Treatment FAQ

what is the best treatment for unexplained infertility

by Vivian Douglas III Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

Patients with unexplained infertility have many options to help them have a baby. Treatments such as fertility medications combined with IUI (intrauterine insemination) or IVF (in vitro fertilization) can dramatically improve pregnancy rates for women/couples with unexplained infertility.

Full Answer

What is the best fertility treatment?

The TFP partner model empowers physicians and their teams to focus on what they do best – provide the highest quality medicine and personalized fertility treatment journeys. "As we continue to expand our market coverage and access to high quality ...

What are the side effects of fertility treatment?

What are the Risks and Side Effects of IVF?

  • Soreness or Bruising from Injections. ...
  • Nausea. ...
  • Breast Tenderness. ...
  • Bloating. ...
  • Mood Swings. ...
  • Fatigue. ...
  • Allergic Reactions. ...
  • Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is an excessive response to taking the injectable hormones used in IVF cycles.
  • Mild Pelvic and Abdominal Pain. ...
  • Pelvic Infection. ...

More items...

What treatment options are available for male infertility?

Which Infertility Treatment Options are Best for Women & Men?

  • 3 Different Types of Artificial Insemination. When you’ve tried taking fertility drugs on their own and you’re still not pregnant, your doctor might suggest moving on to different options, such ...
  • Infertility Treatment for Male Patients. ...
  • Finding the Right Way to Build a Family. ...

Can infertility be cured?

Yes, infertility can be cured depending on the cause. Various treatments can help a couple conceive and result in successful delivery. However, some causes, especially structural deformities in the reproductive organs, cannot be corrected and need treatments, such as assisted reproductive techniques for achieving pregnancy.. Infertility can occur in both males and females.

image

How can I get pregnant fast with unexplained infertility?

1:103:33Get Pregnant Fast with Unexplained Infertility - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAlone consider having an IUI or intrauterine insemination this will increase the number of spermMoreAlone consider having an IUI or intrauterine insemination this will increase the number of sperm that gets into your fallopian tubes. And increase the chance for pregnancy.

What could be the reason for unexplained infertility?

Unexplained infertility most likely involves issues with poor egg or sperm quality, or problems with the uterus or fallopian tubes that aren't identifiable during normal fertility testing. Lifestyle changes.

How do you reverse unexplained infertility?

Fertility specialists use a variety of approaches to reverse infertility. Treatments include drugs, surgery, and assisted reproductive technology. Ovulation induction uses drugs to help a woman ovulate, or release an egg from her ovaries.

Is IUI or IVF better for unexplained infertility?

Reasons to Pursue IVF IUI can be a good starting point for couples facing issues involving ovulation or unexplained infertility. However, IUI may not be the most suitable fertility treatment for a couple. IVF is usually recommended for couples facing the following situations: Severe male infertility.

Will IVF work for unexplained infertility?

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is now a widely accepted treatment for unexplained infertility. However, with estimated live-birth rates per cycle varying between 13 and 28 percent, its effectiveness has not been rigorously evaluated in comparison with other treatments.

Does Clomid work for unexplained infertility?

Medications. Fertility physicians often use clomiphene citrate (brand name Clomid) to treat unexplained infertility, as it can induce a woman's ovaries to produce more than the normal one egg per menstrual cycle and thus increase chances of fertilization and pregnancy.

Is Clomid or letrozole better for unexplained infertility?

The findings show that ovarian stimulation therapy with clomiphene is at least as effective as letrozole, with a lower though not statistically significant difference in the frequency of multiple births.

How successful is IUI for unexplained infertility?

If you are experiencing unexplained fertility with healthy eggs and two fallopian tubes, IUI success rates are around 7% to 10% per cycle. If you use IUI treatment in combination with fertility medications your success rate increases by 15-25%.

Who is a good candidate for IUI?

IUI is recommended for people who have had trouble conceiving a child through natural means. For couples under 35, this means having unprotected sex for up to one year. For couples over 35, you may be a candidate for IUI if you've been having unprotected sex for six months.

Is IUI cheaper than IVF?

An IUI cycle—including all monitoring and the insemination procedure but not including medication—costs about $1,000. An IVF cycle—including all monitoring, the egg retrieval, and the embryo transfer but not including medication—costs about $12,000–$20,000, depending on where it's performed.

Why is IVF more successful than IUI?

IVF has a much faster time to pregnancy due to it's higher success rate per cycle. For those under 35, success rates are generally around 50% per treatment. IUIs generally have a success rate of around 5-20% per cycle. If an IUI is to be successful it most often happens in the first three or four treatment cycles .

How to get pregnant with infertility?

But for those reluctant to just wait, a first step is to try using medicines to push the ovaries to mature more than just one egg (this is called ovulation induction). With more eggs available for fertilization per cycle, the hope is that at least one will result in a pregnancy. This therapy is simpler and much less expensive than in vitro fertilization (IVF). Cost is an important issue because finances can be a huge barrier to infertility treatment. Very few states mandate that insurance plans provide coverage for IVF, which can easily run more than $10,000 for each cycle, or “try.”

Why is infertility frustrating?

Without a clear reason why a woman is having trouble becoming pregnant, it is difficult to choose a treatment that has a high rate of success but doesn’t increase the chances of a high-risk multiple pregnancy.

How many women are infertile?

Infertility is defined as the inability to become pregnant after about a year of appropriate and well-timed efforts. Infertility affects about 10% of women ages 15 to 44. For those desiring a child, the inability to become pregnant can be devastating, and the drive to seek treatment is understandable. The usual first step along that path is a detailed evaluation of the couple. Almost half the time, when an issue is identified, it is with the male partner, usually a problem with his sperm. Sometimes we discover a woman has blocked fallopian tubes (so eggs can’t be fertilized and travel to the uterus) or abnormalities of the uterine cavity, such as fibroids (which may prevent a fertilized egg from implanting).

Does letrozole stimulate ovulation?

In this study, a national network of investigators looked at how the drug letrozole compared with two standard drugs to stimulate ovulation. Letrozole works to stimulate ovulation through a different path than traditional fertility medications.

Is in vitro fertilization more expensive than in vitro fertilization?

With more eggs available for fertilization per cycle, the hope is that at least one will result in a pregnancy. This therapy is simpler and much less expensive than in vitro fertilization (IVF). Cost is an important issue because finances can be a huge barrier to infertility treatment.

Can a woman's fallopian tubes be blocked?

Sometimes we discover a woman has blocked fallopian tubes (so eggs can’t be fertilized and travel to the uterus) or abnormalities of the uterine cavity, such as fibroids (which may prevent a fertilized egg from implanting). But in 15-20% of cases, no reason is identified — so-called “unexplained infertility.”.

Can IVF help with infertility?

Over all, the numbers indicate that for couples with unexplained infertility, these alternatives to IVF may help them achieve a pregnancy — but success is hardly a sure thing. The drugs that bring a higher chance of pregnancy, also bring a greater chance that pregnancy will be a high-risk one.

What is the most expensive treatment for infertility?

The most expensive, but also most successful treatment of unexplained infertility consists of the spectrum of assisted reproductive technology including IVF, with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection. IVF is the treatment of choice for unexplained infertility when the less costly, but also less successful treatment modalities have failed.

What is the test for infertility?

Given the relatively noninvasive nature of the testing, several practitioners are including the evaluation of ovarian reserve as first-line workup for infertility. The testing includes a cycle day 3 serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol level, clomiphene citrate challenge test, and/or an ultrasonographic ovarian antral follicle count. 3The results of these tests are not absolute indicators of infertility but abnormal levels correlate with decreased response to ovulation induction medications and lowered live birth rates after IVF.

How many couples have unexplained infertility?

Treatment options and success vary with the cause of infertility. Approximately 15% to 30% of couples will be diagnosed with unexplained infertility after their diagnostic workup.2In this review, we specifically discuss the routine testing performed to diagnose unexplained infertility. We also discuss additional testing, such as assessment of ovarian reserve, and the potential role of laparoscopy in the complete workup of unexplained infertility. Finally, we outline the available therapeutic options and discuss the efficacy and the cost-effectiveness of the existing treatment modalities.

What is optimal treatment strategy?

The optimal treatment strategy needs to be based on individual patient characteristics such as age, treatment efficacy, side-effect profile such as multiple pregnancy, and cost considerations.

Is laparoscopy used for infertility?

Whereas laparoscopy used to be part of the basic infertility workup, it is now reserved for selected cases. Given that it allows direct visual examination of the pelvic reproductive anatomy, it is the test of choice to identify otherwise unrecognized peritoneal factors that influence fertility, specifically endometriosis and pelvic adhesions. According to the guidelines of the ASRM, laparoscopy should be performed in women with unexplained infertility or signs and symptoms of endometriosis or in whom reversible adhesive tubal disease is suspected.3

What are the causes of ovulatory defects?

A patient with menstrual abnormalities should be investigated for underlying causes such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, thyroid disease, hyperprolactinemia, and hypothalamic causes secondary to weight changes. Eumenorrhea—normal menstrual cycles by history—is a highly accurate marker of ovulation and anovulatory levels of serum progesterone (< 3 ng/mL) are found in only a very small minority of eumenorrheic patients.9

Does expectant management reduce cycle fecundity?

Although expectant management is associated with the lowest cost, it results in the lowest cycle fecundity rates. It may provide an option for a couple with unexplained infertility in whom the female partner is young and the problem of oocyte depletion is not an immediate concern.

What does it mean to have unexplained infertility?

Unexplained infertility is a broad term that generally means infertility with no known cause. It's diagnosed when a fertility specialist rules out common factors for infertility after evaluating opposite-sex partners who are trying to conceive. Getting these "normal" evaluation results might lead to a diagnosis of unexplained infertility:

What causes infertility in women?

Ovarian issues: Infertility can be caused by conditions that involve and impact the ovaries, like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

What are the most common causes of infertility?

In the US, about 1 in 8 people with ovaries and 10% of people with sperm experience infertility.

What are the physiological differences that have been reported in people with unexplained infertility?

According to the authors, some of the physiological differences that have been reported in people with unexplained infertility include subtle changes in: Follicle development. Ovulation. Oocyte function. The luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (the second half, after ovulation) Sperm function.

How many chances do you have of conceiving on your own?

A couple diagnosed with infertility (unexplained or otherwise) has about a 2%-4% chance of conceiving on their own per month — and your doctor will likely recommend infertility treatment options to improve those monthly chances.

How long does it take to get infertility?

Infertility is diagnosed after you've been trying to conceive without getting pregnant for one year. An infertility evaluation is recommended if you have been trying without conceiving after 12 months if the partner with ovaries is under age 35 and after six months if they're over age 35.

Why is there research into the causes of infertility?

More research into the different causes of unexplained infertility could help doctors align on standards for diagnosing the condition and minimize the chances of other issues being inadvertently overlooked. The National Institutes of Health is currently conducting a comprehensive research program in an effort to build a large, multifactorial health database in part to better understand unexplained infertility.

What is the best fertility medicine for infertility?

Clomid is the most commonly prescribed fertility drug, and it can help women who are not ovulating. It can also boost sperm production for some causes of male infertility. The first doctor you will see when trying to treat your infertility is your gynecologist.

How many cycles of IVF?

Clomid or gonadotropins along with IUI for three to six cycles. IVF treatment for three to six cycles. Rarely, third-party IVF treatments (like using an egg donor or surrogate) Sometimes, in cases of ongoing unexplained infertility beyond basic IVF, somewhat controversial treatments are considered.

Is clomid safe for infertility?

This study also found that there is no evidence that Clomid alone is an effective treatment for unexplained infertility. Clomid treatment is not harmless. Treatment is also only recommended for up to six cycles, due to the possible increased risk of cancer.

Does IUI increase chances of pregnancy?

IUI and Fertility Drugs. For those with unexplained infertility, IUI alone or with fertil ity drugs has been shown to slightly increase your odds of pregnancy. The evidence isn’t very strong. However, due to the very high cost and invasiveness of IVF, IUI with fertility drugs is worth trying.

Is infertility treated empirically?

Unexplained infertility is treated empirically. This means a treatment plan is based on clinical experience and some guesswork.

Is IVF invasive?

Only during IVF can egg quality, the fertilization process, and embryo development be observed closely. All that said, IVF is invasive and expensive .

Can endometriosis cause infertility?

Some believe that unexplained infertility may be caused by mild endometriosis. 9 In this case, the endometrial deposits may not be causing pain or directly interfering with ovulation or the fallopian tubes, but their presence may increase “irritation” of the reproductive system.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9