First time poster w/question about isci and semen

[Mikeymike]

hi i have cf diagnosed at 6 and i got married 2 years ago and i had a semen analysis recently and it came back they found no sperm but that was the usual pale colour, sometimes though theres a lot more more and its like very cloudy, is it possible that the difference is that there is some sperm in this one? and maybe i should test again and hope for that kind?
(Sorry to be so descriptive but really want to know)

also we have thought about ivf but we don't like the idea of embryos being destroyed is there
A) a way to only make enough for that one trial and not have any made to destroy?
B) i heard about isci is this a viable option for someone with cf and not having embryos made and destroyed.

and finally i live in wales in the uk has anybody had experience going through the ivf/isci route in wales before?

thanks im not sure who else to ask

 

[ethan508]

First answer, if they found no sperm during the test, you and your wife have been trying to have kids (no birth control) for 6-12 months, and with the 95%+ probability that a CF male has blocked or no vas deferens, you can be near certain that you are infertile. Sorry to say but retesting isn't going to change that.

To answer your question A): In lieu of having embryos destroyed, you can have them cryopreserved and then try a cryo-cycle IVF which is less intensive and less expensive (only $3500-ish) because they don't have to extract eggs or attempt ICSI. By doing cyro cycles with all our spares, we haven't had to destroy embryos. Unfortunately this was largely because our cyro-cycles weren't successful in yielding kids. However, I know others that had success using cyro-persevered embryos, and then they had ended up with both a large family and extra embryos still froze. So unless you are willing to have a huge family, there is always a risk that you will be faced with the decision of what to do with frozen embryos. I've heard that you can donate them to another couple (usually when a woman doesn't produce viable eggs) but you'll want to ask your IVF doctor if that is a possibility at all.

Answer B) ICSI is the process in which they take non-motile sperm and inject it into the egg. It does put a modicum of control in how many eggs are attempted to be fertilized, but with us, we always had dozens of eggs and then after ICSI we'd only have 5-6 embryos (several of which didn't grow with much quality).

I understand that IVF does conflict with those that believe the soul is created when sperm and egg come together (a common Catholic belief). My religious/personal belief is that God places a spirit into a fetus at an undefined point during pregnancy but not necessarily right at the moment of fertilization. So I don't believe I'm destroying souls when an embryo or blastocyst fails to implant in the womb (or gets left behind in the petri dish). But I understand not everyone has this same belief.

If you have any other questions, or need some clarification I'll try to help you best I can.