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how much vitamin C and zinc? My husband is taking a men's multi-vitamin--is that enough? His count is still rather low-10 million per ml, 4ml in volume,45% motility, and 5% morphology. Are our chances good for IUI???

Your husbands numbers are slightly better than mine, My Urologist, asked me to take 400IU of vitamil E for couple of weeks, and no difference in the results. Also I was told that my motility is to low that IUI or IVF without ICSI will not work for me. So i am going for IVF with ICSI now.btw, Did your husband's urologist, prescribe a blood work to check for hormonal inbalance, Ultrasound for ruling out Varicocele or other testicle issues?

Kerri, It is recommended to take 45 -60 mg of zinc and 500 - 1000mg of Vit C daily. I also ready about successful studies with Vit C and Folic acid (just 25 mg) for sperm quality. Hope this helps and good luck.

Kerri - My husband tried the vitamin C and zinc (100% RDA of each for c. 1 year) but it didn't improve things. I think it's worth a trying vitamins though - zinc and vit C can't do any harm and I've heard some people say they work though normally people with just low count. Sperm changes every 3 months so if you take vitamins you need to do so for at least 3 months to know if they've had any effect - sperm results can also change naturally apparently. The head of my fertility clinic said there's been lots of research into vitamins and the chances of vitamins helping are zero (it was quite depressing to hear zero, we wanted to dream at least!). They were useful though because they made my husband feel better as he felt like he was doing something. My hospital only does IVF with ICSI for male fertility problems, they don't do IUI as the success rates are very low but some places still do. Your husband's motility is not too bad so IUI may still work though it may take many attempts and IVF with ICSI would probably get you pregnant faster. My hospital usually takes two years plus of trying as when they do fertility treatment. I'm not sure what they would do with someone trying for less than that - whether they would say to keep trying naturally for a while or whether they'd go straight for ICSI. I think the best thing is to talk to a fertility specialist and see what they advise. I was 31 when I did IVF with ICSI and it worked first-time - it is horrible but its worth it. I'm 23 weeks now and I feel the baby moving and I'm glad I did it though I really hated it at the time. Hope things work out for you and lots of babydust.

your input has been very helpful--I'm having an HSG done this week to make sure the path is clear. Then my doctor wants to do IUI coupled with Clomid----I'm 27 and he's 32, and at this time we can't afford IVF. It's so hard on me, b/c EVERYONE I know who's been trying is pregnant. At work, at church, my best friend. I'm trying to stay postive, but I won't get my hopes up too high--thanks for being open and honest about your experiences :o)

Kerri - Good luck with the IUI - hope it works quickly. ICSI is so expensive - fortunately for us my MIL paid - she's desperate for a granddaughter. I remember it was horrible when you feel like you're the only one who can't get pregnant. I thought I'd never have children. Fertility treatment is so good these days though - horrible but it gets results. You'll definately will have children - it just will take a bit longer than for other people. It's definately worth doing the treatment. Its not nice but once you're a mum you'll forget all that and you'll be a great mum because you'll really want and deserve your baby.

Thanks Justine...you're words have been very encouraging. I had my HSG done and my tubes are clear. Just been having sex every other day until ovulation and we will start IUI next cycle---that is only if this cycle isn't successful ;) Any other ideas?

Kerri - That's good your tubes are clear. I don't think there are any alternatives except IVF with ICSI (best option), IVF or IUI (except IUI with donor sperm). My husband suggested I just had an affair and told him it was his! Good luck ttc.

I just found out that I have Polycycstic Ovary Syndrome---very depressing! My DH will get his sperm count retested soon since he's been taking vitamins for about 2 months now. I might take a diabetic medicine to help me O regularly and after DH gets out of school in 2.5 years (he's going to be a physician assistant) maybe we can look into IVF with ICSI as an option--I'm telling my parents this week when they come up for Labor Day--who knows, maybe they're desperate for grandchildren too and will help with the funding!

My hubbys numbers were just below yours, except his Morphology was 21% normal. Our daughter will be 1 on the 28th, and we are hopeful for a 2nd. I swear by his Boxer switch, as well as added Zinc and L-Lysine, C.
Good Luck! It can happen!

Have Faith!!! It DID happen naturally for us with the low sperm count and with my PCOS! I'm just over 8 weeks today and I've already seen the heartbeat!!!

K, I don't know if you're still checking this thread but there is a fertility clinic in NJ, Cooper Center that has a lower cost IVF option if your wife is willing to donate 1/2 her eggs. It might be worth checking out. You'd have to pay extra out of pocket for the ICSI, but on top of the other savings it might not be too bad. Good luck!

I lave a low sperm count and motility. Sperm count is 21 million . Motility is 35%. No bacterial infection. what is the probability of fathering a child?

Hi Michel!
Is your count 21 mil/ml or total? If total what was the volume? My DH had 13mil/ml and 23% motility. After 8 months of vitamins, his results are bact to normal and I am 14 weeks pregnant. I saw many cases on this board where if the count is not too low and motility is not close to 0% that many people see improvement with vitamins and they get pregnant naturally. Still there is always IVF and it has very good results with male-only problems. Take care

This is my first time in this forum and my husband and I are on our second IUI. I'm on 50 mg of Clomid. With the first one his counts were about 22million but motilty was only 32%, second time around his counts were lower but the motilty was up 25% to 67%. Does anyone know of this ratio to getting pregnant?

Hi all,
My husband's sperm count is very good, motility is great but the morphology is 17%. We have been TTC for a year now. No success. My Gyn says I do not have any issues. Should I go for IUI? Will it work for me? Please advise. And I also like to know if IUI is very expensive?? Any ideas?