Insurance for SP frag test

simbathedog · 01-20-2009, 04:43 PM

Does anyone know if insurance will cover the sperm fragmentation test. we have severe make factor - He is trying all of the vitamins to see if it improves. We just had a failed DE cycle with ICSI. Now the Dr. are saying - maybe its the sperm, before they said ICSI solves male the male factor. crazy journey with so many variables and unknowns

lakelivin · 01-20-2009, 05:01 PM

From what I have heard, the test is still considered experimental and not covered by insurance. The test, including shipping, was $350 for us last month when ordered directly from SCSA Diagnostics. I have not yet checked into insurance coverage as SCSA does not file insurance so I knew it would all be done after the fact anyway...

simbathedog · 01-21-2009, 09:23 AM

Thanks for the reply; I am trying to decide if we should get the test or not and what it will tell us that may help us decide on what to do on our next cycle. We plan to do half DS and Half DHS. I guess if he has lots of fragmentation then woud we just do to all DS??

lakelivin · 01-21-2009, 12:58 PM

It is personal choice, but if the fragmentation numbers come back over 30% then I would go all donor. There is no way for the embryologist to know which sperm are good and which are fragmented so using all donor would up your odds. You could also consider TESE. That is suppose to help with the fragmentation and I know there is at least one TESE baby on these boards.

As for us, we just wanted more information after our failed DE cycle, but I think we have already decided to try a few DS IUIs no matter what the SCSA results are for us. After watching the DE cycle look very much like our other IVF cycles, we can't help but think there is something going on with the sperm. There is still so much to learn in this arena so we will take our DE cycle as a learning experience/more data and continue to move forward trying new things...

simbathedog · 01-21-2009, 01:07 PM

Thank you for your thoughts. I thought about trying some IUI's with DS with my own eggs but I had two failed IVF with my own eggs and my egg quality was very poor for at the three day stage they were only 4 celled. I am not sure I want to take the time and go through that. At least with the DE cycle we got to the 5 day blasts stage; so we prob have an egg and and sp issue - Myself and DH joke that we are both mutants... we try to make light of it anyway. We will head over to either the zlin or slovakia for the next and hopefully last go around in March using half and half or all DS if his have not improved at all.

lakelivin · 01-21-2009, 06:43 PM

How did I miss the DE part of your story! So our stories are very similar. We only had 2 blasts out of 13 embryos. Our donor had a 50% blast rate so the docs were surprised, as were we. With OE IVF we always had a few make it to 8-cell on day 3, but then they essentially stop or only make it to 11-cells by day 4. We had the best results with mini-IVF. So I suspect we also have some egg issues, but the sperm is not helping matters. I know I have read in 2 places that the sperm's dna kicks in on day 3, but I am now having a hard time finding that info. It gives me hope that DS will work for us. Otherwise I think we will move on to donor embryos or adoption.

Have you looked into Repromeda in Brno or Fertimed in Olomouc? We went to Reprofit in Brno and they were very good to work with, Fertimed was our second choice. Check out the UK Fertility Friends boards if you have not already. Lots of women heading to the Czech Republic. Most go to Reprofit, it has a good rep on the boards and is the least expensive although rates have gone up, so the wait is very long. Fertimed and Repromeda have a 3 months wait is all, last I heard.

01-20-2009, 04:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
simbathedog 0-99 post 2 of hearts Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NM Posts: 63	Insurance for SP frag test Does anyone know if insurance will cover the sperm fragmentation test. we have severe make factor - He is trying all of the vitamins to see if it improves. We just had a failed DE cycle with ICSI. Now the Dr. are saying - maybe its the sperm, before they said ICSI solves male the male factor. crazy journey with so many variables and unknowns

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01-20-2009, 05:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
lakelivin 100-199 post 3 of hearts Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: GA Posts: 169	From what I have heard, the test is still considered experimental and not covered by insurance. The test, including shipping, was $350 for us last month when ordered directly from SCSA Diagnostics. I have not yet checked into insurance coverage as SCSA does not file insurance so I knew it would all be done after the fact anyway...

01-21-2009, 09:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
simbathedog 0-99 post 2 of hearts Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NM Posts: 63	Thanks for the reply; I am trying to decide if we should get the test or not and what it will tell us that may help us decide on what to do on our next cycle. We plan to do half DS and Half DHS. I guess if he has lots of fragmentation then woud we just do to all DS??

01-21-2009, 12:58 PM	#4 (permalink)
lakelivin 100-199 post 3 of hearts Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: GA Posts: 169	It is personal choice, but if the fragmentation numbers come back over 30% then I would go all donor. There is no way for the embryologist to know which sperm are good and which are fragmented so using all donor would up your odds. You could also consider TESE. That is suppose to help with the fragmentation and I know there is at least one TESE baby on these boards. As for us, we just wanted more information after our failed DE cycle, but I think we have already decided to try a few DS IUIs no matter what the SCSA results are for us. After watching the DE cycle look very much like our other IVF cycles, we can't help but think there is something going on with the sperm. There is still so much to learn in this arena so we will take our DE cycle as a learning experience/more data and continue to move forward trying new things...

01-21-2009, 01:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
simbathedog 0-99 post 2 of hearts Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NM Posts: 63	Thank you for your thoughts. I thought about trying some IUI's with DS with my own eggs but I had two failed IVF with my own eggs and my egg quality was very poor for at the three day stage they were only 4 celled. I am not sure I want to take the time and go through that. At least with the DE cycle we got to the 5 day blasts stage; so we prob have an egg and and sp issue - Myself and DH joke that we are both mutants... we try to make light of it anyway. We will head over to either the zlin or slovakia for the next and hopefully last go around in March using half and half or all DS if his have not improved at all.

01-21-2009, 06:43 PM	#6 (permalink)
lakelivin 100-199 post 3 of hearts Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: GA Posts: 169	How did I miss the DE part of your story! So our stories are very similar. We only had 2 blasts out of 13 embryos. Our donor had a 50% blast rate so the docs were surprised, as were we. With OE IVF we always had a few make it to 8-cell on day 3, but then they essentially stop or only make it to 11-cells by day 4. We had the best results with mini-IVF. So I suspect we also have some egg issues, but the sperm is not helping matters. I know I have read in 2 places that the sperm's dna kicks in on day 3, but I am now having a hard time finding that info. It gives me hope that DS will work for us. Otherwise I think we will move on to donor embryos or adoption. Have you looked into Repromeda in Brno or Fertimed in Olomouc? We went to Reprofit in Brno and they were very good to work with, Fertimed was our second choice. Check out the UK Fertility Friends boards if you have not already. Lots of women heading to the Czech Republic. Most go to Reprofit, it has a good rep on the boards and is the least expensive although rates have gone up, so the wait is very long. Fertimed and Repromeda have a 3 months wait is all, last I heard.