[jandjbaby]

So I've been MIA from forums for about seven months. DH and I took a break for more testing and, well, it was just much needed. We saw a couple specialists and we found out my husband has a high DFI (sperm DNA fragmentation index).

So that means we will now switch from IUI to IVF with ICSI.

Does anyone else have this problem that can offer some advice/hope? We will meet with our RE again next Tuesday to get more details. For now we will just save up more money so hopefully we can cover the cost of IVF without having to get a loan.

[rbloom]

Hey- Yes, my husband has a very high DNA fragmentation. We have to do ivf with icsi as well. My dr. told us we only have a 5% chance with out doing IVF. Dr told my husband to take antioxidants in the mean time and omega 3's. Today is the 1st day of my cycle. Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions!

Rachael

[bino]

Originally Posted by jandjbaby

So I've been MIA from forums for about seven months. DH and I took a break for more testing and, well, it was just much needed. We saw a couple specialists and we found out my husband has a high DFI (sperm DNA fragmentation index).

So that means we will now switch from IUI to IVF with ICSI.

Does anyone else have this problem that can offer some advice/hope? We will meet with our RE again next Tuesday to get more details. For now we will just save up more money so hopefully we can cover the cost of IVF without having to get a loan.

Thought you might want to look into this. It's the "embracing hope grant" from Fertile Dreams for an IVF cycle. Applications available in December for January submission.

Fertile Dreams Organization

[jandjbaby]

rbloom - Thank you for letting me know we aren't the only ones out there with this issue. We are trying to come to terms with it, as we just found out a week ago. Yeah, our RE told us we had a 1% chance with IUI, so IVF was recommended for us. Good luck to you guys!

bino - thanks for the link. I had never heard of that organization and will check it out more! Money will definitely become tight as we save for IVF

[Just1]

Quick Quest. How do the doctors determine DNA Fragmentation? Through just a semen analysis? Or is that a separate test?
Thanks

[jandjbaby]

Originally Posted by Just1

Quick Quest. How do the doctors determine DNA Fragmentation? Through just a semen analysis? Or is that a separate test?
Thanks

My husband did a test ordered from a urologist and it was a sperm sample he sent through the mail (using a kit they provided). The test is called an SDFA (Sperm DNA Fragmentation Assay). Anything over 30% fragmentation is considered abnormal and recommend IVF. My husband's came back at 46%

We were surprised and disappointed with the result, but we are glad we found out now, and not after six more attempts at IUI (which our RE had initially recommended!)

Hope this helps!

[zeldapinwheel]

Hi-- My DH also has DFI of 36% (along with poor motility and morphology.) We did one IVF with ICSI before we knew this and got a . So the urologist suggested this test. He said the solution to this is to do a procedure called TESE which biopsies the testicles to get the sperm directly from the tissue. Apparently, the sperm becomes more fragmented as it goes through all of the tubes during normal ejaculation. The doc said that this procedure reduces fragmentation by 70% -90%. His office has done this procedure on six couples in the last year and five of them have gotten pregnant.

My husband had this procedure on Friday while I had my retrieval. They got 14 mature eggs and 10 fertalized. I find out tomorrow how many are still developing and the transfer is scheduled for Wednesday.

My DH's incision is less than 1/2 inch long. He's swolen and a little sore -- but not too bad. They knocked him out for it and sent him home with vicodin.

I hope this helps. Maybe you can ask your doc about this. I'll keep you posted if it works for us! Good luck and lots of baby dust to you.

[Lifejourney52]

Hi there,l its nice to see other couples with the same problem as we have.....I have heard the SCSA test is not that accurate but, it does make sense that a woman would miscarry since the sperm take over around day 4 or 5 explaining why no embies or few embies make it to freezing. My DH has DFI of 35, he has been on supplements and all that stuff but his number is staying the same. This is my 1st cycle, I started Lupron last Mon and start stims tomorrow (11/03) with ER & ET mid Nov. My Dr. feels that we are ok, he said if the woman is under 33 and healthy alot of the times she can offset the "ill" effects of the high DFI.

I hope all works for EVERYONE here!!!

[jandjbaby]

Thanks for all of your input!

We will be discussing our IVF cycle with our RE tomorrow morning. DH and I have just spent some time making a list of questions about all of this and what our chances will be. I'll bring up the TESE test to see what he says about that. I haven't heard of that one and it sounds like it might help with the high DFI problem!

Good luck to all of you and I hope IVF is just what we need to finally have a baby!! Thanks for the info! And I'll let you know what my RE says.

[jandjbaby]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....

I think my phone call with my RE just made things more unclear!

Our Urologist suggests IVF, our RE suggests more IUIs.

Urologist feels IUI is waste of time with high DFI, RE disagrees. Who is right?

We can't afford IVF until June, so I don't want to waste any money on IUIs that might not work.

BUT...if IUIs could work, maybe we could save money by not doing IVF???

Grrrrrrrrrrrr....don't know what to do!! Don't know who to believe!! Help!!!!!

[zeldapinwheel]

Originally Posted by jandjbaby

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....

I think my phone call with my RE just made things more unclear!

Our Urologist suggests IVF, our RE suggests more IUIs.

Urologist feels IUI is waste of time with high DFI, RE disagrees. Who is right?

We can't afford IVF until June, so I don't want to waste any money on IUIs that might not work.

BUT...if IUIs could work, maybe we could save money by not doing IVF???

Grrrrrrrrrrrr....don't know what to do!! Don't know who to believe!! Help!!!!!

I am so sorry -- how frustrating! Everything I have read says that IVF w/ ICSI is the only way around high DFI. And that's what my doc says. But my husband has other sperm issues so maybe that's why. Maybe you should get a second opinion from another RE? DFI is kind of a new area in fertility so maybe your RE hasn't done with it much yet. Good luck!