MFI question?

Hollowvic

I don't usually post on this board, as I am still on the TTTC board. Just wondering if anybody got pregnant with poor motility and morphology. If so was it naturally, TI or IUI?

absolutelymaybe

I wish we would've gone strait to IVF. Honestly, they wouldn't even recommend IUIs for us because his morphology, motility and count were all so low. After 2 years of TI, we tried twice with a donor (excellent in all categories) and still got BFNs. Then we went to IVF w/ ICSI using DHs sperm and it worked.

cls78

We were dx with mild male factor. We did 3 IUI cycles with clomid and they did not work. We then moved on to IVF with ICSI and did a freeze all cycle. FET #1 resulted with a BFP.

We skipped IUI/Injects, because we were self pay and wanted the best chance of success. We were only given a 15-20% chance with IUI/Injects and the cost was 3,000 and up a cycle.

Hollowvic

That's kind of what my thought has been. We got DX in May were supposed to do IUI last week but skipped it due to timing. We're supposed to try the IUI next month again but I just don't have a good feeling about it working, even though the doctor seems hopeful. Then they want us to try IUI w injects which is half the price if the IVF. At that point I feel like since we are paying OOP we might as well do IVF. I'm worried about my age though. Thanks.

MissEm15

My DH has mild MFI.. 50% motility, 2-3% morph and his count declined every IUI. Our first IUI on clomid was a negative, but I had really thin lining. We jumped to Letrozole & injects right then (but its covered for us). The second IUI was a BFP, but ended very early. I had two follies & count was 6 mil post wash. Third IUI (injects only) I had 3 follies and count was 4.2mil post wash (but motility went up to 70% w/ coq10) and we're having twins!

In my opinion, if you have mild MFI, IUI is possible. We needed higher motility & multiple follies to make up for the lower count and low morph. Again, our IUI's were covered w/ insurance so we were going to try three or four regardless. So cost luckily (we are very lucky) didn't play a role in our decisions. Good luck in whatever you decide!

Hollowvic

@MissEm15‌ you are very lucky, if cost wasn't an issue I wouldn't be as worried. My age is also an issue, at 38 we don't have much time. His count is good, motility and morph are the issues. He also had a high white blood cell count, which indicated infection. The RE told us after a round of antibiotics it could improve. We haven't had the follow up SA done yet. I have him on vitamins, but I'm going to look into the Coq10. Is that just an additional supplement?

MissEm15

@hollowvic yes, its just a vitamin. I also had him take fertily blend.. but w/ comparing to other people I think the coq10 was what helped his motility. I wish you the best of luck!!

ekc0630

Did you see a urologist yet to diagnose why he has MFI?  That was our savior.  We did 5 IUI's all unsuccessful.  I wish we never did.  The heartache and cost was horrible.  I remember going in for one IUI and the Dr saying the chances of this working are very slim.  I was sooooo mad and hurt that they would even continue with the procedure.  

With the diagnosis we found out that there way no way to increase his count.  He had a genetic micro deletion.  

Good Luck to you!

OutdoorGirl10

You can see our history in my siggy but yes, we got pregnant after 3 IUIs with Clomid didn't work but the 1st IVF did(we were lucky). DH's count was fine but motility & morphology were not good. He tried a fertility blend vitamin with no improvement. The IUI doctors said it needs a while to build up in his system and even then there might not be any improvement.

Hollowvic

@ekc0630‌ what exactly is genetic micro deletion? I really don't want to have to do IVF but I just don't have a good feeling we'll get pregnant any other way. The RE feels there is hope for us. I just don't want to waste my time and money.

TXUltraRunner

We had severe MFI with a count of less than 1 mil and our morphology and motility were very low. Our RE cancelled our IUI cycle when we found out this news. We spent almost a year of DH going to Urologists only to find out his issue was unexplained. We moved straight to IVF with ICSI and were successful. 

ekc0630

Hollowvic It is a chromosomal deletion which aids in sperm production.  DH tried clomid before we went to the urologist and it didn't help at all.  With the deletion the count can not get better.  We didn't want to do IVF either but after 5 failed IUI's It would have been so much cheaper and less heartache to have gone straight to IVF

tarala

MFI here too. Some details are in my siggy but if your mobile... DH has 2% morph and 33% motility. They thought we would be good for IUIs, but I always disagreed with that.

First one medicated with clomid, we had 2 mil motile sperm. BFN.
Second one medicated with Letrozole, we only has 1 mil motile sperm. BFN.

We were going to push for IVF, but they recommend it at that point- especially since we decreased again.

Even after our IVF cycle, we had 21 ER, 15 mature, 13 fertilized and only 1 made it to blast. (This was with ICSI- proving we should have avoided IUI's entirely.)

I will say that I probably wasn't ready to jump into an IVF cycle first so the IUI's helped to prepare me better for what was to come. Next time, (since we have none frozen) will be straight to IVF again with ICSI.

Good luck to you!

Hollowvic

I go to my RE for blood work in the morning & I'm going to talk to her about skipping the IUUs and going straight to IVF, then I have to convince my DH. I just don't see it happening any other way. Thanks

TXUltraRunner

tarala said:

 Even after our IVF cycle, we had 21 ER, 15 mature, 13 fertilized and only 1 made it to blast. (This was with ICSI- proving we should have avoided IUI's entirely.) I will say that I probably wasn't ready to jump into an IVF cycle first so the IUI's helped to prepare me better for what was to come. Next time, (since we have none frozen) will be straight to IVF again with ICSI. Good luck to you!

Similar experience here. Had 28 eggs retrieved, 13 fertilized and only 3 made it to day 5. We put the best one in. The two in the freezer are not good quality. 

tarala

@TXUltraRunner‌ I didn't realize our stories are so similar!

Hollowvic

I got the numbers, he has 40% motility, 16% morphology. His count was vey good. Getting another SA next week to see if it has improved or not. I'll base my decision on that.

tarala

@Hollowvic‌ With those results, I would try IUI. The morph is very strong. Kruger says anything greater than 4% is 'good'

Good luck!

Hollowvic

The RE told me it's not as bad as I'm thinking. I talked to her about IVF and she said if she didn't think Iwe had a shot with IUI she would tell me. So I do feel better & we are going to try the IUI next month, unless we get lucky this month. Thanks for all your help.

Amyou06

Dh's morph, motility, and numbers were all bad. I think he had about 1.5 million at last count, highest we ever saw was around 3 million. IUI wasnt recommended for us, so straight to IVF, which worked on our second try(only because the first time we canceled the retrieval due to poor responde to meds from me)  So we never made it to a retrieval or transfer the first go, but the second time we did, and it worked. So I'd like to think that it did really work the first time. Worth every penny

KDR1979

Our diagnosis is abnormal sperm morphology. DH's count is around 60 million, motility ~40% and shape is only 0-1% normal-all head defects. He had several SA's during our treatments and it never improved. He also switched to boxers and took vitamins/antioxidants. We needed IVF to conceive. We haven't used birth control since 2008 and have never conceived w/o IVF. Good luck!