My boyfriend impregnated another woman but can’t get me pregnant
Dear Dr Mitchell,My boyfriend and I have been trying to have a child for the past eight years, but with no luck. First I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and took medication, but still nothing. He did two semen tests and they both came back as nil sperm, but the funny thing is, we agreed to try to get him to impregnate someone else and she got pregnant twice, but had miscarriages. His blood tests are all okay, so I don’t understand what is going on. We’ve tried so many things and I just don’t know what to do anymore. Any advice?
The problem that you are experiencing with your inability to become pregnant needs to be properly investigated and appropriately managed. Both yourself and your partner need to be thoroughly investigated.
Typically, inability to conceive may be due to a blockage in the fallopian tubes from a sexually transmitted infection or due to infrequent ovulation as a result of the polycystic ovaries. Sometimes endometriosis is the underlying cause, often resulting in adhesions and damage to the fallopian tubes. This can be present in some women with little or no symptoms.
You should have an X-ray of the fallopian tubes (HSG) done to determine if the fallopian tubes are blocked.
The fact that both semen analyses showed no sperms is significant. This could mean that your partner is not producing any sperms or that there is a blockage, and hence no sperms are in the semen. This blockage could result from a sexually transmitted infection. He needs to have a complete physical examination done to determine if his testes are in the right place in the scrotum, or in the abdomen or groin (undescended testes).
It is also important to determine if his testes are smaller than normal, as this could be a sign of testes that are not functional. He will also need to do a blood test to examine his hormone levels, which would determine if he has testicular failure.
A biopsy of his testes can be done to determine if he is producing sperms at all. If he is producing, then these sperms can be removed and used to fertilise your eggs, and the embryo put into the uterus to grow (invitro fertilisation). This is an expensive procedure but works well and is available in Jamaica at the Hugh Wynter Fertility Management Unit at The University of the West Indies, Mona.
It is an extremely bad idea to have him become sexually involved with other women just to see if he is truly infertile as this puts both of you at risk for major sexually transmitted infections. If his sperm count is zero, then it is impossible for these women to become pregnant by him, and it is likely that they are also sexually involved with other men. This is to be totally discouraged.
He should do the safe thing and get the proper evaluations done. Both of you should get a complete screening done for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, Herpes Simplex II, and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) before moving ahead.
Consult your doctor who will advise you further and make the appropriate referral to the fertility specialist and the urologist for your partner.
Dr Sharmaine Mitchell is an obstetrician and gynaecologist. Send questions via e-mail to allwoman@jamaicaobserver.com; write to All Woman, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Ave, Kingston 5; or fax to 876-968-2025. All responses are published. Dr Mitchell cannot provide personal responses.
DISCLAIMER:
The contents of this article are for informational purposes only, and must not be relied upon as an alternative to medical advice or treatment from your own doctor.
