May I join?

ky29

I have been posting on the TTGP board for a few months now, but wondered if I could join in on this board too? 

Here's my story:  We are in our 11th cycle of trying.  My doctor recommended we do a SA at 6 months if we weren't pregnant (he was chewing tobacco & it's not known how it affects fertility).  Well, around the 6 month mark he quit (yay!).. and I wasn't pregnant. I talked to the dr, asked if since he quit we should still do the SA, she said it wouldn't hurt. We got the results back & the full results are in my blog, but basically the motility is low & she didn't like the morphology. So she referred him to a urologist and ordered a second test.  The first test was 1.5 months after quitting, the second was 3 months after quitting.  But the second test was about the same.

He had his uro appointment yesterday, and the dr really didn't have to much to say at that appointment. Just did an exam, found a vein but said it shouldn't affect anything.  They took blood, ordered a third SA and made a follow up appt with the uro.

The dr said it was mild MFI. Which made him feel better because he thought his motilitty was really low.  So I have a question.  In your experience... would a 3rd SA be worth it (we are paying for everything OOP), since the first 2 were so similar?  And, if his bloodwork comes back okay - would he really need to have a follow up with the uro since he didn't really find anything?  Should we just wait and see what my dr advises when I meet with her next? 

Thanks & sorry for writing a book!  And for those that can't/don't want to open my blog, here's the basics of the SA results.

Count: 144 mil 
Motility: Rapid Progression 5% {normal 25%+}
Rapid + Slow Progression 9% {normal 50%+}  

Count: 116 mil
Motility: Rapid Progression 2% {normal 25%+}
Rapid + Slow Progression 14% {normal 50%+} 

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katib77

If you have two that are about the same - then I see no need for another unless there is something you are doing to then try and see change.  As PP said, we did another S/A after being on Fertility Blend for Men for four months.  And another when we went to see a Uro that specialized in MFI.  Another was from when he was on steroids for an allergic reaction and no sperm (well 2) was found alive for an IUI. And basically, since we've had sperm washes in prep for IUIs four times my DH has now had 9 since June 2009.  

But after the first two, it was just accepted that he has MFI.  All subsequent ones were due to treatment changes or concerns.  Not "just to see".  If you will be moving ahead with something like an IUI, I really see no point in spending further money on it.  We're OOP and it sucks that we've paid for five S/A's (and four sperm washes) and not seen anything miraculous...but since it's been spread out over three years - eh.  That's life, but I don't recommend it if you can help it. 

katib77

ky29:

Count: 144 mil

Motility: 9% 

Count: 116 mil
Motility: 14% 

P.S. You guys are great candidates for IUI since 9% of 144mil is 12.9 million forward moving sperm, and 14% of 166mil is  16.2 million forward moving sperm.  

If "normal" is at least 20mil count with 50% motility, that's 10million forward moving sperm...you are looking decent.   ((Trying to give you the silver lining view)).

ky29

katib77:

ky29:

Count: 144 mil

Motility: 9% 

Count: 116 mil
Motility: 14% 

P.S. You guys are great candidates for IUI since 9% of 144mil is 12.9 million forward moving sperm, and 14% of 166mil is  16.2 million forward moving sperm.  

If "normal" is at least 20mil count with 50% motility, that's 10million forward moving sperm...you are looking decent.   ((Trying to give you the silver lining view)).

Thank you! I have read that 10 mil is ideal for an IUI. But I wasn't sure which % of motility they use. Glad to know it's the second one!