Trouble TTC

? for MFI ladies (motility)

So, I just had my IUI for my 7th medicated cycle today.  I had to ask for specifics on my DH's count since my clinic tends to just say normal/abnormal.  They've always said his SA's were great.  Today, his motility was 23%.  Isn't normal like 40-50%?  I'm completely freaking out now.  After his last SA, I asked for the specifics and she gave me count & morph but not motility.  Now, I'm questioning everything.  Is 23% motility enough to cause a problem?  The nurse acted like it wasn't an issue.  Obviously, I have enough IF issues for the both of us but am really upset that this has possibly been missed for over a year.

Thanks so much for any advice or information.


After more than 2 years of fertility treatments, FET did the trick!
IVF March 2012 - BFP! - Severe OHSS = 8 days in the hospital in kidney failure
No heartbeat at 10w6d
FET August 27,2012 = BFP!
It's a boy!
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Re: ? for MFI ladies (motility)

  • My RE wants to see over 50%. I'm not really sure if the motility even matters since they put it right where they need to go though. I'm totally guessing there, so I really don't know. I'm assuming since they didnt say anything, you should be good. How was everything else?


    04/07/11- PCOS Diagnosis w/GYN. Put on Metformin (1500 mgs)
    04/25/11- 1st consultation with RE (Confirmed PCOS & Anovulation)
    05/09/11-HSG-All clear! 05/13/11-SA-Normal. Found out on 2/14/12, low Morph (1%).
    06/17/11-10 days of Clomid (100, 150) No response.
    07/10/11-03/20/12- 5 Injectable (Follistim) IUI cycles; 4 BFN, 1 C/P. (stims ranged from 11 days to 25 days)
    05/28/12-Diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. 75 mcg Synthroid.

    IVF with ICSI in June/July 2013 = BFP!. Beta # 1 = 123. Beta # 2 = 252. Due March 25th. Baby boy arrived March 27, 2013!

    FET #1 - 10/4/14 = BFP!! Beta #1 = 179. Beta # 2 = 499. Due June 22nd.

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  • Pre or post wash? Pre wash it should be 50% and post wash close to 90%. Either way 23% is concerning. I would ask more questions to see if it was a fluke of a sample or if they have all been low. If they have, I would have a uro look at it and discuss the grade of motility,etc. DHs counts are always really high, but with low motility. Its been so far the only reason why our 7 iuis didn't work. I'm sorry you are just hearing this now. Good for you for speaking up. Good luck hun!

    "I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted what I asked of him." ~1 Samuel 1:27
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
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  • imageracheyt0227:
    My RE wants to see over 50%. I'm not really sure if the motility even matters since they put it right where they need to go though. I'm totally guessing there, so I really don't know. I'm assuming since they didnt say anything, you should be good. How was everything else?
    I know it seems that the sperm doesn't have far to travel after an iui, but it really does! The sperm need to be progressively motile in order to make it to the tubes, even with iui.

    "I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted what I asked of him." ~1 Samuel 1:27
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    "Whatever it takes, we walk together." ~Pittsburgh Penguins
    My IF-turned-baby blog
  • imagesbrowns08:
    imageracheyt0227:
    My RE wants to see over 50%. I'm not really sure if the motility even matters since they put it right where they need to go though. I'm totally guessing there, so I really don't know. I'm assuming since they didnt say anything, you should be good. How was everything else?
    I know it seems that the sperm doesn't have far to travel after an iui, but it really does! The sperm need to be progressively motile in order to make it to the tubes, even with iui.

     

    Gotcha! I really wasn't sure on that. Yeah all of MH are in the 90's post wash. Genmalone, hopefully yh numbers were better post wash as well.


    04/07/11- PCOS Diagnosis w/GYN. Put on Metformin (1500 mgs)
    04/25/11- 1st consultation with RE (Confirmed PCOS & Anovulation)
    05/09/11-HSG-All clear! 05/13/11-SA-Normal. Found out on 2/14/12, low Morph (1%).
    06/17/11-10 days of Clomid (100, 150) No response.
    07/10/11-03/20/12- 5 Injectable (Follistim) IUI cycles; 4 BFN, 1 C/P. (stims ranged from 11 days to 25 days)
    05/28/12-Diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. 75 mcg Synthroid.

    IVF with ICSI in June/July 2013 = BFP!. Beta # 1 = 123. Beta # 2 = 252. Due March 25th. Baby boy arrived March 27, 2013!

    FET #1 - 10/4/14 = BFP!! Beta #1 = 179. Beta # 2 = 499. Due June 22nd.

    Daisypath Anniversary tickers
    image


    image

  • now that we have moved onto IVF, I don't remember our exact numbers anymore or what the Dr. wanted.  I think we were around 15% motility which definitely wasn't good.  Uro checked DH out and couldn't anything wrong.  So he had DH start taking a fish oil pill (OTC) and our motility numbers improved steadily over the next few months.  Our last IUI we did a double collection and his motility was 43% and 51% for the two samples! Smile
    TTC #1 Since 4/2010, Cycle 30
    Positive for HLA-B27, I'm a mutant :p
    Testing - Me ok, gluten issue? DH - borderline count, low motility
    4/28/11 IUI#1 = BFP!(5/25), EDD 2/2/12 - m/c 5w3d
    7/3, 7/31, 9/25 - IUI#2-4=BFN
    IVF#1 - 1 blast = BFP!! (12/30), EDD 9/9/12, confirmed c/p 4w2d
    FET#1 3/2/12 - 2 blasts =BFP!! EDD 11/18/12, us#1 = twins! Confirmed m/c 5w6d
    4/20-surprise BFP and another c/p 4w2d
    FET#2 7/16/12 - 2 blasts = BFN
    FET#3 8/20/12 - 1 blast - BFP!! Beta #1-2=177, 354
    1st u/s 5w6d, one beautiful little HB :), 2nd u/s 146bpm
    baby girl born 5/10/13

    TTC#2 since 12/17/2014, Cycle 8
    Repeat Testing...FSH=12, AMH=3.8, AFC=28. 
    IUI#5 5/10/15- c/p?
    IVF#2 8/19/15 - cancelled due to cysts
    IVF#2 take two 10/2015 - 5 blasts frozen
    FET#4 12/11/2015 - BFN - 4 blasts remaining
    FET#5 2/18/16 - BFP!!!  Beta1-3, 126, 250, 745!!

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    Tons of love and ((hugs)) to my IF sister NMscubagirl


  • imageracheyt0227:
    My RE wants to see over 50%. I'm not really sure if the motility even matters since they put it right where they need to go though. I'm totally guessing there, so I really don't know. I'm assuming since they didnt say anything, you should be good. How was everything else?

    Thanks.  That is what I thought. 

    All his other counts were great.  200 milllion+ count and 12% morphology.  I just looked at his last SA from August and his motility was 26%.  I guess I'm just upset that I've been blaming myself for all our IF issues all this time and noone ever mentioned that his motility was low.  This was only our 2nd IUI out of 7 medicated cycles.  This might explain why our last cycle with 10 follies over 14 mm doing TI didn't work. 


    After more than 2 years of fertility treatments, FET did the trick!
    IVF March 2012 - BFP! - Severe OHSS = 8 days in the hospital in kidney failure
    No heartbeat at 10w6d
    FET August 27,2012 = BFP!
    It's a boy!
    My Blog - 3 Dogs, No Baby

    image
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • imagesbrowns08:
    Pre or post wash? Pre wash it should be 50% and post wash close to 90%. Either way 23% is concerning. I would ask more questions to see if it was a fluke of a sample or if they have all been low. If they have, I would have a uro look at it and discuss the grade of motility,etc. DHs counts are always really high, but with low motility. Its been so far the only reason why our 7 iuis didn't work. I'm sorry you are just hearing this now. Good for you for speaking up. Good luck hun!

    I am freaking out!  How have we made it this far and noone ever mentioned it?  This was our "hail mary"  cycle before taking another break and I'm so upset to think we could of done b2b iui or had DH go to a Uro.  We've been with a RE for over a year.

    His raw motility was 23% and post wash was 76%.  His last SA at the end of August his raw motility was 26% so this is not new.  I had tried to look up this info before and it wasn't in their system but then they told me everything was great so I didn't look again.


    After more than 2 years of fertility treatments, FET did the trick!
    IVF March 2012 - BFP! - Severe OHSS = 8 days in the hospital in kidney failure
    No heartbeat at 10w6d
    FET August 27,2012 = BFP!
    It's a boy!
    My Blog - 3 Dogs, No Baby

    image
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • Also, the form they gave me (I had to ask for it) says the normal range is >25%.  Could they be using a different scale?

    Sorry, I'm grasping at straws!


    After more than 2 years of fertility treatments, FET did the trick!
    IVF March 2012 - BFP! - Severe OHSS = 8 days in the hospital in kidney failure
    No heartbeat at 10w6d
    FET August 27,2012 = BFP!
    It's a boy!
    My Blog - 3 Dogs, No Baby

    image
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • imagegenmalone:

    Also, the form they gave me (I had to ask for it) says the normal range is >25%.  Could they be using a different scale?

    Sorry, I'm grasping at straws!

    Hm. I've only seen greater than 40% as the low end of motility scales. Definitely ask about it. It worth looking into further.

    "I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted what I asked of him." ~1 Samuel 1:27
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    "Whatever it takes, we walk together." ~Pittsburgh Penguins
    My IF-turned-baby blog
  • It is definitely worth asking more about, but post-wash, you do have a chance.  We got our BFP with DH's sample only having 5 mil post-wash, but I don't remember exactly what the motility numbers were.  It can happen, but I wouldn't definitely ask the RE about it.
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  • imagesbrowns08:
    imagegenmalone:

    Also, the form they gave me (I had to ask for it) says the normal range is >25%.  Could they be using a different scale?

    Sorry, I'm grasping at straws!

    Hm. I've only seen greater than 40% as the low end of motility scales. Definitely ask about it. It worth looking into further.
    This. 40% is the lowest norm I've ever seen. Either way it would be worth a uro looking at. 23% is rather low :( Sorry hun!
    imageimage. image 

    || 4 years TTC, 2 M/Cs image 4 failed IUIs, 1 failed IVF || 

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  • I don't know if they are using a different scale or not, our RE always said anything around 40-50% was normal.  For all 4 our our IUI's we have had around 23% pre wash and around 88% post wash so I always feel better after I see the post wash numbers however none of our IUI's have worked.  I would be calling your RE to find out which scale it was done on so you know what is normal and what is not and finding out why this wasn't brought to your attention earlier.  I hope they can give you some answers and they were just using a different scale and every thing is ok.
    Trying To Conceive since November 2009
    Dx: PCOS and MFI
    IUI#1-4 all BFN
    IVF#1 January (4R, 4M, 1F) BFP
    Colt was born on 10/27 at 11:50pm. 6lbs and 19 1/4"
    Surpise! Baby #2 is on it's way.  EDD 9.18.14

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  • Thanks ladies.  I'm just in shock about this.  I'm really pissed that it was never mentioned to me before.  I plan to call Monday to ask about it.  Thanks!

    After more than 2 years of fertility treatments, FET did the trick!
    IVF March 2012 - BFP! - Severe OHSS = 8 days in the hospital in kidney failure
    No heartbeat at 10w6d
    FET August 27,2012 = BFP!
    It's a boy!
    My Blog - 3 Dogs, No Baby

    image
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • I'm a bit late to this thread but just wanted to say that some REs pay more attention to TMS (total motile) than the individual breakdown of numbers.  If YH has a count of 200+ million, then he still has 52 million TMS... hence, he's still in the normal range, even if his individual motility percentage is low.

    That said, you might consider talking to a uro about it.  Since we have severe male factor it has never come up with us -- but I do know that sometimes having something low in one category can potentially be indicative of another problem (e.g., may be a quality issue)... and most REs are not familiar with male fertility so they wouldn't know about it. 

    But, the good news is you still have 52 million swimmers, which is a lot!  So don't worry too much about it -- but do check with an RE or uro and advocate on your own behalf!

    Severe MFI. Me: supposedly all clear but eggs showed vacuoles.

    IVF #1 January 2012, ER Jan 14th: 34R, 27M, 23F. Day 3: 18 embies still strong. Day 5: zero "good," one "fair," the rest "poor." Transferred 3. None made it to blast or to freeze. Jan 28: BFN.

    Lucky IVF #2: Transferred two beautiful day three embies on St. Patrick's Day. BFP on HPT 7dp3dt. Beta 1 (14dpER)=106; Beta 2 (16dpER)=140; Beta 3 (19dpER)=264! First u/s 4.17.

    imageimageimageBabyFruit Ticker

    Hope is the thing with feathers - that perches in the soul - and sings the tune without the words - and never stops - at all - (Emily Dickinson)

  • imagefarmerlynda:

    I'm a bit late to this thread but just wanted to say that some REs pay more attention to TMS (total motile) than the individual breakdown of numbers.  If YH has a count of 200+ million, then he still has 52 million TMS... hence, he's still in the normal range, even if his individual motility percentage is low.

    That said, you might consider talking to a uro about it.  Since we have severe male factor it has never come up with us -- but I do know that sometimes having something low in one category can potentially be indicative of another problem (e.g., may be a quality issue)... and most REs are not familiar with male fertility so they wouldn't know about it. 

    But, the good news is you still have 52 million swimmers, which is a lot!  So don't worry too much about it -- but do check with an RE or uro and advocate on your own behalf!

    Thanks so much!  I need to see the positive so thanks for the reminder.  I'm sorry to post on here about MFI when my DH had 200+ million count.  I just have enough issues for both of us so it worries me.  I guess because of his count they had always said it was good.  His post wash count was 46 million with 76% motility.  It just came as a complete shock to me that there might be an issue.


    After more than 2 years of fertility treatments, FET did the trick!
    IVF March 2012 - BFP! - Severe OHSS = 8 days in the hospital in kidney failure
    No heartbeat at 10w6d
    FET August 27,2012 = BFP!
    It's a boy!
    My Blog - 3 Dogs, No Baby

    image
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • imagegenmalone:

    Thanks so much!  I need to see the positive so thanks for the reminder.  I'm sorry to post on here about MFI when my DH had 200+ million count.  I just have enough issues for both of us so it worries me.  I guess because of his count they had always said it was good.  His post wash count was 46 million with 76% motility.  It just came as a complete shock to me that there might be an issue.

    No apologies needed!  We all have our own issues and those of us who have dealt with MFI are the ones with the most info to share on that subject. 

    I think the hardest thing about MFI or abnormalities with sperm is that REs really don't know much about it.... they basically look at the total # of sperm and say "great," "ok," or "IVF/ICSI."  It can be frustrating, especially since some abnormalities might be telling you something else about the quality or ability of the sperm to fertilize.

    GL and I hope you're able to follow up with this until you feel comfortable with your plan again.  Did you get any #s for progressive motility?  That number might be a good one to know because it tells you something about how well the sperm are moving...  I would think that if you have somewhere in the ballpark of 40 million who are moving well that you wouldn't have anything to worry about, sperm-wise.

    Severe MFI. Me: supposedly all clear but eggs showed vacuoles.

    IVF #1 January 2012, ER Jan 14th: 34R, 27M, 23F. Day 3: 18 embies still strong. Day 5: zero "good," one "fair," the rest "poor." Transferred 3. None made it to blast or to freeze. Jan 28: BFN.

    Lucky IVF #2: Transferred two beautiful day three embies on St. Patrick's Day. BFP on HPT 7dp3dt. Beta 1 (14dpER)=106; Beta 2 (16dpER)=140; Beta 3 (19dpER)=264! First u/s 4.17.

    imageimageimageBabyFruit Ticker

    Hope is the thing with feathers - that perches in the soul - and sings the tune without the words - and never stops - at all - (Emily Dickinson)

  • Sorry I know this is late to the post! We have motility issues with DH's being 24% for his SA. Normal I think from what my RE said was greater than 50%. We thought it would be of greater concern, but right now the RE thinks with the IUIs we can do well because everything else is within normal range. Sorry that you got that news. GL with this cycle, FX for you!!!
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