ICSI - what happens for the man?!

[LegoBatgirl]

Hi,

Thanks to lovely people on the forum I started reading 'Get a Life' and they keep talking about the importance of the man feeling comfortable giving a sample. My OH has low count and as freezing kills up to 50% of the swimmers will he be able to use a frozen sample or will he have to give a fresh one on collection day?

There seems to be load about what happens to the woman during IVF but I can't find very much on the man's role and I'm wanting to set DH's mind at rest. For testing he's always made samples at home as it seems to be a better psychological state for him.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks

[elle80]

My husband did all his samples at home, but on egg collection day he did his in the room at the hospital and he was fine. I did worry that he would struggle, but although he found it a bit weird, he was able to produce a sample. It was the only thing we were able to have a good laugh about! It is quite funny thinking of your chap having to spunk in a cup lol. And to be fair that's all he had to do whilst I had my legs spread and getting my eggs collected. It will be fine hun xx

[LegoBatgirl in reply to elle80]

Thank you so much for helping to put my mind at ease a bit. I was just suddenly worried about it when I was reading the book and I realised that I'd never even considered what the bloke had to do on collection day! X

[elle80 in reply to LegoBatgirl]

Honestly don't worry about them.. They have got it easy lol. He'll have a couple of mags to help him on his way too!! 😂 Xx

[Hidden]

On the actual day they see what you go through and realise they have it easy!

Mine did the deed and treated himself to a nice coffee and cake afterwards while I was out of it.... 😅 Charming!

X

[LegoBatgirl in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, this whole journey just seems go have been about me so far and we've not even gotten to the drugs yet! It's good to know that the man's part isn't too difficult x

[Billywhizz10]

I went through this, as the husband.

I had low count, but never heard about freezing killing off 50% of swimmers. I had a whole series of tests that showed my sperm were healthy but production in the testes was low ( due to sporting accident when I was a kid , I'll spare you the details) so they froze a sample as back up, but prefer you to 'produce' a fresh sample on the day of egg collection. On the NHS it was a little room and a few dirty mags, the private clinics we went to after that 1 'free' cycle failed, were big screens and comfy chairs with a choice of about 10 dirty films, all very sordid !

For the cycle that actually worked, I produced a very poor sample, so they used one of the frozen 'straws' and managed to get a few sperm for the eggs and re-freeze the straw for further use. With ICSI they literally only need 1 good sperm for every 1 egg, so even someone like me producing a million per ml, (when the norm is like 30 to 200 million!) they will find enough. I would say that I did get genetic testing on my sperm, and all sorts of tests to ensure the sperm available are good and viable. If your partner has low numbers, then ICSI should find some sperm to use.

Best of luck to you.

[LegoBatgirl in reply to Billywhizz10]

Thank you so much. I haven't seen many posts from men on the forum and I'm really glad you took the time to respond. We only get 1 free cycle on the NHS and it wasn't even something I was worried about until I started reading this book (it's still a good book but I'm pretty anxiety prone so I always think that anything that can go wrong will go wrong!)

I might see if we can freeze some as a back up and if he can produce a fresh sample. I'll feel so much better when I know I have a back up plan.

Thanks again

[Sarah_S]

The OH gets a nice quiet room, and plenty of time while you are having the egg collection done. Maybe take a photo of yourself on his phone for inspiration - I'll leave it to you what type of photo!!! x

[LegoBatgirl in reply to Sarah_S]

Thanks for the tip

[Tugsgirl]

My OH did a sample that got frozen for backup but they used the fresh on the day xx

[LegoBatgirl in reply to Tugsgirl]

Thanks, glad to know that you can have a back up plan. I'm usually so well prepared and IVF has so many unknowns - just trying to make sure I cover all the bases

[MofM]

We also read the book and that bit scared me a lot. My partner already managed to produce a sample in the lab for the first test (we live very far from the closest centre, so no way he could reach it within one hour), however, after we discussed it, he had a few seconds of stress and wondered what will happen if that day he fails.

I then Googled it and one bloke suggested masturbating in a public toilet (McDonald, Starbucks, ...): if you could do it there, you could do it anywhere. Of course, he is not going to do that but I laugh so much that the stress disappeared. Another better suggestion that came out is to ask to the clinic: they will show him the room and the "material", while some clinics allow the female partner to "help"

[LegoBatgirl in reply to MofM]

Thanks for the help. I'll ask the clinic of we can take a look at the 'facilities' next time we're in so that we can come up with a plan. I'm hoping to sort as much as we can in advance so that everything goes smoothly on the day.

We're ages away from the EC day as we have a holiday booked and I can't even start a protocol until September. I'm just a very planned kind of person and anything I can do to help take the stress and pressure away is a big help

[Hidden]

Hi. Just to echo the other response. We have a frozen sample for back up but OH produced a sample on the day. We are preparing for a second round and other has been taking vitamins for a few months. I'd like to see if they will freeze another sample now he has had the vitamins.

[LegoBatgirl in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for letting me know your experience best of luck with your second round x