Question about sperm washing

wifeinraleigh28

Hi everyone.  I am quite confused and was wondering if anyone knows why our post wash numbers for our IUI went down so drastically!  Here are the results of the SA, and I included what the lab considers to be normal value too:

Semen Volume: 1.5 mls (Normal Value: >1.5 mls)

Sperm Count (conc.): 34 million/ml (Normal Value: >15 million/ml)

Total Sperm Count: 51 million (Normal Value: >39 million)

Total Percent Motility: 29 % (Normal Value: >40 %)

Percent Rapid Progressive Motility: 40 % (Normal Value: >32 %)

Motile Sperm Count (conc.): 10 million/ml (Normal Value: n/a)

Total Motile Sperm: 15 million (Normal Value: n/a)

Round Cells: 0 million/ml (Normal Value: <5 million/ml)

Post Wash

Insemination Volume: 0.5 mls

Total Motile Sperm: 9 million

Wash Method: Density Gradient Centrifugation

Any idea why our total motile sperm went down from 15 million to 9 million post wash for our IUI?  I was under the impression that the washing process just eliminated the sperm that weren't moving and kept all the motile ones.

tvh1982

Hi! 
You might have had

a premium wash:removes non-motile and bad quality

Or a swim-up technique and they keep the ones that 'swim-up'

wifeinraleigh28

Thank you for responding @tvh1982!  Based on the method listed on the results, I think it fits in the "premium" category.  So maybe those 6 million motile sperm that didn't make the cut had bad morphology?  Ugh, I have no clue.  I emailed my doctor and he forwarded my email to the embryologist at the clinic, who responded with this, but I still don't like the fact that we lost all that motile sperm:

"Yes, some motile sperm can be lost during density gradient and washing step.First step is density gradient centrifugation that can separate dead sperm, debris or semen. After this, we take motile sperm in the bottom of the tube that passed through the gradient. Most of missing motile sperm is from this step. We only take about 80% of bottom portion in order to reduce any debris, dead sperm, or gradient solution.Then we do two times of sperm wash with fresh media to wash remaining gradient solution. During this step, most of sperm should be in the tube."

dragonfaerie

My DH and I had the same thing. His original numbers looked good (a little low, but not concerning), but after the IUI wash we lost almost everything. It stinks, but they basically explained that what was left after washing was any that were good swimmers AND good looking.

wifeinraleigh28

Thanks @dragonfaerie.  Makes sense!  Obviously the lower number is upsetting but if the other sperm don't have a chance anyway, it makes sense to not have them getting in the way of the ones that are good swimmers and shaped right.  Thanks for replying!

dragonfaerie

Precisely. It definitely is rotten but you want the best ones to be left!