Male Infertility

[littlered03]

My DH and I are pretty new to the infertility scene (for a major lack of a better term - I hate that it is a "scene" for anyone), but after almost all the tests on my end except for the HSG and a progesterone test, it seems like our issues are all sperm-related.

After going in for my ultrasound to check out everything, I asked to see a nurse practitioner (someone, anyone!) to help answer questions about my DH's 0% morphology report we received last week. Everyone I've talked to has said that they would recommend IUI (which seems completely off anything I've read that suggests IVF with ICSI right off the bat) but that they really can't answer any questions because they don't deal with male infertility. It will take us over two months to get into the urologist they are recommending.

I feel completely frustrated and practically infuriated with the lack of support for couples with male infertility. The OBGYN/infertility clinic helps couples become pregnant and the MALE is 1/2 of the equation and has just as much of a chance from what I've read of having fertility issues as women. Why isn't there more support for male infertility in a place that is supposed to help a COUPLE become pregnant?

Is this normal?! When we go see the urologist, he won't be helping to time conception if we do go for IUI and probably isn't going to be focused on getting US pregnant but rather just to fix an underlying condition with my husband. Which will lead us back to the OBGYN who won't be able to answer my male-related questions along the way and will only be focusing on me once more when my DH is the one who needs the most attention.

I'm just so frustrated and am wondering how things have worked out for any other people suffering from male infertility issues when TTC. It frustrates me that birth and conception are so female-focused. How can a female's body do its job if there are problems with the sperm to begin with? Ugh. . .

 

[Kelly9]

You will forsure get more answers from a reproduction speciist usually found at fertility clinics. I'd think with zero morph you would do ivf icsi and not
IuI. IuI wasn't recommended for us and my DH had border line morph but also slightly lower motility and low counts. Hopefully with any luck your dh's issues will be fixable through the urologist.

 

[messica]

littlered - please feel free to pm me if you'd like. I am also from MN and can direct you to some GREAT reproductive focused docs

You're correct, a regular urologist will not have the insight that say a reproductive urologist will. The difference is night and day and I can attest to that personally.

I agree with the previous poster that IUI would likely not be a good option for you, at least based on that one SA. My doc was on the fence about doing IUI because my DH's morph was low. When she factored in odds and ethics we were borderline. There is no way she would have moved forward if morph was even lower because IUI primarily assists sperm with motility issues. If morph is at 0% that means it's likely little to no sperm would be able to penetrate an egg even if IUI helped them get to one you know?

I think you need to get that second SA on board and finish up your testing before you move forward with deciding IUI or IVF either way but if things stay the same I'd assume IVF with ICSI is going to be pretty much your only option with 0% morph