Our Story with Male Factor Infertility (loss)

paigedoris · August 2022

Hello, my name is Paige. This is my first time posting. My DH & I have been TTC since August of 2020. My brother passed away tragically at age 36 the month after we started trying so we took a small “break” but back to full force in Jan of 2021 and basically ever since then. In the summer of 2021 we did some preliminary testing. My results were normal but my husbands SA revealed that he had low motility. Even though we live in a fairly large city, there is only one fertility clinic that covers the entire western half of the state. Their new patient appointments were booked out until December of 2021 so he started hella supplements while we waited.

Once we had our initial apt they reconfirmed that my DH had low motility. They also told me I had DOR but that it wouldn’t affect my ability to get pregnant now (I’m freshly 29 at the time of this post).

Since then we have done SIX IUIs… two of them hybrid with meds. We’re just now getting on the IVF “schedule” which, due to insurance issues we won’t be able to start until January.

Despite my DH tests and my lack of issues, it feels like our doctor has continued to focus on me. To keep giving me more meds/stimulants, etc. Despite me getting frustrated with the basic fact that no many how many eggs I release, if my DH’s sperm isn’t moving correctly and can’t meet my egg, I’m obviously not going to get pregnant.

I’m frustrated that my doctor would even keep suggesting IUIs to me after the first two failures. Has anyone else who is dealing with MFI (male factor infertility) felt like their doctor/clinic kept focusing on treatment for you? Sometimes i feel like I’m going insane. And there’s literally no other clinics in the area.

ttc3y · August 2022

@paigedoris Male factor infertility was the main reason for us to go through IVF. I found the whole culture with fertility in normal daily life and in healthcare incredibly sexist. You are not going insane, it’s how things are right now. It’s crappy and annoying.

The reality is there is not much scientific data on male factory infertility and there needs to be more research focused on that since they make up 50% of the fertility problems. We don’t know what causes male factor infertility exactly but there is burgeoning data that the toxic environment we are living in is contributing to the decline of the quality and quantity of sperm. There was even a report from the WHO in 2012 saying that all species including humans were seeing a decline in fertility due to toxic chemicals in our environment. Unfortunately, most fertility clinics and urologists don’t have many strategies and tools to overcome male factor infertility and therefore will over focus on the women’s side of issues because that’s all the tools they have. Even in 2020, the burden of fertility (or infertility) lands unfairly on women.

It’s ok to tell your doctor no more IUI’s and you are willing to wait until January for IVF. Just take a break. In the meantime, work on optimizing your body and your husband’s body to prepare for IVF. IMO, anybody going through fertility should do preconception work, especially before going into the egg retrieval and it takes at least 3 months to get optimal results. I like “It starts with the egg” by Rebecca Fett. She has a chapter on how to improve sperm quality in there too. It’s about detoxifying your home and lifestyle, diet, and supplements to optimize your chances of IVF success. If you want to go through a detox, seek help from a local naturopath or functional medicine provider.

I wish you the very best on your fertility journey! ❤️

atlgagrl · August 2022

Agree with ttc3y - they put it in a way I never could have. Perfectly clear.
You may ask any other specific questions to get excellent feedback like ttc3y had given

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