Told we will be needing ICSI instead ... - Fertility Network UK

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Told we will be needing ICSI instead of IVF

Gem2410 profile image
29 Replies

Hi everyone,

So I had my egg collection this morning. They managed to get 18 eggs, which I’m pleased with. But the embryologists have said that my partners sperm sample this morning had low motility, and this means we need to have ICSI. Has this happened to anyone before? My partner was in bits when we were told. He changed everything his diet and lifestyle. He’s took proxeed, and it did improved massively. So we were really shocked to be told this. Would be really grateful for any information xx

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Gem2410
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29 Replies
KiboXX profile image
KiboXX

Congrats on your collection, great number!

Tell him not to beat himself up, so many things can affect it, like having a cold in the last 3 months! ICSI will give you a much better chance of embryos if they are a bit slow. I know it’s hard but try not to stress and take it easy.

Fingers crossed you get a nice high fertilisation rate 🤞🏻

Gem2410 profile image
Gem2410 in reply to KiboXX

Thank you for replying. Thank you that’s true. I just think it was a bit of a shock xx Hopefully fingers crossed 🤞xx

CLDxxx profile image
CLDxxx

Hey Gem,

So pleased your egg collection went well. So sorry though that you’ve now had this news.

It’s great they have given you the other option so hopefully this will be the right route now!

Hope your partner is ok, it’s clear he did all he could to improve it by making those changes - hope he realises this.

Xxx

Gem2410 profile image
Gem2410 in reply to CLDxxx

Hi. Thank you. Yes it was a massive shock, as when we had IUI, things had improved massively. But yes so true, and lucky to have this option. Yes he’s a little better now. That’s exactly it. He did everything he could, and it’s out of our hands now. Fingers crossed we get some good embryos 🤞 xx

CLDxxx profile image
CLDxxx in reply to Gem2410

Fingers crossed for you lovely. Keep me posted xxx

Core profile image
Core

We had ICSI and still had a good fertilisation rate. Good luck xx

Gem2410 profile image
Gem2410 in reply to Core

Thank you for replying. That’s really good to know 😊 xx

L2213 profile image
L2213

We had ICSI too and I was surprised but just went with what the clinic advised and were really lucky as we had a great fertilisation rate, our 10 eggs ended up making 6 embryos. Wishing you all the best xxx

Gem2410 profile image
Gem2410 in reply to L2213

Thank you for replying. Wow that’s great! Thank you, and you too wherever you are on your journey 😊 xx

Gmhshop profile image
Gmhshop

We had emergency ICSI too with great results. We put poor sample on the day down to the ‘nervous wank’ 😂 xx

Gem2410 profile image
Gem2410 in reply to Gmhshop

Thank you for replying. That’s great to hear. Haha it could have easily have been that 😂 xx

SharlyWarly profile image
SharlyWarly

Honestly, don't worry about needing ICSI. Some clinics use ICSI as standard even when there is no male factor just because it gives the best odds. Good luck x

Gem2410 profile image
Gem2410 in reply to SharlyWarly

Thank you for replying. That’s good to hear. Everyone’s replies have really helped me, and feeling a bit better now. I think it was just the shock yesterday, as we really didn’t expect it. Thank you so much, and you too, wherever you are on your journey 😊 xx

SharlyWarly profile image
SharlyWarly in reply to Gem2410

IVF can be full of surprises!!! x

Blueskyyy profile image
Blueskyyy

Huh !

Our doctor is advising us to make IVF and not ICSI, the main problem is that my partner has low motility (only 17% of sperms are motile ) !

But he has a very good sperm count (338 million , must be > 39 million )

We have no experience as it’s our first time we try assisted conception

Please advise us

Gem2410 profile image
Gem2410 in reply to Blueskyyy

Sorry do you mean IVF? I’m new to all this too xx

Blueskyyy profile image
Blueskyyy in reply to Gem2410

Yes IvF sorry !

Gem2410 profile image
Gem2410 in reply to Blueskyyy

That’s okay. I’m guessing every clinic is different, and they will advice you on what they think is best. We went in on our egg retrieval day yesterday, thinking we would be having IVF to be told we would need ICSI. ICSI is more expensive, but we were told that my partners motility wasn’t in the IVF bracket, and our best chances of success would be with ICSI. I’m not sure on my partners motility yesterday. Sorry I can’t be more help. This is our first round too. So learning as I go along. Lots of luck to you xx

Blueskyyy profile image
Blueskyyy in reply to Gem2410

Thx bus what is the min required motility for IVF ? And for ICSI?

Does your partner have very low motility ?

Thx and good luck to you !

Fingers crossed -:)

Gem2410 profile image
Gem2410 in reply to Blueskyyy

I’m really not sure what the minimum requirements are for either. We were in so much shock yesterday we didn’t ask. Well he had low motility which improved to the normal range, and then was down again yesterday. But it was never extremely low. I can’t remember exactly but I think it was around the 29% mark. I would ask your clinic if you’re concerned about anything xx

Hi, great set of eggs!

If its any help we fluctuate between ICSI and normal IVF and sometimes half and half. Some rounds my OHs swimmers have been 'better than average' other times they are on the lazy side. Like others have said there doesnt seem to be any rhyme nor reason. I think its positive your clinic are being proactive and whilst we did end up MC for other reasons our one IVF BFP was an ICSI round.. good luck! x

Gem2410 profile image
Gem2410 in reply to

Hi. Thank you for replying. Oh right. That’s interesting how it changes. Yes definitely. I feel like it was the right decision, and they know what they’re doing. I’m so sorry about your MC. Thank you so much. Good luck to you too xx

Coral86 profile image
Coral86

It’s ok we had this too Hun he doesn’t need to worry it’s quite common xx

Gem2410 profile image
Gem2410 in reply to Coral86

Hi thank you for replying. I really didn’t realise that. I’m still learning so much 😊 xx

Coral86 profile image
Coral86

Awww yes I was worried at first then more and more ppl I spoke to they went through icsi too doesn’t make any difference just little more help my husbands sperm was fine all the way up until the day xxx

Gem2410 profile image
Gem2410 in reply to Coral86

Yes same with my partners. So we were shocked. But yes it seems to be quite common xx

sun-and-rain profile image
sun-and-rain

We've had two EC, one with ordinary IVF - got three frosties, but only two survivors to be transferred after all, and one with ICSI, that gave us the BFP on the last attempt out of four. I've actually been told the chance of a successful and healthy outcome is a bit greater with ICSI than with IVF as they actively choose the best sperm to fertilize the eggs, in stead of it being just by chance...

With that said I was a bit worried myself when I was to tell my husband about the change of plans (it was what you seem to call an "emergency" ICSI), but he was just so cool about it I've sometimes worried a bit if he keeps negative feelings about it for himself to not load me with more burdens than necessary 🙊 But he's not depressed, rather happy and full of faith, and now I'm 17w3d pregnant, so after all it was worth it all ❤

Gem2410 profile image
Gem2410 in reply to sun-and-rain

Thank you for replying. Wow! That’s so great to hear. Congratulations! That’s such amazing news. Yes I know what you mean. My partner was really upset when we found it. But I’ve tried to reassure him, and show him the lovely messages on this post. It most definitely was! Wish you all the best with your pregnancy 😊 xx

murakami profile image
murakami

Yes. Despite sperm fragmentation being great and always being told sperm is fine, we had to do icsi on both egg collection days. I think the nerves get to them and stress

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