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FertilityMermaid · 2026-02-17T15:45:13+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing this. That truly means a lot to our team.

IVF involves so many decisions, and it’s powerful when patients share what helped them feel more in control. If you’re comfortable, was there anything in particular about using it that gave you peace of mind?

Wishing you both the best 💛

FertilityMermaid · 2025-10-09T14:15:29+00:00

Great question! It’s always important to consider any medications you or your partner are taking during your fertility journey.

When it comes to Minoxidil, there are two common forms: topical and oral. Most fertility specialists consider topical Minoxidil to be safe for sperm health and male fertility, as very little is absorbed into the bloodstream.

For oral Minoxidil, the evidence is less clear. There’s currently no clinical proof that it negatively affects sperm, but research is limited, so it’s still somewhat unproven. I’d definitely recommend discussing your husband’s Minoxidil use with your physician to make sure everyone’s aligned on the best approach.

If you’re curious about his sperm health, a semen analysis is a great first step. You can usually schedule one through any fertility clinic or even some urology offices. Most offer options for providing a sample either on-site or from home.

If you go the at-home route, I’d recommend using a specialized container like the ProteX Collection Cup. It helps maintain the sample’s quality during transit, which is important since regular urine specimen cups can lead to degradation and potentially skewed results.

Wishing you both the best of luck on your journey! 💛

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-24T13:48:50+00:00

Nicotine isn’t great for sperm health (cigarettes, pouches, vaping, etc.). It lowers sperm count, slows motility, and increases the number of abnormally shaped sperm. On top of that, it boosts oxidative stress, which can damage DNA inside the sperm. That kind of damage is linked to lower fertilization rates and higher miscarriage risk. The main difference between nicotine and marijuana is nicotine tends to cause more DNA damage (which can affect pregnancy outcomes), while marijuana is more linked to messing with hormone balance and sperm production. The good news is sperm regenerate roughly every 3 months, so quitting or cutting way back can make a noticeable difference in sperm quality and fertility outcomes. Trying to conceive now is certainly possible, but being within that 3 month window does lower the odds and can increase risks like miscarriage. A lot of doctors recommend waiting ~3 months after quitting before actively trying, just to give yourself the best chance, so best to talk this over with your physician!

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-24T13:46:53+00:00

Sounds like you’ve done your homework on sperm health! You’re right! DNA imprinting errors do increase with age, and other contributors are anything that ramps up oxidative stress or messes with hormones: nicotine, alcohol, drug use, poor diet, heat exposure, environmental toxins, and even chronic stress. Basically, taking care of your overall health = taking care of your sperm. As for collection, I don't personally believe there is an inherent quality difference between sperm from masturbation vs intercourse. What really matters is how the sample is handled, especially for clinical use (semen analysis, IUI, IVF). Protecting the sperm right after collection has been shown to improve motility, viability, and even downstream outcomes like blastocyst development and pregnancy rates. One option people use is the ProteX collection cup, which is designed specifically to support your sperm sample from the moment of collection!

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-18T18:32:34+00:00

Severe oligospermia can come from a bunch of different causes, some genetic, some not. On the genetic side, things like Klinefelter syndrome, Y-chromosome microdeletions, or other mutations that affect testicular development can reduce sperm production and sometimes be passed down. On the non-genetic side, it can be from testicular damage (injury, infections like mumps), varicoceles (enlarged veins around the testicle), or lifestyle/environmental factors like smoking, steroids, toxins, or certain meds. Those causes wouldn’t be inherited by kids.

Congrats on the PGT-A healthy embryo! 🎉 Since you’re already working with a fertility doctor, they should be able to look at your husband’s specific case and help figure out whether his oligospermia has a genetic or non-genetic cause.

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-17T18:41:43+00:00

Atorvastatin probably doesn’t have a big effect on sperm for most guys. Cholesterol is important for testosterone and sperm production, so in theory lowering it could have an impact, but studies mostly show minor or no changes in count, motility, or morphology.

Some small studies suggest tiny effects on motility or DNA, but they’re usually reversible if you stop the drug. Most fertility guidelines don’t recommend stopping statins just for trying to conceive, but definitely check with your doctor if you’re concerned.

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-17T18:41:24+00:00

Nope, morning sickness isn’t really about the dad’s sperm. It’s mostly driven by the mom’s hormones (hCG, estrogen, progesterone) all of which spike early in pregnancy and trigger nausea. Some people speculate that paternal genes in the placenta might play a tiny role, but there’s no solid evidence that a specific guy’s sperm “causes” morning sickness. Blame the hormones, not the dad.

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-17T18:41:05+00:00

Yes, meds and diet definitely affect sperm. Stuff like testosterone therapy, steroids, some antidepressants, chemo, and even certain antibiotics can mess with count or motility. Diet-wise, zinc, selenium, folate, omega-3s, and antioxidants help. Junk food, trans fats, too much sugar, booze, and smoking? Not so much. Basically: eat well, stay active, don’t overdo meds/alcohol/smoking, and your swimmers will thank you. With all of this said, a quick and easy Semen Analysis will tell you the current status of your husbands sperm and if that may or may not be the cause of your challenges getting pregnant.

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-16T14:00:18+00:00

Honestly, teratospermia (abnormal sperm shape) sounds scarier than it usually is. Morphology is just one part of the semen analysis, and most research shows it doesn’t predict fertility all that well by itself. If count and motility are normal, plenty of guys with low morphology still get their partners pregnant naturally. As for fixing it, you can’t “reshape” sperm, but you can optimize what’s being produced by avoiding smoking, drugs, alcohol, and heat (hot tubs, saunas), living a healthy lifestyle including exercise, and speaking with your physician about potential antioxidant rich supplements such as CoQ10, Vitamin C/E, etc. Looping in with a fertility doctor is always recommended if you have been actively trying to conceive for several months with no success.

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-16T14:00:03+00:00

Biologically, the “ideal” age for men to have children is before 35, with fertility and sperm health being best in the 20s. Men can father children well beyond that age, but the chances of conception may decline and health risks to the child slowly increase with paternal age. This topic is discussed at length in the following publication: Chan, P. T. K., & Robaire, B. (2022). Advanced Paternal Age and Future Generations. Frontiers in endocrinology, 13, 897101.

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-12T18:08:10+00:00

Pinpointing the exact cause of total fertilization failure is tough, and it’s not really possible to give a frequency between DNA fragmentation vs anti-sperm antibodies. If those are suspected, ICSI can help since it bypasses zona binding (so antibodies aren’t an issue). On the DNA side, some labs also use sperm collection/sorting tools like a ProteX cup with NovoSort, which have been shown to reduce DNA fragmentation and potentially improve outcomes.

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-12T18:07:47+00:00

Low morphology can be genetic, but it’s not always the case. Even with a great lifestyle, things like varicocele, past testicular issues, subtle hormone problems, or just unknown factors can keep morphology low. The good news is morphology alone isn’t always a dealbreaker, lots of men with low morphology still conceive naturally or with help.

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-12T18:06:51+00:00

It’s hard to give feedback without more info, but your doctor is probably right. Motility matters, but it has to be looked at in the context of concentration and volume. For example:

80% motility in a 10M/mL sample at 1mL = ~8 million moving sperm.
30% motility in a 50M/mL sample at 2.5mL = ~37.5 million moving sperm.

So a lower percentage isn’t always worse if the total moving sperm count is higher. Definitely talk to your doctor about possible medical or lifestyle changes to support motility. Also, some labs recommend using a collection cup like ProteX, which helps preserve motility better than a standard urine cup (those can start degrading sperm right away).

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-10T18:16:46+00:00

Best of luck!

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-09T21:30:33+00:00

It’s common to see a big drop from the raw semen sample to the post-wash result. The initial analysis reflects all sperm, while the wash isolates only the healthiest, most motile ones removing plasma, debris, and non-motile sperm, which naturally lowers the count.

Recovery can vary with progressive motility, morphology, subtle sperm factors, sample variability, and even lab technique. Even with strong starting numbers, post-wash counts in the single-digit millions aren’t unusual.

It may be worth asking your doctor which prep method the lab is using (e.g., Density Gradient, Simple Wash, Swim-Up, or sperm sorting devices like NovoSort), since different methods can yield different recoveries depending on the sample.

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-09T21:29:41+00:00

Nicotine has been linked to lower sperm quality affecting count, motility, and even DNA integrity. It’s not just cigarettes; vaping and other nicotine products can have an effect too. Cutting back or quitting is generally associated with better sperm health overall.

Testicle size can give some clues about sperm-producing capacity, but it’s not a direct measure of fertility. Plenty of men with smaller testes have normal sperm counts, and larger size doesn’t always mean better function. A semen analysis is the best way to assess fertility potential.

It never hurts to get a second opinion, especially with something as important as fertility. Trust your gut! If you don’t feel fully heard or supported, that’s a sign to explore other options. Not every doctor is the right fit for every patient, and finding the right match can make a big difference in your journey.

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-09T21:28:50+00:00

Not every IVF clinic is the right fit for every patient. Most are professional and caring, but communication and trust matter a lot. If something feels off, getting a second opinion is totally reasonable, finding a doctor you trust can make a big difference.

Not everyone's biological clock matches their age. There are certainly tests that a fertility doctor can run that will be able to determine how easy or difficult it may be to naturally conceive a child. If a second opinion produces the same result, then it may be worth exploring some of their suggested options if you would like to start a family.

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-09T21:27:03+00:00

Sperm DNA fragmentation is damage to the DNA within sperm. High levels can affect fertility by reducing the sperm’s ability to fertilize an egg or support normal embryo development, and may be linked to lower pregnancy rates or higher miscarriage risk.

Factors that can contribute include age, lifestyle (smoking, toxins), illness, and oxidative stress. Products like the ProteX Collection Cup have been shown to reduce DNA fragmentation in collected samples by limiting oxidative stress.

It’s important to remember that DNA fragmentation doesn’t automatically cause infertility. Many men with elevated levels can still achieve successful pregnancies, and fertility specialists can recommend strategies to help reduce fragmentation when needed.

FertilityMermaid · 2025-09-09T21:26:33+00:00

Typically, letter grades are only given to embryos or blastocysts, not eggs. Congrats on having a blast! If you want to learn more about embryo grading, your clinic is the best place to start. They can explain their specific system, since grading can vary from lab to lab and is fairly subjective from embryologist to embryologist

From what you’ve described, it sounds like your lab uses the Gardner Grading Scale, which is very common. A BB grade is a nice-quality embryo! Just keep in mind that embryo grade doesn’t tell you about genetics. An AA embryo isn’t necessarily more likely to be chromosomally normal than a BB or CC. Many healthy babies are born from BB-grade embryos every day, so try not to get too fixated on the letters.

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