I have extremely low sperm count. Myself and my wife are also pretty darned poor, and our insurance does not cover IVF. She was going in on Thursday for a pre-IVF procedure - checking to see if she has ovarian cysts for the "peace of mind" of the doctor. This afternoon, they sent us the cost estimate for this - by their own account - 10-minute check: $9,000.

IVF itself was already going to be immensely expensive. And this is essentially like squandering our desperately small funding for an entire cycle so that they can check a box - it isn't pursuant towards baby-making; just an extra step that no woman who conceived naturally would ever have done. It's just another way for them to a) throw up artificial walls, and b) rake in money from the peasantry.

So I said no. My wife is just devastated; I'm just devastated. But I'm a solid no on proceeding. It was one thing to be paying an enormous amount of money for something for which there was a tangible need; it's another to fork over the price of an IVF round so they can stick a camera inside her just to make them feel good. Because, again, no woman married to a normal man - a man without low T - would be having this done. In that situation, she'd just get knocked up; she wouldn't have some "oh, is every little duck lined up in a perfect row?" test that cost as much as a used car.

I just no longer can accede to this extortion - billionaire hospitals employing millionaire doctors getting wealthy on human misery. Why would I even want to bring a child into this world?

I was severely overweight
Semen analysis came with cryptozoospermia
Started Mounjaro, proviron, aridimex, clomid (alternate day)
Lost 15 kgs
New semen analysis 3 months later came with azoospermia

I feel like the sampling environment is not pleasing - I normally do not masturbate and I share a good sexual life with my wife which is pleasurable for both - does that impact the sample?
With such results - is there a route to fertility and ultimately conceiving?
These are topics that one cannot talk openly and it’s very stressful

Title: Abnormal Semen Analysis at Age 30 — Need Advice

I'm 30 years old. My semen analysis shows:

Volume: 1.5 mL

Sperm count: 10 million/mL

Progressive motility: 20%

Normal morphology: 5%

Pus cells: Plenty

Hyperviscous semen

Impression: Oligo-astheno-spermia

I don't smoke or drink alcohol.

My questions:

Can this condition be cured?

Can sperm count and motility improve?

What tests and treatments do you recommend?

Should I get a semen culture?

Can I become a father naturally?

I'd appreciate simple, practical advice. Thank you!

I’m navigating non-obstructive azoospermia after a failed Micro-TESE. My karyotype is normal (46,XY) and genetic testing showed no Y-chromosome microdeletions. My doctors have recommended trying a second Micro-TESE, giving it about a 50% success rate. I’d love to get feedback on whether another Micro-TESE makes sense as the next step or if there are other paths we should look into.

Hi everyone,

I’m 26M, and my wife and I are trying to conceive. I recently had a semen analysis done, and I’d appreciate some opinions on my results, especially regarding sperm motility and whether anything needs to be improved.

Semen Analysis Results

Sample details
Abstinence period: 3 days
Collection time: 10:50 AM
Analysis time: 12:30 PM

Physical characteristics
Appearance: Normal
Volume: 2.0 mL
pH: 8.0
Viscosity: Viscous
Liquefaction: More than 1 hour

Sperm count
Sperm concentration: 26.4 million/mL

Total sperm count per ejaculate: 52.8 million

Motility (after liquefaction)
Total motility: 60%
Progressive motility: 25%
Non-progressive motility: 35%
Immotile sperm: 40%

Microscopic examination
Leucocytes: 0.6 million/mL
RBCs: 0–2 per high-power field
Spermatogenic cells: Present
Agglutination: Absent

Morphology
Normal forms: 30% (reference: ≥4%)
Abnormal heads: 25%
Abnormal midpieces: 25%
Abnormal principal pieces: 15%
Excess residual cytoplasm: 5%

My main concerns are:

My progressive motility is 25%, below the lab’s reference of 32%. How much does this affect natural conception?

My semen is viscous and took more than an hour to liquefy. Could this affect fertility?

My sperm count and morphology seem okay, but does the low progressive motility make the overall result concerning?

Should I repeat the semen analysis or consult a fertility specialist?

I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who has had similar results or has knowledge of male fertility. Thanks!

Hi everyone,
I’m 30 years old and have been diagnosed with azoospermia, likely non-obstructive.
My test results and history:
● Semen analysis repeated multiple times, with a volume of around 8–10 ml, but no sperm found even after centrifugation.
● Hormone results: FSH 4.79, LH 6.55, total testosterone 267, and prolactin 182.54 (as reported by my lab).
● Ultrasound showed normal-sized testes, with a mild right varicocele and a moderate left varicocele.
● TRUS showed no obstruction.
● I underwent TESA, but no sperm were found.
● My doctor suggested micro-TESE, but I’m hesitant because of the cost and want to understand my options first.

I’d appreciate hearing from anyone with similar experiences:
1. Has anyone with normal FSH and normal-sized testes had successful sperm retrieval through micro-TESE after a failed TESA?
2. Did genetic testing or a testicular biopsy help identify the cause?
3. Are there any evidence-based treatments or lifestyle changes that helped?
4. Which tests should I consider before deciding on micro-TESE?
I’m looking for genuine experiences, advice, and hope from people who have been through something similar. Thank you!

5 failed IVF cycles (Day 3/4 arrest). Doctor recommends double donor. Looking for advice.

I am 46M and my wife is 44F. We have completed 5 IVF cycles with severe embryo arrest. In 4 out of 5 cycles, no embryos survived past Day 3. In our first cycle, one reached Day 6 but was chromosomally abnormal.
For our recent cycle, we tried TESE due to my high DNA fragmentation, but the embryos still arrested before Day 4. My recent analysis showed a 46% DNA fragmentation rate (132 degraded, 6 fragmented out of a 300 count).
Our doctor is now recommending a double donor. Is there anything else we should explore or test before taking this step, or is this the most realistic path forward given our ages? My IVF doctor strongly saying that supplement will not help in my situation. Thanks in advance.

I’m a 29-year-old male experiencing reduced libido and weaker erections compared to a few years ago.
I recently got my hormone levels tested, and here are the results:

Blood Test Results:
Total Testosterone: 302.2 ng/dL (Ref: 280–800)
LH: 12.28 mIU/mL (Ref: 1.50–9.30) — High
FSH: 9.03 mIU/mL (Ref: 1.40–18.10)
Prolactin: 4.57 ng/mL (Normal)
TSH: 1.018 µIU/mL (Normal)
The blood sample was collected around 12:30 PM, so I’m aware that my morning testosterone might be different.

Symptoms:
Reduced sexual desire compared to 2–3 years ago.
I still get morning erections, but they’re not fully hard.
Even during masturbation, erections are usually only around 50–60% firm.
Reduced energy and motivation to exercise compared to earlier.
From what I’ve read, elevated LH with borderline testosterone could potentially indicate compensated hypogonadism or reduced testicular responsiveness, but I understand that a single test isn’t enough to diagnose anything.
I’m planning to consult an endocrinologist/urologist and repeat my testosterone and LH tests in the morning.

A few questions:
Has anyone in their 20s or 30s experienced similar testosterone and LH levels?
Did your repeat morning testosterone results differ significantly?
Did your doctor identify any underlying cause for elevated LH with borderline testosterone?
If you experienced low libido and weak erections, what helped you improve?
Were you able to improve your symptoms without TRT?
I’m not looking to jump into TRT or self-medicate. I’m mainly trying to understand what might be going on and hear from people who’ve experienced something similar.
Would really appreciate any insights or personal experiences. Thanks!

Total sperm count is 40 million, 5ml volume, 8 million per ml (on the lower side) and 1% morphology and 50% of the sample was moving both of us are in our mid to late 20s. We haven’t started properly trying yet. Doctor wants us to try and to loose weight.

Any advice or success stories are very welcome.

Anybody use Trental 400 as supplement to increase motility? Urologist give me that 2 cpr a day. Anybody has experience on this ? and motility get better?

31M, struggling with infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss. Mentally exhausted and desperately looking for some hope.

My results:

- DFI: 35.67%

- ROS: 49%

- Testosterone: 0.938 ng/ml

- Sperm count: 63 million/ml

- Varicocele: Grade IV

I've been taking Maxzoha-L and Fertisure-M for 3 months. Next week, our doctor will decide whether we should proceed with IVF.

I'm scared and constantly wondering if there's still a chance to improve naturally.

Has anyone reduced DFI without surgery or achieved pregnancy/IVF success with similar results?

Please share your experiences, even a small positive story would mean a lot right now. 🙏

**So after stopping TRT a year ago, doing a heavy PCT. I then went all natural and had a stressful summer. Currently trying to conceive. I started the below supplements just over 3 months ago. This was after having hepatitis and kidney stones.**
**My serum testosterone was 16 nmol/L 8 weeks ago. Age 41, weight 94kg but waist is 33/34”. So not overweight. A full blood check is being done tomorrow.**

**I started cycling roughly 130/150 miles a week 6 weeks ago, and weight training once twice a week. Diet is very clean and alcohol is maybe a couple beers once or twice a month.**

**Had a fertility test 2 weeks ago and below are the numbers.**

**My question is, what are people’s thoughts on these results? As the doctor has said she wants to see the 3% improve and volume, plus a few other markers.**

**And what could be done to improve numbers?**

**Semen sample volume**
**1.7 mL**

**Sperm concentration**
**71.00 10\*9/L**

**Total sperm count**
**120.7 10\*6**

**Percent rapid progressve sperm**
**24.0 %**

**Percent slow progressive sperm**
**33.0 %**

**Sperm forward progression**
**57 %**

**Percent non-progressive sperm**
**7 %**

**Sperm motility**
**64 %**

**Percentage non-motile sperm**
**36 %**

**Percentage normal sperm count**
**3 %**

Supplements: (each morning)
25mg Enclmoniphene
Milk thistle
Spirulina
ACV (apple cider vinegar)
Lions mane
NMN
Selenium
B6
5mg Cialis
NAC
Magnesium
Co-Q10
ALC
Zinc
Vit C
Blueberry extract
D3+K2
B12
Folate
Vit E
Boron

**Title: Can Low Sperm Count and Motility Be Improved Naturally or With Treatment?**

I'm 30 years old, and my recent semen analysis showed:

Volume: 1.5 mL

Sperm concentration: 10 million/mL

Total sperm count: approximately 15 million

Progressive motility: 20%

Total motility: 50%

Normal morphology: 5%

Pus cells: Plenty

Hyperviscous semen

Liquefaction time: 30 minutes

I don't smoke or drink alcohol, and I have no testicular pain.

I'm looking for practical advice from people with similar results or relevant medical knowledge.

**My questions:**

Has anyone improved similar results?

What medical tests helped identify the cause?

Are there effective treatments for low sperm count and motility?

What should I do first about the pus cells and high viscosity?

Any genuine experiences or evidence-based suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!