a post to another woman dealing with MFI...

We had REs tell us we probably needed do do ICSI as well, it was basically presented as "you can work up to it however you like but it is probably what it will take". We tried the alternative medicine route and supplements instead and I'm still in disbelief that we did it but we're in our 6th week now.

Have you consulted yet with a urologist (UR) who specializes in (male) fertility issues? Out of anyone we worked with he was great to have as a backup and he thought we could do it with my partners numbers (see my sig below) even post vasectomy reversal. Have the S/A tests included tests for antibodies, it isn't a standard test. Also, the UR had us do the SPA test to see how the sperm reacted with the egg membrane. We did that test in May, the test results came back positive and we coincidently conceived the same cycle. He felt that the SPA (sperm penetration assay -- aka hamster egg test -- poor hamster) was useful as a next step in our diagnosis.

Dr Perloe had also suggested to us that the sperm DNA fragmentation test would be worthwhile but we didn't have to go that far.

ICSI is expensive and (not to alarm you but this made me wary) might possibly damage the fertilized egg. I know we have read articles, etc. it is just that a friend of mine is a microbiologist researcher working with reproductive research and he told me that among his colleagues there was concern that this is still a new procedure and the long term risks were uncertain.

You could try IVF with rescue ICSI (just in case the sperm aren't doing their job in the dish) instead.

Go for the vitamins and exercise for your partners/husbands though -- selenium, zinc, vit.c and antioxidents. You want to have sperm that are strong and can optimize the best ones to be stronger.