We have been trying since September '08 to conceive, previously we tried for a few months (before we got engaged 14 months ago, no luck)
I decided to have some tests done with the GP and get hubby in to do a sperm count.
My hormones were normal.
His sperm have come back at 8 million - very low. He wants to test again, but right now I am ovulating, so even with that news we have decided to "keep at it" but only every second day - at least to give those little suckers time to recuperate. In a week or so he will do another test after of abstaining.
I just want to know what happens now, if the second test is low again - where too.....?? What should I expect - a referral to a specialist I guess??
Great idea to keep at it anyway - having a low sperm count doesn't mean you can't get pregnant it just means it's less likely.
My DH also found out that as well as having a low sperm count he has low motility (how well they swim forward) and not great morphology (what kind of shape the sperm are). This means that our GP referred us straight away to a fertility specialist and we have been TTC with IVF with the added assistance of a procedure called ICSI (where they inject a sperm into the egg in the petrie dish).
So I would be getting your DH back to the Dr to do another test (and try and get them to do the motility and morphology as well) and then off to a specialist. Unless your husband was doing something that caused the low sperm count and has now changed his habits, it's unlikely to have changed the result of the sperm count. Things that can affect sperm count include using steriods (i.e. for body building), poor diet, too much alcohol, too much heat on the boys downstairs from spa baths or riding. For us, it was none of these things and it's just an unexplained problem.
Hi Ruth, Hubby had low motility aswell. Hes determined that their is something wrong with the results, because we had fooled around on the Thursday night, and he did the test on Saturday, so we are doing another test next week. To make sure its all ok - then we will have to see a fertility specialist I guess.
Right now I am having acupuncture and Chinese medicine - I am just about ready to try anything.
Just thinking where did he do the sample? How long before it got to the Dr. As embarrassing as it is for him is there anywhere at the clinic where he can do the sample so it gets tested straight away? If not make sure he keeps it nice and warm on the way to the clinic. When we were doing an insemination cycle once the sperm had been washed at the IVF clinic we had to get it back to my Gyn to inseminate so the Dr told me to put it down my top to keep it warm lol.
Good luck TTC. I hope you get your BFP really soon.
Don't despair- unlike our eggs (which are present from birth) sperm are regenerating all the time, (sperm take 3 months to fully mature) and are very receptive to changes in the environment (diet, supplementation etc).
I would HIGHLY recommend seeking the assistance of a qualified Naturopath who specialises in Natural Fertility Management and Preconceptual Care. Most Naturopathic pre-conceptual care programs are constructed and tailored for the individual couples' needs.
Below I have listed some things which negatively affect sperm;
- Alcohol. Its acts as a co-agulant (makes sperm 'clump' together) and mimics the female hormone estrogen in the body- causing hormone imbalance.
- Caffeine (interferes with the absorption of essential nutrients, ie zinc- that are essential for sperm health).
- Growth hormones in animal and dairy produce. The hormones that are fed to fatten up cows and other livestock is a genetically-modified growth hormone which mimics the fat-binding female hormone estrogen in the body. In men, this can devastate testosterone levels and have a negative effect on sperm and male hormone levels in general. In women, this hormone increases the risk of breast cancer and it also inhibits fertility (the synthetic estrogen has the same effect as the contraceptive pill). To avoid this you can buy organic dairy and meat products, or use vegetarian alternatives, or products such as Oat, Rice or Almond Milk (NOT soy).
- Toxins in food (ie- pesticide residues, sythetic additives such as artificial colours, flavours, emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners, preservatives, whiteners, etc. Get to know your additives. For example- E621 is the chemical code for the flavour enhancer MSG. Many people consume this harmful additive daily- completely unaware that it is disguised on the ingredient list as 621. Check out the website or purchase the brilliant book 'Additive Alert' by Julie Eady and be an informed consumer.
- Toxins in personal care (deoderant, shaving cream, etc). Most mainstream, commercialised personal care brands contain chemicals which are listed carcinogens (cancer-causing), or hormone altering and/or teratogens (can harm an unborn child). Do not be fooled by false claims and pretty faces telling you that 'you are worth it'!! You are worth more than that. Go to your nearest health food store for alternatives. Miessence is the purest personal care brand on the market (being certified organic), but there are others such as Sukin which are more affordable.
-Stop using commercialised tampon brands. Conventional cotton crops are sprayed with pesticides and the cotton is later chemically bleached to make it white. Not only have these chemicals been linked with cervical cancer, bbut they also alter the Ph level of your cervical mucous and kill sperm. Natracare and Jolie are made from organic cotton and are chemical free (again- go to your local health food store).
This is just the tip of the iceburg. A qualified Naturopath will be able to conduct blood, saliva, iris, cell and hair analysis tests to assess for toxicity, hormonal imbalances etc, and prescribe appropriate supplementation, herbs and dietary changes to eliminate these common barriers to conception and get sperm in tip top shape.
I hope this helps!!
Please exhaust the natural road before you consider synthetic drugs and surgery- there is SO SO much that can be done!!!!
I wish you all the best...
Sorry I don't have any experience with Pivet, but I wish you all the best. Hopefully Dr Y will be able to do some more tests and find out what is going on to cause your DH's issues.
Jellybean has listed lots of natural strategies as well - we've been trying some of these while we've also been undergoing "synthetic drugs and surgery" to get our little bundle.
My hubby had low results also and we started on Menevit. Exactly 3 month later we were pregnant! DH also saw a herbalist with me and started on a health regime about 6 weeks prior to our BFP! As as been said in a previous post - sperm is regenerating all the time and there is a lot you can do. All the best and hope you get your BFP soon.
Low sperm count
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to get our little bundle.
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