IVF or varicocele surgery?

[Veryscared]

I feel like our doctor is pushing us on the IVF trail before looking at any other option!! I did all kinds of testing, and I seem to have all normal levels. DH has 51% motility, 3% normal morph, normal count... Did a hyalluronic acid binding test, and doctor calls to say we need to talk ivf...

I feel rushed, I feel scared, I feel why should I go through ivf as first option without even considering doing surgery on DH? Or anything else?

We have started TTC in July 2011, was traveling extensively all throughout the last year too... I am 35, and it seems that's the only factor the doctor would look at! It makes me feel my age is the only problem, nothing else! DH is 33...

Frankly I feel I'm in a man's world...

 

[readyformore]

I'm wondering why they would even want to do surgery on your husband. His count and motility are normal, a surgery won't improve morphology. What would the benefit be of having surgery?

Sorry you're feeling rushed and pressured. That's never good. Maybe ask what alternative options you can try first. Maybe a few cycles of IUI prior to IVF? And unfortunately, age is a huge factor, even if we don't want to admit it. Some fall pregnant easily at 35, and others don't. But, if you want to have 2 or 3 kids, and you're already 35 and have been ttc for over a year, and fertility declines as we age.........I'd get going. There's no time like the present.

 

[crystal443]

Your FS will tell your best option of getting pregnant and if he's saying IVF then that's probably your best bet but if you don't want to do it, then you don't have to Ask about other things and find out why your doctor is thinking IVF, at the end of the day its your money and you don't have to do anything that you don't want to

 

[Pink Petals]

My DH was just diagnosed with a varicocele. He has normal count and motility, but only 1-2% morohology. We are currently on the wait lists to see some specialists.
There is controversy in the medical community over whether or not the surgery works, but I have found lots of success stories online. From what I have read, the urologists will often go the surgery route, while the REs will push IVF. I have read some stories where people had failed IVF cycles, THEN they did the surgery, after which they had success with IVF.
Personally, we are going to try the surgery first. I think it is a personal decision. It depends how much time you have to lose as well, because it takes 3 to 6 months post surgery to see improvement if there is going to be any.
I would recommend seeing a urologist and just hearing what they have to say. The more informed you can be about your options, the better.
I wish you all the best with whatever you decide!!!

 

[watersky]

My DH has varicocele too and his counts and motility are all over the map across 4 cycles (from above normals to way below). I'm 36 and am still being investigated (waiting for lap/hsg) but they would want an a-okay with me before they consider surgery on him (so yes, its a man's world). *But* I looked into the effectiveness of surgery on varicocele and it turns out that only 35% of couples get pregnant in the year after the surgery but 80% get pregnant in the 2nd year after the surgery. So, if you do go that route, there is a long wait. The recommendation to have IVF may be more of a time factor than anything else. Though I do agree with a comment above, that using IUI before going to IVF is less invasive (and expensive).