In plain words
Unexplained infertility means a couple has tried to conceive for a year or more without a pregnancy, and standard tests have not found a clear cause. The tests usually check ovulation, the fallopian tubes, the uterus, and the sperm. When all of them look normal, the cause is called unexplained. This is common, and it is not the same as being unable to conceive. Many couples do conceive with time or with treatment. The wait can be hard, and many people feel alone in it. Your provider can review the results with you and talk about next steps, including the time frame that fits your age.
The deeper version
Unexplained infertility is a diagnosis of exclusion, applied after evaluation of ovulation (mid-luteal progesterone or ovulation monitoring), tubal patency (hysterosalpingography or laparoscopy), uterine cavity, and by WHO criteria (WHO 2010 manual). Estimated prevalence is roughly 10 to 30 percent of couples evaluated in fertility clinics. Spontaneous conception rates in unexplained infertility are roughly 2 to 4 percent per cycle, lower with age. Expectant management, ovarian stimulation with , and are all used; NICE CG156 (2013) shortens the wait before assessment for women aged 36 and over. Psychological burden is well documented and in some studies comparable to that of diagnosed .
Where it comes up
- Trying to conceive: how long is normal, when to ask for helpBefore Pregnancy
- Infertility and the long roadLoss and Complications
- Tracking your cycle and ovulationBefore Pregnancy
- Your partner's health before conceptionBefore Pregnancy
What mothers here say about unexplained infertility
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- American Society for Reproductive Medicine — Diagnosis and treatment of unexplained infertility: a committee opinion, 2020
- World Health Organization — WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen, 5th edition, 2010
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence — Fertility problems: assessment and treatment (CG156), 2013