Husband being sterile

[sugarpie75]

My husband has no sperm in his semen.  He has low testosterone and he has implants for that but we checked his FSH and LH again and they are still low, I was wondering can that have an affect on his sperm count also.  The other thing is that he got me pregnant once 2 yrs ago.  I was just wondering if there is something else we can do for him to start producing sperm again?

[sugarpie75]

Hello, yes my pregnancy was prior to treatments.  I had to have a D&C and then wasn't able to get pregnant again, so we had him checked.  The implants are testesterone implants the dr said that the implants keep a more consistant amount of testosterone in his system.  Well, I was taking clomid but once we found out that he didnt have any sperm then I stopped taking it.  

[mhv]

My husband has low testosterone too, he takes shots and RE recommeded that he stop those to raise counts.  you mentioned that you hubby has implants?  May I ask what that means?  My DH's count went from 18mil when he started taking testosterone to 8 mil.  Not sure what FSH and LH are?  I have heard that acupunture helps with counts and quality of sperm though.  Are you just doing natural conseption or fertility treatments? Was your pregnancy prior to the testosterone therapy?

[sugarpie75]

We live in Georgia.  I have heard that about the testosterone too that it decreases sperm but the urologist told us that it would help him but it didn't.  I am thinking about calling his medical dr and asking for him to refer him to an endocronologist.  I just think that the fsh and lh have something to do with it too.  It is just every weird.

[mhv]

may I ask where you live?  it's funny my hubby went to urologist this a.m. and the urologist mentioned the implant but said it wasn't avail in OH yet???? Just curious.  I wish my husband would go to an edocronolgist!  I think he needs to get of the testosterone!  Every RE we have spoken with (3) says that testosterone decreases the # of sperm and it's quality because it doesn't force the brain to make it's own. I have watched his #'s drop too, but the urologist says he doesn't buy that.... who are we to believe???  

[sugarpie75]

We asked the urologist if we could do anything and all he said was about the bx,  He said that hormones wouldn't help he didn't think?  I guess I was just seeing if he might need to see an endocronligist, for the hormone imbalance?  Thank you very everything!

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
Your best bet is to work closely with a urologist and fertility expert.  Because your husband was able to produce sperm in the past, there is a chance that he has some sperm in the testicles.  There are different reasons that men have azospermia ( no sperm); it can be due to blockage which can sometimes be correctable by surgery, or it can be hormonal, which can sometimes be corrected with medications, or it can be hereditary which might not be correctable.
There are procedures in which sperm can be obtained by a testicular biopsy and then used to fertilize eggs obtained during an IVF cycle.  This all gets very technical and pricey, but can be done.

One other thing to consider would be donor sperm.

Good luck--don't give up!

Dr B