Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

I was talking to a girl at work today about TTC and to what extent we would go to have a child.

She's fairly new to the whole TTC process - I'm not even sure they're really trying at this point - so she was not very familiar with some of the issues that can come up when you're TTC.

One of the things I mentioned was the possibility of having problems conceiving and what the possible courses of action are. One thing that came up was the SA to which she replied that she didn't think her husband would EVER go for that b/c he would NEVER admith that if they were to have IF issues, it could or would be his fault.

I replied, that while I understand it could be something of a blow to the ego to suggest that an IF problem could be his, but from what I understand it's a pretty easy test and certainly worth ruling out as it could be a real possibility. Not to mention, there are things they can do to help him, if there is a problem detected.

She shrugged her sholders. I couldn't believe it. I thought to myself, how SELFISH could someone be?? To automatically assume, that if you're having IF issues it could NEVER be the man's fault.

Naturally, I didn't say this, but again, I was pretty blown away.

As for myself, I'm sure DH wouldn't be very comfortable doing it, but he would certainly do whatever he had to do to have us conceive a child.

What are your thoughts?

Message edited 4/23/2008 12:05:54 AM.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

Yes he would & he will if the next two cycles fail. I told him that if we don't get pregnant in 6 cycles (although I guess technically we did) that he is going for an SA. It's a simple test & after 6 months I think it's worth ruling out any on his part. DH said that while he will probably b*tch & moan a little bit, he will do it

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

Mine offered to go before we even started TTC.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

I have started to talk to DH about this since we have been trying for almost a year now. He seems to be in denial and not clearly understand. Im not sure how the conversation came up with his Aunt but she explained the whole process to him and pretty much said if you both truly want a baby then you will both do whatever necessary to make it happen and dh agreed and has quoted these same words to me this last week again. So i think that in the end he will definately do it.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

My DH did it - he was not thrilled about it, but the reality is, as the other poster said, it's such an easy test and it immediately rules out the male. If a man has the problem, probably nothing you do to the female will work, so it makes sense to just do the test first.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

Our Dr. suggested it and DH had no problem doing it. He''s been pretty wonderful throughout this whole process.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

Dh did without a grumble or groan. He had a feeling something wasn't right with him and he wanted to get the SA. Guess what. He was right. He has issues and now we are seeing an RE next week to figure out the next step which is probably IUI's.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

In the beginning DH want me to get tested first bc he didn't feel that it was anything on his end. When my OB explained that it is easier & less invasive to test a man first, he quickly jumped on board. He did have his first SA & realized it was not a big deal but unfortunately we did discover we are dealing with Male IF. He is going for a repeat in a week & has no problems at all. He has agreed with me that we will do whatever it takes to have our little baby!!!

I am sure that if your friend gets to the point, she will have a change of heart & most likely her DH. When you have been trying for months with no success, you really start to question things & want answers....

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

He's already volunteered to do it if nothing happens after this cycle.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

This will be our 3rd cycle, and since I am crazy, he just had an SA done!

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

When we were TTC and my OB/GYN referred us to the RE the first thing they wanted was a SA and my DH didn't hesitate for a second. He said he would do ANYTHING at all to ensure that we got pregnant, any test, any procedure. When the RE mentioned having an IUI the RE was nervous about bringing it up because he said so many men are completely opposed but DH shrugged his shoulders and said, "whatever it takes". Needless to say he did the SA and we had an IUI and we're pregnant so it was all well worth it!!

I think men feel like it's some "slight" on their manhood which is just ridiculous. These same men would think nothing of putting their wives through a battery of tests but somehow the thought of them having to do the same is crazy. It's a shame that a DH would not just be on board with everything and anything from the word "GO" because ultimately if a baby is what you want then to me, no test or procedure is too much to get what you want.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

Yes he would, and he has... 3 times!

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

Yes he has done it and did it without any hesitation.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

It was the first thing our regular GYN wanted us to do. I had an HSG and he had an SA. He wanted children and knew that since we were having difficulty, there were steps in the process. This was one of them.

I was literally in tears after the HSG and had surgery in which I had to be knocked out in order for us to become parents. A few minutes with a computer or a dirty magazine is NOTHING compared to waking up vomiting from anesthesia and bleeding for days. DH acknowledged what I had to do and felt bad enough about it as he waited three hours for me to come out of the recovery room. My surgery was short, my recovery was difficult - for me, anesthesia is horrible.

Frankly, if he didn't do it an SA and flat out refused, I know I would be questioning whether or not I could be with someone who wouldnt be able to do everything possible to have a child of our own. I would be questioning his commitment to me and our future since we extablished long before we were married that we wanted kids and there were NO religious boundaries as to this child would be created. Just my thoughts.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

You can order a test online and have it done in your home. It is like a pregnancy test, but for the male. You just need a sample, and it will tell you the results.

To add, this isn't a SA, rather than telling the approximate sperm count.

Message edited 4/23/2008 9:52:15 AM.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

Mine went for one before we even started TTC. It's the easiest of all fertility tests (he does his business in a cup) and can rule out 50% of fertility problems.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

DH was on board from day 1. When we got to the RE, I had to have an exam and then an SA was one of the first things that had to be scheduled and done. DH felt that if he could do something so simple, then he definitely would! It was embarrassing at first but you get over it!

I guess when you have come to the point where you're TTC and it's not happening naturally, you start to wonder... And then you will try anything and do anything just to get closer to getting PG.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

Sounds like the girl you spoke to at work is probably immature (in the TTC process) and isn't *really* going through the process. If she were truly going through the process, she would soon realize that she would do anything to get pregnant. Hopefully she'll never have to go through what we're going through...

Message edited 4/23/2008 10:36:02 AM.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

Absolutely.

It's not something we even spoke about, but he glanced over at the computer when I opened this post and said that he wouldn't have a problem with that at all.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

absolutely he would go, he said if it doesn't happen in a few more months he wants to have it done

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

Message edited 1/1/2009 11:56:15 AM.

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

Re: Semen Analysis - Would your husband do it?

DH would in a heart beat