Low sperm count - what are our chances?

[Eko]

DH went and had his sperm analysed because last time we were TTC it took a long time and it was because of very low sperm count (sadly wasn't given any numbers then). We managed to conceive naturally while queuing for IVF treatment. Also conceived naturally once before that ended in miscarriage and was suspected ectopic.
We want another baby and don't want to spend ages trying naturally if the chances are small but we also don't want to pay for IVF if our chances of conceiving naturally in reasonable amount of time are OK. The plus side of doing IVF is that there's a possibility that we get a frozen leftover embryo for later, in case we would like a third child when we are older...

I'm 35 years old. Still breastfeeding our 2.5 year old but I've had periods since he was 4 months old. I take ubiquinol and folate.

DH is 39 years old. Does what he can to improve sperm quality: release every 3 days, no hot laptop, coq10, zink, folic acid. Intermittently multi vitamins. I think he will start taking fertilaid (but maybe half dose) and l-carnitine now after getting the results back. Not a lot of exercise but he takes 1 hour walk with me every evening.

So here are his results:

Before preparation:
Volume: 2.4 mL
Concentration: 15 million/mL
Progressive motile: 50%
Non progressive motile: 25%
Total sperm count: 31.2 million
Total motile sperm count 15.6 million
Viscosity: +++ ( scale being +, ++, +++)

After preparation with puresperm method:
Volume: 1ml
Concentration: 0.4 million/mL
Concentration progressive motile sperm: 0.25 million/mL (69.4%)
Total motile sperm: 0.25 million
Motility: 2.5 (scale being 0-3)
Comments after prep: Low concentration and low total sperm count. Low motility before prep (because of high viscosity we think, he had comments about viscosity being too thick last time too).


So, any ideas what our chances are? I know we have conceived naturally a few years back but maybe we were just super lucky? Or it's reasonable to expect it to happen again? I just don't know how low these low results are.

[Eko]

I think he will start taking l-carnitine now after getting the results back.

L-carnitine or was it L-arginine? I can't remember now, but I think one of them was supposed to be good! Obviously gonna read up on it and search for studies, right now I'm only trying to remember stuff from what I read last time.

[atomic sagebrush]

I need to do more research into the Puresperm method before I reply to your question and my Internet is at a glacial pace right now for some reason. Long story short, the pre-treatment numbers are definitely possible for conception. The post treatment isn't, and I do not know how this correlates and so I need to research what exactly the relationship between the two is. Please bump this for me.

I do want you to know I despise Fertilaid. I think both of you (especially you, but him too) should stay miles away from Fertilaid products. They have herbs in them that may be way more harm than good.

Have him take JUST carnitine and arginine. No ginseng, no maca. I know these have a reputation for being good for fertility but they are not, and I"m happy to explain why that is if you'd like. Coq10 (ubiquinol) is ok and any men's over 50 vitamin with about 100% DRV of the vitamins and minerals (which are way way cheaper than Fertilaid anyway.) He could possibly add in lycopene, pycogenol, nitric oxide (altho arginine helps with that) and the grapeseed, but I think these are not necessary.