Hi everyone I wonder if anyone can give me any advice on what will happen next! After having a miscariage at 11 weeks in january 05 we have been trying to concieve eversince. We decided to go to the doctors after having several posative pregnancy tests that dissapeared within 3 days. My husband has now been told that he has poor morphology of 8% and we will have to be refferred to a fertility specialist.
As I was in shock when the doctor said this, because I had believed that it was me with the problem as I had had the miscariage and the false posative results, I did not ask the doctor any questions.
I would love to hear from anyone who has experienced the same thing.
Angela x

Angela..
!!

My Dh has low count, motility and morphlogy.. The doc advised us that our best option would have been IVF.. so that's what we did. We TTC for 6 years with not ONE pregnancy.. and our first IVF we got our .
I was concerned with the morphology of the sperm and the quality of the embryo's being produced but my doctor assured me that sperm with poor morphology are not strong enough to fertilize the egg and with IVF they pick only the best quality sperm to fertilize the egg as well..

This is just what my reproductive endocrinologist said. Only strong sperm with normal shape, head, tail .. and that are all correctly proportionate are able to fertilize the egg.. and with abnormal morphology.. its not possible..!!
Hope this helps!!

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Thanks for your info. My husband had been worried that my first miscariage had been caused because of him. It will put his mind at ease to know that it isn't.
What will ivf involve? Do I have to take a drug to make me ovulate and how do they get the eggs out?
As you can tell I dont have a clue about it and I dont know anyone else who has been through it.
angela x

Hey Angela..
IVF is a long process but it sounds much worse than it really is.. Every person is given a different protocol but my protocol for my IVF cycle was this:
I took Birth control pills for a while to keep me where my doc wanted me.. to keep me from ovulating on my own..
I was also given Lupron.. which is a Subcutaneous injection that was given in the tummy every day for a few weeks..That also keeps your ovaries suppressed and from releasing your eggs..
Then I started stimulation medicine.. which also is an injection. I took shots in the stomach for that also.. so in total I took 2 injections a night in the stomach.. for about 8 days

Then.. when the doctor thinks you have several mature follicles (Follicles hold the egg) he will give you a "trigger shot" which is just a shot to start ovulation.. and then you go in 36 hours after you take that shot to get your eggs removed. I was put to sleep and didn't feel a thing. I felt great until after the retrieval.. then I was sore for a few days but nothing big.. They go through your vaginal wall with a needle and aspirate the follicles.. They then check and see how many mature eggs you have.. While my eggs are being taken out my husband produced a sperm sample.. After that.. they injected my husbands sperm directly into the egg.. This procedure is called ICSI or intracytoplasmic sperm injection.. (SPELLING) They pick only the best sperm.. and they watch the eggs for the next several days.. either 3 or 5 depending on your doctor and what he/she prefers.. They watched mine for 3 days.. to make sure they are developing and dividing the way they should be.. and 3 days after your retrieval they put the fertilized eggs back into your uterus..
With this, you just lay on a bed and they put them in your uterus with a small thin catheter. You are awake.. Its kind of like a papsmear.. You don't really feel anything.. Its just uncomfortable because you have to have a full bladder..
and then 2 weeks later you will know if it worked or not..

Again.. it sounds like a LOT OF STUFF but its really not.. just take it one day at a time.. and go from there..
Hope I was of some help!! Any more questions feel free to ask!!

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Coming out of lurking... thank you Oatie32 for summarizing IVF. I just started my first IVF cycle and understand the concept of IVF, but not a lot of the details and naively am just following the directions my dr/clinical coordinator have provided. I'm on the BCP and just started Lupron this weekend.

My DH's last sperm analysis also showed low morphology... and if I'm not mistaken, it was also low before I got pg with my daughter who is now 29 mos old. We were *this close* to going through IVF after 4 m/c's and got pg and stayed pg after our vacation! I was m/c early on... anywhere from 4-5 wks (as soon as I would get that BFP, my beta HCG #'s would drop) to 10 wks (2 blighted ovums). When I got pg, I figured it was just meant to be...! (I was already 40 at the time.)

I'm now 43, had a m/c around Dec/Jan... went back to my ob who suggested we go back to our infertility specialist, and we aren't waiting any longer. Going through IVF. The specialist also stated that with my advanced age and recurrent m/c issues, IVF would be my best bet. So we'll see what happens.

Even with low morphology, it's possible to get pg... my daughter is proof of that! But as I mentioned b/c of my age and history, we're expediting my chances of having #2... I'm also fortunate enough to have infertility coverage in my health insurance policy. I feel like we'd be crazy NOT to try IVF.

Good luck Angela. I hope we're reading about a BFP from you soon! And again, thanks Oatie32 for the IVF summary! You're right, the protocol is quite overwhelming when you look at the overall picture, but when you break it down day by day, it's easier to take! (I've never had to "take" so many prescriptions in one day in my life! LOL) I'm keeping a pretty optimistic outlook... hope I experience your success first time outta the gate!

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Good luck with your IVF Lynn!

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married 10 years
Me 32 DH 49
TTC#1
Low Count, ASA's present
IVF 12-07 BFN
IUI 4-08 BFN

You are welcome Lynn!! I too hope your 1st IVF cycle gives you your !!
Good Luck.. Keep us posted.. I'll be following your progress!!

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