Sometimes a couple can’t conceive for a very specific reason. Then there are times when a couple is unable to conceive and there isn’t an explanation for it. All of the tests come back normal and all other possibilities have been excluded. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t a specific cause behind the infertility issue. It just means that the cause hasn’t been discovered as of yet.
Facts About Unexplained Infertility
1. Approximately one-third of infertility is attributed to the female partner, one-third attributed to the male partner and one-third is caused by a combination of problems in both partners or, is unexplained.
2. 1 in 10 couples will never have a specific diagnosis for their infertility issues, even after prolonged treatment.
3. 25-50% pregnancy and live birth rates in those with unexplained infertility can be achieved through the use of IVF.
4. The average increase in cycle fecundity with combined therapy is about 10% when IUI and COH are used with unexplained infertility.
5. At the end of 3 years, the pregnancy rate for women with unexplained infertility is about 30-60% without intervention.
6. Clomid alone for unexplained infertility increases cycle fecundity rates from about 1-2% to up to 4-5%.
7. 6.7 million women between the ages of 15-44 have an impaired ability to achieve a pregnancy in the United States. This means 1 in 10 women have impaired fecundity.
8. 1.5 million married women in the 15-44 age demographic are unable to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months of trying with their spouse.
9. The number of women ages 15-44 who have ever used infertility services: 7.4 million
10. 1 in 8 couples will experience difficulties in trying to get pregnant or sustain a pregnancy.
11. A couple ages 29-33 with a normal functioning reproductive system has only a 20-25% chance of conceiving in any given month.
12. Approximately 44% of women with infertility have sought medical assistance.
13. For women who are experiencing infertility issues, those that seek professional assistance have a 65% chance of achieving a pregnancy.
14. 15 states have passed laws requiring that insurance policies cover some level of infertility treatment in the United States.
15. 85-90% of infertility cases are treated with drug therapy or surgical procedures.
16. About 20% of women in the United States now have their first child after age 35. One-third of couples in which the woman is over 35 have fertility problems.
The issue that couples with unexplained infertility face is the fact that there isn’t a defined abnormality that can be corrected to solve the issue. This means that a wide variety of treatment options may be suggested to help increase the chances of a pregnancy. Medications, IVF, and other treatments have shown to have varying levels of treatment success when used with unexplained infertility.
Should Couples Just Keep Trying?
One of the easiest and most affordable approaches to unexplained infertility is to keep trying to achieve a pregnancy. This means that couples must keep having sex on a regular basis and track ovulation rates. When no medical issue can be found that is causing the infertility, then eventually the statistics will say that over the course of 3 years, a pregnancy can be achieved.
There will always be couples that fall through statistical cracks. If you have 100 couples and the pregnancy rate is 10% per month, there will be 10 pregnancies at the end of the first month. At the end of the second month, there will be 9 more. At the end of the third month, there will be 8 or 9 more. By the end of the year, there will still be a handful of couples who haven’t achieved a pregnancy, while others will have had their child already.
The good news is that IVF has shown to be successful when other treatment options have not been successful. Only 3 out of 100 couples who have infertility issues will need IVF, but the 50% success rates are very promising. With health care coverage happening in 15 states for this procedure, many couples can try every method of achieving a pregnancy without having to drain their life savings to do it.
Having an unexplained infertility issue can be devastating for a couple who is seeking answers. It almost seems like more questions come up from this diagnosis than answers. Yet even a UI diagnosis is still a step toward achieving a pregnancy. Sometimes baby steps are required, but even baby steps add up over time.