How accurate is a single semen analysis?
23 Replies
Justine1 - October 12

I think you should definately do IVF with ICSI rather than without ICSI. Our clinic only did IVF with ICSI for male infertility as the success rates are much better. Re the motility can't quite remember what As and Bs are (and we may have a different test in England) - I think its to do with the speed and direction, something like As are very fast and going in the right direction, Bs are slower but moving, Cs are dying and Ds are dead. So only As and Bs are good - I think above 50% was considered normal. I was just doing acupuncture to relax, we were amazed when I got pregnant naturally. Acupuncture relaxed me a lot, you just lie down on a bed for 15 mins listening to music where I did it, and it doesn't hurt at all. I'm not sure exactly how its helps with fertility but I've seen studies on the internet which have shown its increased success rates for IVF and I've heard of several girls using acupuncture with IVF and getting pregnant. The herbal teas aren't recommended as its not known what effect they would have on a baby - I never used any either. Hope your HSG goes well. Its not easy to do IVF with ICSI or cheap but I think its your best option. The way I saw it is IVF with ICSI gave me my best chance of having a child with DH and if I ever got pregnant naturally then (which I never thought I would) that would be a bonus second child.

 

Mega - October 12

Justine--That's wonderful. Congrats on pg #2. I've heard that it seems to be easier to get pg once you've been pg. Not sure how that works, I'm not sure anyone really knows how that works. But gives me hope for a natural conception too one of these years. Lin--I've not sure exactly all the benefits of accupuncture but I've heard that the theory goes it helps with blood flow to the uterous. I'm sure there are other ancillary benefits to it as well that I'm not aware of, like maybe improving egg quality as well.

 

Justine1 - October 12

Thanks Mega. Sorry to hear you're first ICSI didn't work but 19 eggs and 15 fertilised is great. I had 22 eggs and 12 fertilised with my ICSI with Sophie. I really hope it works next time for you - you're such a lovely person and you'll be a great mother. Hope you get a natural pregnancy too! You are more fertile for a while after you've given birth (once you've had your first AF). I bottlefed (as Sophie didn't want to breastfeed) which means you get AF after 6 weeks or so instead of 6 month average with breastfeeding. When I was at hospital giving birth one of the midwifes said you'ld be amazed how many women who have IVF babies get pregnant naturally 6 months later so to use contraception. I said we'ld be delighted if we got pregnant again. Our doctor said we'ld have no chance and there was no need for contraception but I was very happy to prove her wrong.

 

Lin - October 12

Thanks for the info, ladies! Of course we've got the second SA to do before deciding on anything, but IVF with ICSI probably is the best way to go. Not sure yet how we'll pay for it yet, but I'm sure we can work something out. Justine, how does that work for you with the NHS? Do they cover it after sitting on the usual waiting list, or do you have private insurance? Or are you just paying out of pocket? I've been thinking about looking into what the process is like and what the costs would be if we moved to Australia (not that we'd necessarily consider that seriously at the moment), as that's where my husband is from and where his family is, and we plan to eventually end up there one day anyway. Of course, I just found out yesterday, so I haven't looked into it much, but my gut feeling tells me it would probably be cheaper there.

 

Mega - October 12

Justine--Thank you. What a kind thing to say. I hope to find out soon what kind of mother I'll be. :) That really gives me hope too about the # of IVF mom's who conceive naturally. I'm so glad that you're now in that category. That's wonderful that you proved your dr wrong. Lin--I've chatted with a woman from Australia who did IVF recently, and for some reason I'm thinking it was around 4K Australian but I'm not for certain. But IVF travel is getting to be such a popular thing to do these days, maybe you could consider combining cycling with a trip to see your DH's family. You'll find a way to pay for it. We did.

 

tibby - October 13

I think you will get a better reading the fresher the sperm. The first time dh had one he gave his sample four day from the last time we had sex(sorry tmi). When he took the sample in they could tell because of the amount and they told him he should've had sex the night before. Because when sprem stay in the body just waiting when you get your sample most of them are dead. The second time my turn in a fresh sample (18hrs after intercourse) the number where so much better.

 

Justine1 - October 13

Hi Lin - It depends where you live in the UK what the NHS will pay for. Where I was living at the time the NHS would pay for 1 cycle if it was for a first baby and you were within the age limits but there was a four year waiting list. I was 31 at the time and didn't want to wait 4 years so we paid to go private at an NHS hospital. This cost £1,970 (roughly $3,700) plus drugs and it took from April to the next Feb from the tests to treatment so you still have to wait. If you go to a private hospital you can get in pretty much straightaway but the costs are about double (though sometimes success rates are too). The drug costs are on top of that and cost about £1,000 (c$1,900) but fortunately our doctor prescribed these on the NHS -this is rare - so we just had to pay £35 for those. Hope you find a way to pay for it. I don't know about costs in Australia but I suspect they would be less than in the US.

 

Lin - October 13

Tibby - My doctor told me the complete opposite. She said that we had to abstain for 3-5 days before the SA. Anyway, every man should have around 50% dead sperm anyway, and they take that into consideration. It's not my dh's live sperm count that was the problem anyway. His count and motility are normal. It's the morphology that's the problem - the quality of the boys. Justine1 - Damn, that's not bad! In the States, it varies from state to state. In some states, like Illinois and Massachusetts, insurance companies are required to cover it. Unfortunately in mine (California), they're not, so they don't. Each cycle costs on the order of $10,000-$12,000, including meds. My clinic has one of these programs where you can pay $20,000-$25,000 (the latter price including ICSI) for 3 IVF cycles and 3 FET cycles. If you don't have a baby out of them, then you get 70% of your money back. So, in the worst case scenario, you end up paying $7500 for all those tries if they're unsuccessful. If they're successful, you pay a total of $25,000. Now I've just got some financial advice to seek...

 

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