Sperm Count Questions

BKmoms

Hi,

I just had my 1st ever IUI (9/24 & 9/25 - Unmedicated) So today is technically d1piui. The 2WW has officially started ahhhhh ..

I'm trying to understand for HOURS what all kinds of counts really mean as my Doc/Nurses only said it's "good" .. not much more. As a teacher .. "good" doesn't do it for me lol .. as explanation/understanding of things are imperative for learning.

These were all the counts of what the paper said AFTER wash:

Day 1 (1st Vial)

Count: 89.8 million/ml
% Motile: 58
Total motile: 26.1 million

Day 2 (2nd Vial)

Count: 114.7 million/ml
% Motile: 76
Total motile: 34.9

Can you please help me understand what all that means? Other than they're "good" lol .. what do those REALLY mean? What are my chances type of thing?

Thank you for your time.. I appreciated it...

BKmoms

BKmoms

*appreciate

Chase35174

Hi BKMoms -

I was just browsing questions and saw yours from today. Question for you - you did 2 IUIs in 2 days? I didn't realize that could be done. I'm also going to try unmedicated and was thinking to myself "I wonder if my chances increase if I did 2 vials." Do you know if you have better chances if you do it 2 days in a row?

Thanks!

BKmoms

Hi Chase :)

My Doctor is very very popular here in New York (Brooklyn). He has an amazing reputation and has the results to prove as numerous cases that seemed impossible .. ended up getting pregnant. He and his nurses told me that TIMING is EVERYTHING !! They monitored me very closely all the way up to the day before the first IUI procedure. They usually do back to back IUIs at this Fertility Clinic .. They said it's not that it increases my chances .. because you can really get pregnant with one vial .. but, using 2 and back to back (like I did) almost serves as a "back up" to the 1st one .. so if you have the means to do so... it might not be a bad idea.

This week:

I was monitored 2 days in a row .. Monday & Tuesday .. (Ultrasound/Blood Work) early in the morning (around 7am both days) before I did the 1st IUI

Then the 3rd day (Wednesday) .. I went in for the 1st IUI at 9:30am because they told me I'd be ovulating this day .. (I used my 1st vial)

I went back in the 4th day (Thursday) at 7:30am and did the 2nd part (I used my 2nd vial)

Now I'm 1dpiui and it's already torture lol

Hopefully in 10 days I'll get a BFP !!

Good Luck to you !!

BKmoms :)

PS. My only concern now are the numbers .. so I'm anxiously waiting to hear from one of the CCB Staff.

cryo-admin

Hi BK -

Congrats on your first IUI!

The "count" is the total number of sperm per milliliter. The “% motile” is the percentage of motile (living, moving sperm). The “total motile” is the total motile sperm count which is calculated by multiplying the percentage of motile sperm by the total number of sperm counted in the vial (not per milliliter). The total motile sperm count is the number that is most often looked at.

Numerous studies have shown that pregnancy rates with IUIs (using donor sperm)are maximized with 5 million total motile sperm. In other words, 5 million and 35 million motile sperm offer the same chance of success.

Additionally, a 2001 study determined there are 5 predictive variables for the outcome of IUIs with donor sperm in terms of clinical pregnancy rate: Number of treatment cycles, number of mature follicles, the cycle day for insemination, the occurrence of ovulation at the time of insemination, and the age of the woman. This study also showed no significant difference in pregnancy rates in IUIs with total motile sperm above 2 million.

I hope that this information helps. As you can see, there is no reason to worry about the counts of your vials.

Best of luck during your 2WW! We're sending lots of baby dust your way!

Regards,

Nicole
CCB

Chase35174

Good luck BK! By the way, can someone tell me what BFP means? and I'm assuming 1dpiui is 1 day post iui. LOL Thanks!

BKmoms

Thank You :)

"Big Fat Positive" lol ..

And you're right... About the # of days post iui lol