Fertility treatment at LPPKN has a few steps that need to be followed in sequences.

The first important test is the Semen Analysis or Sperm Analysis (SA). If the Semen Analysis result is negative, the husband will be asked to have a repeat test.

If the result is still negative, the husband will be asked to get help from a specialist.

LPPKN will not proceed with the wife’s test until the Semen Analysis is ok.

This is some information that I get from a website regarding Semen Analysis. Hope it shed some lights for those who’re thinking of getting help from LPPKN.

A semen analysis measures the amount of semen a man produces and determines the number and quality of sperm in the semen sample.

A semen analysis is usually one of the first tests done to help determine whether a man has a problem fathering a child (infertility). A problem with the semen or sperm affects more than one-third of the couples who are unable to have children (infertile).

Tests that may be done during a semen analysis include:

• Volume. This is a measure of how much semen is present in one ejaculation.
• Liquefaction time. Semen is a thick gel at the time of ejaculation and normally becomes liquid within 20 minutes after ejaculation. Liquefaction time is a measure of the time it takes for the semen to liquefy.
• Sperm count. This is a count of the number of sperm present per milliliter (mL) of semen in one ejaculation.
• Sperm morphology. This is a measure of the percentage of sperm that have a normal shape.
• Sperm motility. This is a measure of the percentage of sperm that can move forward normally. The number of sperm that show normal forward movement in a certain amount of semen can also be measured (motile density).
• pH. This is a measure of the acidity (low pH) or alkalinity (high pH) of the semen.
• White blood cell count. White blood cells are not normally present in semen.
• Fructose level. This is a measure of the amount of a sugar called fructose in the semen. The fructose provides energy for the sperm.

This is my husband’s story regarding his Semen Analysis.

He was given a small container to put his semen in after ejaculating.

For this purpose, he was aked to go into a small air-conditioned room complete with a bed, a TV, a cd-player and of course, some erotic @ XXX @ blue VCDs to assist him doing what he was suppose to do!!

Once in 1 1/2 - 2 hours, I pick her up and offer her my breast. She sleeps heavily during the day so her sucks is not that strong.

Yesterday, she was awake at 6 pm and I took the opportunity to breastfeed her. Oh.. she was very (very) hungry that she sucked so vigorously on both breasts!

And, last night she woke up at 11 pm and was alert until midnight. She took her feed continuously in that one hour.

At 3 am, I woke up and tried to breastfeed her again. However, she wiggled and continued sleeping.

However, one hour later she woke up and didn’t sleep at all for the next two hours!

That’s the best time to breastfeed, play and talk with my lil’ baby. She was very alert, active and passed stool twice.

This means she is having a good feed.

Alhamdulillah. Thank God.

Alhamdulillah, my lil’ baby is back!

Yesterday, we went to Selangor Medical Center at 1 pm. My hubby went for solat Jumaat and I went straight to the second floor.

She was sleeping peacefully. Oh honey baby, mama is here!

I picked her up and breastfeed her. She sucked vigorously for a minute and slept again. I wonder whether she got my milk or not during the feeding. My breast still feeling heavy.

Anyway, we waited for the bill while me still trying to breastfeed my baby. The hospital bill for the 10 days intensive care treatments for jaundice and infection is almost RM7,000!

Half of the amount was for paying the specialists looking after my baby. That’s included a brief consultancy by Datuk Dr Zakaria, a very well-known paed specialist who gave opinion on lil’ Izzah stomach/intestine condition.

If not mistaken, Dr Zakaria is the doctor who performed the separation surgery for the siamese twin from Kedah. It was in the television and papers right?

Before going home, Dr Ling gave us six tins of special formula for premature babies. The premature special infant formula’s brand is Enfalac A+.

Dr Ling advised to give the formula in addition to breastmilk in case my milk is not enough. Izzah’s weight has dropped to 1.98 kg. She was given IV drip of glucose for about 7 days since addmitted (due to regurgitation/vomitting).

It was only the last 3 days that she was given my expressed breast milk. The special infant formula could help her gain her weight faster.

Back home, I tried breastfeeding her again.

Thank God! She latched and suck so very vigorously when I offered her my right breast. It was almost empty in 10 minutes!

I’ve mentioned somewhere in my blog that I conceived through IUI (Intrauterine Insemination). Yeap, after trying to have a baby through the natural way for 3 years, we decided it was time to get some help.

I’ll be re-writing back some posts from my old blog about fertility treatment at LPPKN. I hope this can be a good guide for couples who want to get help but don’t know what to do.

There are many ways to help you get pregnant. For example, massage by mak bidan to correct the location of your uterus (rahim), traditional herbs and roots, homeopathy medicines, fertilitily pills, IUI and lastly IVF.

I’ve tried the traditional massage, traditional herbs and roots, fertility pills and the last one, IUI.

So, what is LPPKN?

LPPKN stands for Lembaga Penduduk dan Pembangunan Keluarga Negara (National Population and Family Development Board). It is a government-run fertility centre located at Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur.

This is the place where childless couple can get help at a far cheaper cost than private hospitals.

Here are the procedures of getting fertility treatment at LPPKN.

1. Call LPPKN at 603-2693 7555 and set an appointment for your first visit. I called LPPKN sometimes in December 2006 and got an appointment on 22nd February 2007! Such a long wait means a LOT of couples are having the same problem as us!!
2. I heard some couple have to wait for 6-7 months for an appointment. So, be patience because obviously you’re not alone.
3. During the first appointment, you’ll ask to register yourself. Then, your husband will be asked to produce some sperms for the Sperm Analysis. Cost is only RM25 for registration and RM10 for Sperm Analysis (SA). This process will take about half-a-day.
4.  You’ll get the SA result within one hour. If the SA turns good (the sperms are healthy, no abnormality and good count), you’ll be set for another appointment for blood test. If SA is not OK, your husband will be ask to come again at a set date (three weeks later) for a repeat Sperm Analysis.
5. If SA is ok, you’ll be ask to call for an appointment as soon as you have your period. You’ll need to go to LPPKN again for a blood test, any day from 1st day period to 5th day. This process will take only one hour and cost RM60.
6. The nurse will give you an x-ray form and ask you to call Tawakal Hospital for an HSG appointment. I’ll talk about HSG later. The HSG need to be done on your 9th-10th day of period. The HSG cost RM180.
7. Then, you’ll set another appointment with LPPKN for another blood test. This process will take only one hour and cost RM30. All the blood tests are done to monitor your hormone level in a month cycle.
8. You will be asked to wait for your next period. The first day of your period, you must call LPPKN to set an appoinment with a doctor. Normally you’ll need to see the doctor on the 4th day of your period. You can request for a lady doctor if you wish. For appointment, please call them after 2.30pm.
9. The doctor will explain what is your problem and ways to correct. If your tube is not block, the doctor will prescribed fertility drugs to you. You can choose whether to try for yourself first or direct do the IUI. Cost for doctor consultancy & drugs is only RM46.50.
10. If you choose to do IUI, you will set another appoinment with your doctor on the 11th day of your period. This is to scan/ultra sound for checking the availability of your eggs! If there are more than 4 eggs available, the doctor will proceed with IUI on the 13th day of your period.

If you choose to do-it-yourself, the doctor will explain when is the best date & time to have sex.

Note: I tried two IUIs and suceeded in the second attempt.

My hubby cleaned the house as our little princess, Izzah Nabihah is coming home today.

She will be saying bye-bye to two of her friends in the ward. You see, there are only three babies in the NICU and all three are girls.

I think the other two babies are going to stay there for a longer period as they are premature babies with weight less than 2 kg.

One baby weight 1.67 kg and another 1.34 kg only!

The smallest baby was born at 28 weeks. Her face and whole body is still full with fine hairs known as lanugo. Lanugo is developed in the womb to protect the baby’s skin. It will gradually dissapeared when the baby is more matured.

Even my baby still has her lanugo especially on her ears, arms and back. You see, the fine hairs are more significant in premature babies than the normal babies.

Alhamdulillah, my baby birth weight was 2.47 kg eventhough she was born prematurely at 34 weeks. Due to the jaundice and the intestine infection (causing her to regurgitate/vomit milk), her weight dropped to 2.06 kg.

Since her feeding is back to normal, baby Izzah is gaining back her birth weight.

Don’t worry my lil’ baby, mama will give lots (and lots) of love and of course breastfeed you as much as you want, anytime as you wish… so that you’ll grow well and healthy.