Back in the saddle again.

I thought about waiting until September to try again but then work demands that we can't travel to Europe so my fears about conceiving in August and being away in early pregnancy in September (just in case we got lucky) is a non-reality. So with ovulation upon us this weekend it just seemed like the natural thing to do a little BDing.

I'm feeling okay about it right now. As the days go by I'm sure I will start obsessing over my temps and chart and then whether or not we caught a shooting star but for right now, I'm okay with trying.

Wish us luck.

About Anti-sperm Antibodies

I've looked up links on this topic for online friends who have had to contend with this male-factor fertility problem.

There are a few different types of anti-sperm antibodies, they can attach at the head, mid-section or tail. Identifying what type you have is key as it helps the doc to know what kind of wash to do prior to an insemination.

General information about this condition:

Treatment of Infertility Associated with the Presence of Sperm Antibodies in the Man

Anti-Sperm Antibodies

Antisperm Antibodies

Immunological Factors & Infertility

Immunological Testing and Treatment for Infertility

When Sperm Meets Egg: Sperm-Mucus Interaction

Medical articles and abstracts about anti-sperm antibodies

Semen sample collection in medium enhances the implantation rate following ICSI in patients with severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia

Sperm antibodies

Intra-uterine insemination versus cyclic, low-dose prednisolone in couples with male antisperm antibodies.

A comparison of intrauterine insemination in superovulated cycles to intercourse in couples where the male is receiving steroids for the treatment of autoimmune infertility.

Characterization of spermatozoa surface antigens by antisperm antibodies and its influence on acrosomal exocytosis.

[Chinese traditional medicine yi kang ling to treat immunity infertility caused by anti-sperm antibody: the experimental research II]

[Effect of antisperm antibodies on assisted reproduction]

[Effect of heavy metals on immune reactions in patients with infertility]

[Immunological approach to male contraception]



The Infetility Cure also mentions that ASA can be treated with chinese herbs, focusing on the pattern of deficiency or excess. At any rate, the anti-bodies indicate an immune reaction in the body and taking the efforts to try to improve the man's health overall should help provide some results, even if it is just better quality sperm for IVF. I'd do the MFI supplement cocktail, though consulting with a TCM practitioner would be an excellent place to start.

Training my fertility monitor

My last cycle using my fertility monitor, the third cycle using it, was unusual and it threw the monitor off a bit. As you might recall I had high estradiol and a delayed ovulation (CD22) brought on by vitex that cycle, the same cycle I got pregnant.

I wanted to use my monitor this cycle to see how my hormones were doing and see if everything was back on track finally. Today was CD9 and finally it asked me for a test; usually I would start testing on CD6 or so. Today's test registered at a high day, pretty normal for mid-follicular phase. I'm due to ovulate next Monday/Tuesday (CD15/16) and hopefully it will be less hormonally challenging and with a lot less discomfort this time around.

Hopefully a more normal cycle will get this monitor back on track with me and then next cycle when we consider trying again it might be of some use. (It's so hard not to try this cycle speaking only from an opportunistic and competitive standpoint but really I need to have a rest for a little while longer and I would not do well with another loss right now so I'll just continue to bench myself for a while longer.)