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Home / Causes of Infertility / Unexplained Infertility

Unexplained infertility

Unexplained infertility is the failure to determine a cause of infertility after a thorough evaluation of the involved partners. Approximately 10 percent of infertility is unexplained.

True unexplained infertility may be related to egg and sperm dysfunction, among other causes. These conditions are difficult to establish through conventional testing.

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Semen analysis
Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
In vitro fertilization (IVF)
Tubal disease
Hysterosalpingogram (HSG)
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Diagnostic tests for unexplained infertility

Evaluation begins with a comprehensive review of all testing and treatment performed to date. It’s not uncommon to uncover evidence within this past evaluation that may, in fact, document a cause of reproductive inefficiency.

It’s likely that your physician will request that the male partner repeat a semen analysis if an andrology laboratory did not perform a recent analysis. In this way, your physician may establish a diagnosis of male factor infertility through a comprehensive semen analysis or related sperm function testing.

Additionally, a diagnosis of unexplained infertility is not accurate unless a laparoscopy has been performed. In this way, conditions such as endometriosis and pelvic scarring are ruled out.

Treatment for unexplained infertility

Our physicians base their treatment recommendations on a number of factors:

  • Age of female partner
  • Duration of infertility
  • Working diagnosis causing infertility
  • The patients’ family-building goals

Treatment options may include controlled ovarian stimulation and a processed sperm specimen for intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). The important difference in treatment options is that we can often maximize the egg and sperm interaction through IVF in order to promote fertilization and establish a successful pregnancy.

FAQs

Tubal disease is a common cause of infertility. During a laparoscopy, we pass dye through the uterus and tubes to confirm the patency of the tubes. This test, however, does not evaluate the cavity of the uterus or the inside of the Fallopian tubes. Scarring of the tubes or abnormalities of the uterine cavity is two of the more common findings identified by an HSG. Such findings may explain the cause of infertility, as well as direct the therapies that may prove to be most effective.

Learn more about unexplained infertility

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