IS YOUR INFERTILITY EXPLAINABLE?

Any diagnosis of infertility can be hard to face — but when all the usual blood tests are normal and every diagnosis, sample and examination reveals nothing of note, we speak of unexplained infertility. 

Infertility may be described as "unexplained" if the woman ovulates regularly, her fallopian tubes are healthy, there is no sign of endometriosis or adhesions, and the man has a normal sperm count. If the couple has intercourse at least twice a week around ovulation but there is still no conception after 12 months, a diagnosis of unexplained infertility may be appropriate. 

Fertility investigations should include a transvaginal ultrasound to check for abnormalities of the ovaries, blood tests to check that an egg is being released, and a semen analysis.

If one or both of you smoke, are overweight or have a medical condition that is not well controlled, your fertility tests may all be normal and yet your attempts to conceive may not succeed. With a detailed review of your personal and medical history, a Reproductive Medicine Specialist may be able to identify something that needs to change to help you achieve a pregnancy.

Some women may release eggs before they are mature, or their eggs may have chromosomal abnormalities — particularly if the woman is older or is going through premature menopause. If a problem with egg quality or quantity is suspected, further tests are indicated.

For men, while a simple semen analysis may show that there is enough sperm moving normally, it does not reveal whether the sperm is healthy. An additional test that  detects whether you have high levels of sperm DNA damage may help explain why a pregnancy has not yet been achieved.

What none of these tests can tell us is whether the sperm fertilises the egg, and unfortunately this can only be assessed during IVF treatment itself. However, if this is the case, treatments are available that can resolve the problem.

There are many causes of infertility, and those mentioned above are some of the most common. If you have been trying to conceive for a long time without success, the best advice is to seek help early. At the "Alexandros Traianos" Centre for Reproductive Medicine & Fetal Medicine we see many patients for whom there is no clear reason why they have not achieved a pregnancy — but their treatment can succeed even when the infertility remains unexplained.

*The content of this blog is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified healthcare providers with any questions you may have about medical conditions.