Severe MFI

Hi Haloumi,

No, we have no know cause of DH's sperm issues - blood tests seem to come back fine. Last SA came back with a count of just over 2 million/mL (and that is without washing or anything). We have gotten pregnant naturally twice however - first time we had our son, and the second time resulted in a miscarriage at 6 weeks.

We have a 12 and half year age gap and tbh it's been fantastic. I just don't want another 12 and half year age gap. And as for 'spare' embryos - the drug protocols are quite conservative in NZ so you're not going to end up with more than a couple frosties. You read some of the US IVF blogs and the huge numbers of eggs and embryos scare me hugely. We've always wanted a tribe of kids, but we're doubly limited - once by MFI, and once by scheduled C sections (one emergency, one failed VBAC and I refuse to call them elective - they are medically required scheduled c sections). So realistically I can have two more c sections before they'll make loud noises - especially knowing that our conceptions will be ART and therefore a known factor rather than a spontaneous natural conception OOPS...

DH is very angry about the fact that all the fertility treatments are for women and not for men - Clomid made me mental enough I can't imagine full IVF drug protocols.

I think too that in NZ the publicly funded treatments are usually done with the best likelihood of success in mind - rather than seeing a reproductive endocrinologist privately who will attempt to fix systemic problems rather than just produce a child.

I can't remember what tests DH had with FAW but there's been no mention of anything other than low count/quality/motility. I actually need to chase them up and get our records sent to me so I can see what was tested for and what wasn't.

I do remember reading an article which stated as it only took one sperm to reach the egg severe MFI still achieved natural conceptions whereas a female with severe fertility issues was far less likely to - it's kinda stuck with me not that we've ever been that lucky so far - and I joke about a natural twin conception at 42 happening to me.

Ah yes humungous head - DS1 was like that 39.5cm head and he was on his back with it tipped back - we got him crowned but that was it - took my GP (shared care back in the day) pushing from below, obstetrician pulling from above and my midwife and nurses holding my body down (thankfully I ended up with a GA) to get him out - Mum said it made a noise like a carrot out of wet clay POP!! I think we would've had a successful VBAC with DS2 if it hadn't been for no portable monitoring units being available during the labour - so I got stuck on the bed and he went from having his head scratched during AROM to the obstetrician unable to find him five hours later (on bed majority of the time other than toilet breaks).

I think with VBACs it comes down to your medical professionals that you choose supporting you or not.

We're going to have to travel an hour into FAW for treatment - and I don't drive so we'd love to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later as DH is currently on ACC and so home (but able to drive). But BECAUSE he's on ACC we're broke otherwise we would've paid for a WTF private appt.

Ah well would you believe just as I'd done CD21 bloods, DH had done his bloods and samples and we were waiting for CD2 for me... well CD2 didn't turn up but two very strong lines on a HPT did!! So we're kinda in shock here three days later and I will be interested to see what DH's SA count was. The only thing I can put my finger on was DH was back on the zinc supplementation. Will keep you posted - I doubt his count would suddenly jump any higher than 5mil - so I guess you just have to believe miracles do happen.