Some Early Tests Results Roll'n In....

CCRM just called to give us some test results. I think it's so great that they are calling us as the tests come back, rather than waiting until they collect all of them. So far CCRM is getting an A+ from me. But enough rambling -- on with the results!

DAVE'S SA(Sperm Analysis):

Dave's count: 25 million
Normal count: 20+ million
Comments: Good

Dave's Motility: 32%
Normal Motility: 40+%
Comments: Not too bad, but a little below what they like to see. However, with ICSI, we don’t need to worry.

Dave's Morphology: 1 %
Normal Morphology: 4+ %
Comments: Not good. But it's high enough that with PICSI, high-mag and ICSI, they’re hopeful and fairly confident they can get the good sperm for the IVF cycle.

**We have had this test done so many times that none of this was a surprise to us, but confirmed what we already know, that the problem is part MF with low motility & morphology.

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SPERM ANTIBODIES TEST:

Dave: 0% (good)
Lisa: 56% (not good)
Comments: This means that I have developed antibodies in my immune system that attempt to prevent sperm from living. At 56%, it does not completely rule out conceiving naturally, but it would certainly be expected to slow the process down. The presence of the sperm antibodies means that when Dave's sperm (or any sperm, for that matter) is present in Lisa’s body, the body will attempt to reject it. Generally it will coagulate the semen, or even kill off the individual sperm. Doing IUIs (of which we have done 12!) bypasses this effect to some degree, but the antibodies are still present in the uterus, and so it can still have an impact and hinder the possibility of conception. This does not mean it’s impossible, nor can it be concluded that this is the definitive reason that natural or IUI cycles have not worked for us, but it is certainly a contributor. But doing IVF with ICSI completely removes any concern about the antibodies because the sperm is not required to live inside my body, and therefore it is a complete non-factor for IVF cycles.

**We've never had this test done before, so we were very interested to learn about my antibodies that have been basically attacking Dave's sperm. Unfortunately this still does not answer the question of why 2 IVF cycles failed for us, and why our embies are slow to grow and divide in the dish.

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We're still waiting for the chromosome test that will help with that answer. And also the Sperm DNA fragmentation test, which again will help uncover even more. Oh yeah, and the beta 3 integrin biospsy.

But for now, nothing is precluding us from being able to have a successful IVF cycle! So that's the good news.