Pregnancy requires several factors to come together perfectly for conception to take place; any discrepancies could thwart conception altogether.
Unexplained infertility occurs when no medically identifiable cause for your inability to get pregnant has been found through testing, making pregnancy impossible for whatever reason. Although this diagnosis can be discouraging, it doesn’t rule out having children altogether – or ever being pregnant again!
1. Hormonal Issues
Unexplained infertility occurs when all fertility tests come back as normal but a woman still can’t conceive after trying for at least a year (if under 35) or six months (if over 35). In such situations, it is suspected that something about her gametes, male gametes or the uterus impedes conception.
Women diagnosed with unexplained infertility should see their doctor for a laparoscopy to identify any scar tissue or blockages to the fallopian tubes known as tubal factor infertility (TFI), while dye injection may help identify it further. An HSG is also performed to ensure their uterus and tubes remain free from inflammation or other issues that could interfere with conception.
Doctors might suggest that women take medication to stimulate egg release from the ovaries and consider assisted reproductive technologies such as IUI or in vitro fertilization (IVF). Unexpected infertility may also be overcome by following advice given by fertility specialists – for instance couples could try timing intercourse around ovulation time.
2. Endometriosis
Endometriosis can significantly interfere with fertility. When endometrial tissue protrudes outside of the uterus, it causes inflammation which interferes with how fallopian tubes and ovaries work; cervical mucus plays an integral part in helping sperm reach eggs during ovulation; quality of eggs can decrease which in turn impacts sperm quality as well as embryo quality. Even mild forms can have detrimental impacts on fertility.
Diagnostic laparoscopy is often the go-to test for endometriosis; doctors look for “gunpowder” lesions which appear black, dark brown or blue on imaging studies. If the disease is mild or atypical, however, doctors may struggle to spot its presence during surgery.
Unexplained infertility can be emotionally exhausting for couples, but that doesn’t have to mean an indefinite infertility problem – all it means is working with more fertility specialists and trying different treatments before conception occurs. Keep in mind that pregnancy requires many factors coming together at just the right time – lifestyle factors like diet, environmental toxins, stress etc can all impact how many eggs produce fertile embryos for successful fertilization.
3. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, or PCOS, affects women by creating multiple small antral follicles which produce eggs but fail to release their contents regularly, leading to irregular periods, harder sex encounters, and increased chances of multiple gestation pregnancy (more than one baby).
Doctors still do not fully understand what causes PCOS, though imbalanced hormones appear to play a part in its development. PCOS causes an ovaries to produce higher amounts of male hormones which in turn increase insulin resistance, hair growth or acne problems in female patients.
Women suffering from PCOS and unexplained infertility have several treatments at their disposal, such as Clomid or letrozole pills as ovulation induction medications; stronger injectable medications, like gonadotropins or laparoscopic ovarian drilling; if these prove ineffective then in vitro fertilization (IVF) is another viable solution, which involves mixing your partner’s sperm with your egg(s) in a laboratory – though this process may be costly and invasive, its success rates surpass that of trying naturally
4. Reproductive Surgery
Fertility specialists and OB/GYNs who conduct extensive testing but still can’t pinpoint the source of an individual or couple’s infertility may diagnose them with unexplained infertility – this means they have ruled out other pathologies like uterine fibroids, structural issues with the uterus or fallopian tubes and found normal sperm counts and egg counts as possible explanations for infertility.
Women must ovulate on a monthly basis in order to conceive. Their fallopian tube must also be open, while quality sperm must fertilize their egg. If women with unexplained infertility are diagnosed, treatments such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) might be considered, in conjunction with trying to find their fertile window by taking temperature and using ovulation tracking kits.
An increased likelihood of unexplained infertility increases with age as egg quality naturally declines over time. Standard infertility tests only scratch the surface; they don’t look for molecular causes which may not respond well to treatment options. If unexplained infertility is detected, it is vitally important that women seek advice from specialists while maintaining an optimistic attitude throughout this journey.
5. Genetic Issues
Uncommon infertility may be caused by genetic issues in both women and men. It could stem from mutations of chromosomes, an abnormal structure of reproductive organs or quality issues with both sperm and eggs – among many other potential culprits.
Recent research indicates that 17% of cases of unexplained infertility involve genetic issues. Mutations may result from injury during fetal development or be present from birth; mutations can also contribute to other diseases like cardiovascular or cancer.
Standard infertility tests are designed to identify blockages in the fallopian tubes, ovulation issues and quality issues with sperm and egg cells; however, not all problems with either quality are detected by these tests, thus leading to unexplained infertility (also referred to as “idiopathic infertility“). There are multiple ways of diagnosing unexplained infertility such as collecting your medical and sexual history in detail as well as blood testing as well as laparoscopy to examine for scar tissue endometriosis or any issues in your uterus ovaries or fallopian tubes causing unexplained infertility. Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) images illuminate your fallopian tubes to spot potential contributors to unexplained infertility.
