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ttc with low sperm count and motility

Hi, we've been ttc for 14months and just underwent testing. I got the all clear but dh has very low spermcount and motility of 9% ! I was wondering if anyone had a similar experience and still had a baby eventuall ? Was it natural or ivf ? Any tips you can share with how you got pregnant will be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks!

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Replies

  • Hi - yes I've been through exactly this and it is so hard. My husband had very similar percentages and we were even told it would be difficult to get pregnant - however we did naturally and now have an 18 month old little girl. My husband took the wellbeing conception tablets and after 3 months they made a huge difference in particular to his count going from 9 million to 22 million! He also stopped alcohol and caffene so this could have made a difference too. 

    Best of luck as I know had tough this can be but it is most definitely possible xx

  • Thank you for shedding some hope. Were you using opk tests when you got pregnant?

    we'll be trying no caffeine and alcohol and vitamins too. Hopefully they will help. it is very frustrating and hard to stay positive. 

    Thanks again for replying! :) 

  • Yes I used opks which was useful to pinpoint ovulation.

    It's so hard to stay positive and I really struggled too but you will get there! However I used to hate people saying that to me! X

  • Hi, ive been ttc for 11 months. My partner was told that we would not concieve naturally and that our only option was IVF with icsi. We had been looking at IVF and were due to fly out to the Czech Republic at the end of may. I found out that i was pregnant last thursday which was a massive shock to us. I recently started the new clearblue advanced fertility monitor (1st month, although had been using the old version up to this point) with preseed and my partner has been taking wellman for the past 8 months, he also quit smoking which i think has played a huge part in this. i know its really hard but you need to stay positive and do something to take your mind of it. For me i believe it was arranging the IVF abroad with a combination of the new monitor and i would definitley recommend Pressed. Wishing you all the luck  with your ttc journey xx

  • I know is an old thread but may help someone. After not getting pregnant within a year we started some testing. As we were waiting for my partners SA results to come back we found out we were pregnant, then got the call that his Motility and Morphology were very low (7% and 2.3% respectively). Shocked and hoping for the best. Hope this gives those out there with similar results hope. 
  • Hi @gg25

    Congratulations! I know your post in from a few weeks ago but this is good to hear!

    My OH and I have been trying for some time. I have had blood tests which have come back normal and have a scan booked. He as been referred to the hospital for a semen analysis but they cant for him in until August next year!

    I am a bit worried that there may be a problem with his sperm, and its frustrating we will have to wait so long to know!

    Can I ask of you tried any home testing kits? I know they arent really recommend but thought it might give us a bit of an idea of things in the mean time xx
  • Hi girls,

    After TTC for 1.5 years we were referred to fertility clinic and oh completed a SA. His results were worse than we ever could have expected. Count 0.5mil motility and morphology both below 1%. He was very upset so set about changing some things about his lifestyle. He gave up hot baths, cut down on his drinking (not that he drank alot) took supplements (Wellman conception, zinc, vit D and macca root...poor guy). He repeated his SA 2 .5 months later and his numbers went through the roof. Count 110mil and motility and morphology both above 50%. I swear it was the hot baths and the supplements that helped. Not sure of your oh is taking anything but if you can get him to take anything I would recommend wellman conception and macca root. Good luck on your TTC journeys. 
  • SR19SR19 Regular
    edited Dec 26, 2019 9:10AM
    @Jammy1892, I know it’s a while after your last post but I have just come across it.  My oh had a sperm analysis recently. He had to go back for a second test which I believe they always do when something isn’t right. Each appointment was less than 2 weeks from booking.  

    Is there anywhere else else you can go to get the analysis because August next year is crazy considering how quick my oh got seen. 

    I personally wouldn’t try the home kits, they only measure count and not mobility etc, you could miss something vital. 

    I now have to get my bloods done at around CD2-5 and CD21. Not quite sure how people can accurately do that with so much time off work etc but I’m sure I’ll figure it out 🙈. 
  • Hi @SR19. Thanks for your reply. We called the hospital again to make sure that the information was correct and it was, they have a 9 month waiting list which is crazy!

    They have said another hospital that is about an hour from us has a couple of weeks waiting list so we are going to go for that. So my OH is going to go back to the GP next week to get a new referral done....nothing is ever simple with this TTC lark! 😂🤦‍♀️

    How did your OH second test and your blood tests go? I have had the blood tests and all has come back normal so have a scan booked in for next week xx

  • SR19SR19 Regular
    edited Jan 9, 2020 6:07PM
    @Jammy1892 good to hear from you but not so much about the wait you have! where abouts are you from?
    I guess the travel is worth it if it means you can get the tests sooner but nope, definitely not easy 🙈

    OH got both results and they are soooo low and poor mobility! GP said very slim chance of conceiving naturally 🙁! Just in the process of having blood tests done, I’m CD12 now, I had some on CD5 and just waiting for CD21 for next lot, and a Chlamydia test in a couple of weeks as apparently that is also essential. But hopefully by the end of Jan we will know if I am ok and then we can go from there. 

    What scan are you having? This is all very new to me and I find it hard to actually get any information online about this stage. 
  • Jammy1892Jammy1892 Regular
    edited Jan 9, 2020 6:17PM
    @SR19 I am in the south of England. Yeah it's definitely worth it rather than worrying about it for months! 

    So sorry to hear that 😔 does that mean you will likely be looking at IVF (depending on your results)? At least now you know so you can action it and make plans as to your next step. 

    To be honest I'm not 100% sure what the scan is looking at but I think it will be looking at the thickness of my uterine lining and my eggs perhaps? I'm a bit anxious about it as i have very light periods so am worried they are going to say it's not thick enough for an embryo to embed or something!

    Are you from the UK too, so having to jump through the hoops of the NHS?! Xx


  • @Jammy1892 is this your first baby? How long have you been trying?  

    It sucks to have the news but at least I know one day we will hopefully have our little one. We need to wait until all our results are in, so just my tests left to go. Then the doc will refer us to the fertility clinic to see what our next steps are. The doc did say IUI might work before trying ivf but until I’ve spoken to someone at the clinic I’m it sure because OH had both low count and mobility so IUI may not be best. Plus I’ve heard the wait list can be quite long for all treatments so I think this is going to be a rollercoaster year.
    Yep I’m from the East Midlands UK.

    I think even light cycles is ok as long as you are ovulating. Are you tracking?  I think they can give you medication to help with your lining, things are a lot easier to fix these days 😊🤞. 
  • @SR19yes it's our first and I've never been pregnant before. It makes me worry I will never be able to fall pregnant and I hate the wait and not knowing. Especially when people all around us seem to be having babies! How about you?

    We haven't been using any contraception for over 2 years now but actively trying for about 8 months.

    Fingers crossed for you that your results come back with good news. Although it is sad news with your OH sperm, at least now you have some answers and can be put in the right direction and take the next steps. I hope you aren't left waiting for too long, but I know what you mean about waiting lists. But at least there is a goal in site! 

    I track my cycles and use ovulation tests so I know roughly when I am ovulating but I try not to focus too much on it and just BD as much as possible around my fertile window. I used to BBT and ve really focused on it but I found I became a bit obsessed and it stressed me out! But I am fairly regular which is good. 

    Have you looked into fertility massages/reflexology/maya massage at all (for both you and your OH). Its something I have started looking into recently. Not sure if I believe in it or not but thought it might be worth a go! Xx
  • SR19SR19 Regular
    edited Jan 10, 2020 2:04PM
    @Jammy1892 this is our first too. I have been pregnants before many many years ago so I am hoping it’s just OH and I haven’t become a factor with age. Although I am only 30!

    All my friends and family have babies, I am the only one without and only 1 friend knows we are trying, it’s tough! 

    Wow 2 years? It must feel like such a long process. But at least you are having tests etc now so you will get your answer. And sometimes there can be unexplained infertility but you can still get treatment. I’ve been reading lots about it recently.  This is our 9th month. But I may have added 2 months when the doctor asked me which makes me ‘month 11’ 🙄ha.  They make you wait 12 months before referral regardless which is daft. 

    I do bbt and ov strips too but when we found out about low count I did take a break because I agree it does take over.  
    I only started my bbt again this morning because of having my bloods on CD21, I want to be able to know myself that I’ve ovulated a few days before otherwise if my results come back I didn’t ovulate I’ll be able to explain that maybe it was after CD21 etc if that makes sense lol. 

    Well funny you should say that.. I had a voucher recently for a place that does relexology etc.  I do kind of want to believe it works! But I am just not sure.  My sister went for a labour inducing one as she went over 40 weeks and they managed to tell her stuff that even she had forgotten, like having her tonsils out as a child etc.
    i think I might give it a go. Some people say acupuncture work too. 

    Sorry for the essay 🙈
  • Sorry for the super delayed reply @SR19 been working a lot the last week! Hope you are well. Any updates?

    It has felt like a long time but we have only been properly trying for 8 months (like you I added a couple of months on at the gp 😂). I had my scan yesterday and the sonographer said everything looks fine but will send a full report to my doctor for me to follow up.

    Any news on your blood tests? Booked in for any reflexology yet?!

    Xx


  • @Jammy1892 haha nope no updates yet. Still waiting for my CD21 blood test. I’m still confused, it should be Saturday but I have no idea that I have ovulated. I think I did on Monday but temp hasn’t confirmed it yet! I was thinking of going Monday but I really need to know I ovulated Monday just gone(or near to).
    so tough!

    Ah not much less than me then, that’s so good you’ve had your scan and that she was positive about it. How long do you have to wait for results? What’s the next step?

    i haven’t booked any treatments yet, I will, but think I’ll leave it until bloods etc are done and then use it to do some relaxing!
  • It's so difficult timing it just right! 

    I have an appt with my gp in a couple of weeks for the results. The next steps are then getting my partner tested and then all we can do is wait until we have been trying for 2 years! 

    Yes good idea, it's nice to have something relaxing to look forward to! 
  • Hi @SR19 just wondered how you were getting on? Got AF today even though I had a little bit if a feeling this could be our month 😥 feeling a bit down. 

    Hate that we have to wait a whole month to feel like this again! Xx
  • @Jammy1892 hey Hun, sorry I didn’t see your last message. 

    How come you need to wait until you’ve been trying 2 years? 

    Im doing okay thank you, just had all my results back and everything is ok, I ovulated and progesterone was at a normal amount 7 days after ovulation so couldn’t ask for anything better.  Just waiting to try and get a docs app to see what’s next, hoping for a referral. 

    Aw I’m sorry Hun. So horrible when you feel like this is the one and then it just isn’t 🙁 no matter what tour expectations of this month are, when AF shows it’s always a kick in the teeth, but every month that goes by is a month closer to your BFP.  
  • Because only been properly trying for 8 months, just not used contaception for 2 years. 

    At least things are good with you and everything is working ok! 🤞 you get your referral.

    Yeah it feels awful but I feel like we are getting closer...at least I hope we are! I just want to at least know everything is ok with us. OH is going to go into the walk-in clinic near us for a semen analysis but he is a but useless at sorting things out! X
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