Unexplained Infertility: Explained

For couples who make the decision to go see a fertility specialist after trying to conceive without success, the experience can be both frightening and empowering at the same time. The news may not be good, but at least you’ll have some answers as to why you’re having trouble conceiving, right? However, for around 20% of couples who undergo fertility testing, the diagnosis is unexplained infertility.

But what exactly is unexplained infertility? And what options are available to you if you’re part of the 1 in 5 couples with unexplained infertility? Here, the fertility experts at IVF FLORIDA’s fertility clinic in Miami discuss unexplained infertility and the options available to you.

What is unexplained infertility?

For couples who have been trying to conceive without success, the first step is a consultation with a fertility specialist. At this consultation, the specialist will order a full fertility workup. This will help them determine if:

• Your fallopian tubes are open and healthy
• Tests determine you have a healthy ovarian reserve
• Your uterine cavity has no issues impeding implantation of the embryo (such as fibroids)
• Your partner has a normal semen analysis

If it’s determined that there are no issues that should keep you from achieving and carrying a pregnancy after completing a full workup, your fertility doctor may diagnose you with unexplained infertility. While there is a reason that you and your partner are unable to conceive, the unexplained infertility diagnosis just means there is no current way to evaluate what that reason is.

What fertility options are available to you?

The first step for couples with unexplained infertility are often the less invasive fertility options, including fertility medications and/or intrauterine inseminations (IUIs). This is often enough for many couples with unexplained infertility to achieve a pregnancy. For couples who are unable to conceive with medications or IUIs, the next step would be In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). In IVF, a woman’s ovaries are stimulated to produce multiple eggs which are then retrieved using a surgical procedure. The eggs and sperm are then combined in a laboratory to make embryos, with a healthy embryo then transferred into the woman’s uterus.

Luckily, IVF is very successful at helping women achieve a pregnancy. But even if IVF is initially unsuccessful, it can reveal fertility issues which can’t be seen in the initial fertility workup– such as issues with egg or sperm quality which can keep an embryo from developing normally. If egg or sperm quality is the cause of the infertility, you and your partner can then evaluate if using donor eggs or sperm would be an option for you.

An unexplained infertility diagnosis can be frustrating for couples who have been struggling to conceive. Luckily, the fertility specialists at IVF FLORIDA’s South Florida fertility clinics are experienced at helping couples with unexplained infertility build the family of their dreams. To schedule a consultation with one of our fertility doctors, contact us today at 954-247-6200.