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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.

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).

ICSI really makes the low numbers an almost non-issue - one sperm meets one egg and thats all you need

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

@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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!!

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?

@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!