though so maybe he has less viable sperm in total because of the percentage and a higher count cancels it out. still dont worry too much hun

 

[Jeni82]

I would always suggest another SA about 6 weeks after his last one was done, I don't know if the lab was just completely wrong about my DH first SA or the vitamins our FS gave us made all the difference. First SA showed horrible results and the last 2 showed that he has no issues!

Best of Luck.

 

[MrsEvans]

@Janey

add Folic acid to the mix aswell its very effective with Zinc

xxx

 

[JaneyUK]

Strange, I replied to this thread with an update and its not been authorised?

 

[JaneyUK]

Anyway I'll try again, hubby had another SA at Liverpool womens hospital and came back with 92M per ml, 7% morphology and good motility(can't remember exact figures).

The doc told us he had no concerns with 7% morphology as there was plenty of good sperm in the sample. Had my blood tests back and could find nothing wrong with me either.

He's now put me on clomid before going back in 3months for an internal scan. Not sure if it was the cocktail of vits that help my husbands result. He's still going to carry on taking them even though they do get expensive when you add them all up.

Here's hoping clomid can help.

 

[Pinkie 33]

What was the update? Good news?

 

[JaneyUK]

What was the update? Good news?

I tried again and had the same msg that my post needed to be approved by a mod. Good news that hubby's 2nd SA has come back good. 7% morphology but good count. My blood tests came back fine, now been put on clomid and waiting on a date for an internal scan.

 

[Pinkie 33]

Glad things are starting to come together for you