https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:49:27 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1377045 Sun, 26 Jan 2014 15:33:01 +0000 SweetiePie 1377045@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: Gosh you've just been through so much. I am praying and hoping so hard for you!<br /> I'm currently pregnant with an ICSI embryo :-) We didn't do it because of low sperm count, but rather because our odds of getting a good embryo were low because of me, so we needed as many embryos as possible. They didn't want to risk letting it happen naturally and getting a low fert report.<br /> As @Shutterbug: and @Jenn23: said, you only need one per egg for ICSI, so I think it's worth it! Of course nothing is a guarantee, but it sounds like the best option for your circumstances.<br /> Good luck to you and please keep us posted!<br /> xoxo </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1375635 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 13:53:06 +0000 macintosh 1375635@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@spaniellove: Thanks for the support. I talked with the billing contact again so I have a good understanding of the process. Sounds like as long as I keep making payments when I can, I'll be ok. I tried to talk to the doctor, but he never called me on Friday like they promised. Very frustrating,</p> <p>@mrs bunchy: I walled you :)</p> <p>I have decided to move forward and do at least one more sperm freeze next week. Based on those numbers and what the Dr. says, then we'll see how much more we need to do. DH would also give a fresh sample on the day of ER. I really hope we get more than 2 sperm next time. Maybe 5-10 would be nice! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1375233 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 08:23:24 +0000 mrs bunchy 1375233@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: what city/doc are you working with? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1373755 Fri, 24 Jan 2014 13:34:07 +0000 spaniellove 1373755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: I'm so sorry...it's a lot to deal with on top of what you're already going through! The billing side has nothing to do with the medical side and really the doctors don't know how billing handles things. Maybe your billing contact can sit down with you and put things in writing or schedule a call with you? And the doctor can have a separate conversation with you? I hope everything gets better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1373486 Fri, 24 Jan 2014 11:58:43 +0000 macintosh 1373486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for all the support. Unfortunately, I feel like this is just getting worse. I called to follow up b/c they wanted us to freeze another sample today, but they hadn't told me what the cost per freeze would be. </p> <p>Apparently I was supposed to have paid up front, $500 per freeze. If we were to do it today I actually owe $1000, then they want us to do 2 more at $400 each. They have no payment plan option and nobody discussed this payment process with me. </p> <p>Not to mention, when I asked about cost of my (already completed) surgery and the IVF cycle before the doctor gave me a vague answer that my insurance would cover it and I would have a copay of several hundred dollars. Nobody from their billing department has ever contacted me. I called them.</p> <p>This is supposed to be one of the best IVF docs in the city, but are they just disorganized or am I feeling mislead? Apparently I owe $1500 (including balance from the surgery) before I can move forward , but the billing person did say she could collect just the $500 for the first freeze today. </p> <p>I'm waiting for the Dr. to call me back now because I want to know how good the odds really are and I'm not made of money! I feel like they could say any price they wanted and if ppl were desperate enough they would pay it :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1372074 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 21:02:44 +0000 Mrs. Pinata 1372074@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh. I'm so, so sorry. I've heard of others that have had very low sperm counts and had success with IVF w/ICSI. And I think that treatment covered at 80% sounds amazing! I know they really do just need a handful of sperm to do ICSI, so I think you would still have a good chance? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1371669 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 19:22:36 +0000 FaithFertility 1371669@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: I wanted to give you my prayers that what ever you chose you are positive and get the blessing you ask for!!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1371045 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 15:36:19 +0000 Jenn23 1371045@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had success with IVF, but the issues were with me ,not my husband so I have no experience with that. However, as others mentioned, ICSI is great in that you only need one sperm per egg so I would think you'd have great odds! I say go for it!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1371036 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 15:34:59 +0000 .twist. 1371036@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No experience, but I just want to wish you luck and you have been in my thoughts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1370941 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 15:07:32 +0000 beachbee 1370941@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: I have a very similar story... DH's initial SA indicated only 3 sperm... not 3 million... 3 sperm. We had no idea why his numbers were so low, but we were devastated. Our RE recommended a testicular biopsy to verify if it was a blockage, but the results were the same, his body was not producing. Devastated again. </p> <p>Our RE then made the same recommendation as yours, do a few freezes and that way we could hopefully end up with enough to do IVF w/ICSI. After a lot of discussion and soul searching, we decided to have a batch of donor sperm on-hand during the procedure just in case they were not able use DH's defrosted samples. We just couldn't imagine me going through all the steps of IVF just to get there the day of and have nothing to use. </p> <p>On his final sample day, a week before I started my injections, the office called back indicating they found 7 MILLION sperm in the sample. I was convinced they had swapped the samples, because that couldn't be his. He did another sample a few days later, and same thing. Still on the low-end in the grand scheme of counts... but that was way more than the 3 they had been finding previously. </p> <p>We decided to take all the frozen samples, our donor sample, and also have DH do a fresh sample the morning of the procedure. We were still going to proceed with ICSI no matter which sample was used. Our RE was very supportive and said if they could use any of the fresh or frozen they would do that prior to the donor. I was ecstatic when I woke up and found out they were able to use his fresh sample. </p> <p>Super long story short, we got pregnant! :) I know it's disheartening... but no one knows why his numbers were so low and then all of a sudden it changed. If your DH can do a fresh sample the morning of your egg retrieval, they may be able to do ICSI with one or two of those and you won't have to worry about the defrosted ones!! It can happen, just know there is hope. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1370731 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 14:13:56 +0000 Mamaof2 1370731@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@swedishfish: my thoughts too! My DH had zero sperm but they did a testicular biopsy and found sperm that way - we did IVF/ICSI and got preg! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1370725 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 14:12:09 +0000 PastaAndPotato 1370725@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>very low count is our issue as well. we're gearing up to do our 4th round of IVF, but our lack of success has no relation to the low count. each cycle, we've had an average number of embryos make it to day 5 before transfer (4 for each fresh cycle).</p> <p>ICSI really makes the low numbers an almost non-issue - one sperm meets one egg and thats all you need</p> <p>just wanted to send some hope your way, and if you want to talk about anything, please don't hesitate to wall me or write me </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1370713 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 14:08:22 +0000 Shutterbug 1370713@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: having just gone through IVF myself, I can tell you that it's not as bad as it seems. Also, for ICSI, they only need one sperm to fertilize an egg, so I think your odds will still be good. Hugs :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1370710 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 14:08:01 +0000 swedishfish 1370710@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did IVF with ICSI because of count, motility and morphology issues. Our count was not as low as your numbers though. Can they do sperm retrieval surgery? If that is covered by insurance it might make more sense financially than freezing. Hugs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1370692 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 14:03:40 +0000 LovelyPlum 1370692@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have no experience, but I just wanted to reach out and give you a great big hug. You sound so sad :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-low-sperm-count-experiences#post-1370570 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 13:29:31 +0000 macintosh 1370570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeasterday we got the results if my husband's semen analysis. It's not good. They found about 3 sperm. They froze 2. That's "two" not 2 million :(</p> <p>The coordinator said my RE wants us to freeze 3-4 more times, then proceed with IVF with ICSI. I'm willing to do it, but I'm struggling with the cost vs benefit. I'd do almost anything so we could have biological kids, but what if we spend thousands if dollars freezing (not covered by insurance) and doing treatments (covered 80%) and it doesn't work?</p> <p>I'm not sure if DH's issue is from birth, from his brain injury, or something else. We tried clomid a few months ago to treat low T and it made him a crazy person. You don't want to make a brain injury patient more irritable, trust me,</p> <p>I guess I'm just looking for some hope. Anyone have success stories of IVF working with only a handful of sperm? </p>