Dead sperm in semen analysis. Which fertility treatment?

My husband and I went to a fertility clinic because we still have not conceived after 2 years. He had a semen analysis and the results were devastating. His sperm cells are dead. Our doctor recommended sperm donation. But we don’t want to give up our genetic load. Is there any possibility to conceive with his own sperm despite his condition?

Hi Apples,

I’m sorry to hear this. The results must indeed be devastating for the two of you. However, you still have pregnancy options thanks to modern assisted reproductive technologies.

Necrozoospermia is the medical term for when all sperm cells are dead in a fresh semen sample. There are two categories of necrozoospermia: Incomplete, when many but not all sperm cells are dead. On the other hand, we speak of complete necrozoospermia when all sperm in a semen sample are non-viable. Depending on the type of necrozosospermia, your husband could actually get you pregnant by means of testicular biopsy and Intracytoplasmatic Sperm Injection (ICSI). With this method, viable spermatozoa will be extracted from your husband’s testicle and directly injected into the eggs of the intended mother. Read more about this procedure here: Testicular Biopsy and ICSI.

If you need help in figuring out which options are best for you, I recommend you access our fertility report. This tool is completely free of charge and indicates fertility clinics in your preferred area, suitable fertility treatments, a cost estimate in order to prevent unpleasant surprises, and much more. Here is the link: Your Personalized Fertility Report.

Hope this helps you,

wish you all the best.