We thought he has super sperm until the morphology results came in...

[2ducks]

My partner did his SA last Friday. The results came in the same day with great sperm count, motility, everything looked great. We joked all weekend about how his "super sperm" was going to save us. Well....the morphology results came in this morning. He has 4% which is the very bottom of the WHO standards. I was reading that some couples with that low of morphology went straight to IVF.

Right now I am getting testing with my OBGYN and my partner with his GP. The closest fertility clinic is 1.5 hours away plus my insurance does not cover anything infertility related. We were going to try a few rounds of clomid with my OBGYN before heading to the fertility clinic but I am now wondering if we should head there sooner.

What was the advice your docs gave your husbands/partners with low morphology?

 

[CaliDreaming]

My hubby had 0.5% morphology and we were able to conceive naturally so I wouldn't worry about it, especially if everything else is great. The significance of low morphology is very debatable in the medical community. If the sperm is moving fast or straight, your hubby's sperm is in all likelihood fine even with the low morphology. Some men produce antisperm antibodies if they've had some sort of accident to their groin or a serious illness, but that is very rare.

In our case, we had been trying for two years to conceive #2. All the doctors assumed the problem was with me because I was 38 at the time even though they could find nothing wrong with me and my hormone levels were excellent. Hubby was 41. Hubby's morph was at 0.5% but our RE didn't think that was an issue. His other numbers were borderline (count was 20 ml/L and motility at 30%). Some months after we started trying, we got a second opinion from another RE, who thought hubby's numbers were bad. All it took was hubby to take supplements and we got a bfp three weeks after he started them. We don't know what his numbers were afterward but they obviously were good enough.

There are supplements your OH can take to improve his morphology and other parameters to give you more of a chance, but even as is, his sperm sounds great.

 

[krissie328]

Yes, I would agree with Cali. If you have the chance to avoid the fertility clinic as a first line I would try that. My DH didn't have morph issues but he did have low motility. With a few supplements we were able to get pregnant with clomid alone.

 

[kittiecat]

My DH had a low morphology (3%) but also a low count and low motility too so we went straight to IVF. But as its only the morphology with your DH, hopefully it'll be a different outcome for you!

 

[S_Dowd]

My DH has 3% morphology. His count and motility are both borderline. I think our main problem is his semen is highly viscous (too thick)

I have him taking a men's vitamin, fish oil, and he just started asian ginseng which is supposed to help with semen and sperm quality.

I agree with the other posters that as long as his count is good, 4% isn't bad.

Some simple lifestyle changes couldn't hurt, though. Drinking lots of water, regular moderate exercise, and eating a diet with lots of fresh fruits and veggies would be a great place to start. You can also find lists of vitamins that are great for sperm health! Good luck!

 

[2ducks]

Thanks ladies! I think I was freaking out over nothing. when I saw 4% that just seems really low but after research it looks like most men are between 4-15% morphology. I already have him on a cocktail of supplements and it seems to be working since his other numbers were great!

 

[Lues]

I don't really think 4 is really low. It's on the low side of normal, but that's still normal.

And as someone else mentioned, morphology is pretty debated as well, as far as if it's relevant at all. If his other numbers were good, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

However, I wanted to throw my two cents in (I know it's been a while since this was posted, but in case anyone ever looks through)

I would encourage people to go to the fertility clinic, as opposed to putting it off.

I wish I had.

It took a few offices, but once I found one that I really felt would work with me, it was like being in a different world. I felt like I had a team of professionals backing me up (and I did!)

I wish I hadn't waited almost two years before being brave enough to go see an actual RE. It was very very scary for me. But it made all the difference in the world.

 

[2ducks]

Thanks for the input Lues. I am at 13 months ttc so I can definitely get a referral to an RE. If my insurance covered the visit I would be there already. At this point I am working with my OBGYN for a couple months to see if we can get me to ovulate. I am doing 50mg of clomid this cycle. If that doesn't work I will do 100mg next cycle with an u/s. If that doesn't work I will get an HSG with my OB and then head off to the fertility clinic. Also, the closest RE is 1.5 hours away from me so taking the time off work will be very tricky. A huge part of me does want to see the RE right now because I want answers....

 

[Sweetkat]

My OH has poor morphology due to being on immunosuppressants (which he gave up before our daughter was born for a year but can't give up again). I got pregnant first/second cycle since September but have had an MMC at 9 weeks and an MC where things were going wrong from 6.5 weeks and I moscarried at just over 8 weeks. No idea if the morphology is to blame (in theory if his sperm is that bad I shouldn't even be getting pregnant). Now 5 weeks 2 days with a new pregnancy and keeping everything crossed. If it's another MC will be very hard to deal with

 

[AniMo2202]

I've been pregnant twice (Dec '13 - MC at 8 weeks/Dec '14 - Blighted Ovum,D&C at 10 weeks).

About 2 months before my second pregnancy,my husband was diagnosed with 0% morphology (Motility 50% and Count 45 million).

We cannot afford ICSI/IVF, so all that the doctor advised was that my husband take supplements and take the usual other steps to try and improve his morphology.

Nothing has happened now for over a year, and this month I'm trying Fertomid,since the doctor said making me as fertile as possible might help the sperm to do their job.

I'm not sure if I'm ovulating very strongly,although my gynae and FS both said everything looks ok with me.

 

[2ducks]

AniMo2202- that is so upsetting that things are going nowhere. I hope you get some answers or a BFP soon.

My partners doctor referred him to a urologist due to the %4 morphology. He has high deductible insurance and will have to pay for it out of pocket so for now we decided not to go through with that referral. I did some research and added a few more vitamin supplements to his regiment (selenium, L-Arginine, L- Cartinine). Overall he eats pretty healthy and he has been moderating his alcohol. If we end up at the RE in a few months he is going to get another SA for comparison and I have read many REs like to have two.

 

[AniMo2202]

The only supplement my husband is on at the moment,is Vascamen.

I wish we could just do IVF/ICSI, but it is not in our future,as it is insanely expensive in South Africa (our medical aid doesn't cover any fertility procedures), and as much as I want a child, I cannot go into such huge debt, and then suffer another miscarriage.That would truly destroy me.