Can IVF treatment give us the answers to unexplained infertility cases?

IVF was initially developed for the treatment of infertile women with closed fallopian tubes, only to become today the best option for many infertile couples with different problems, who want to maximize their chances of becoming parents.

The term unexplained infertility is attributed to a couple in which there is failure to conceive, despite no problem being detected even after the thorough investigation of both partners. This attributes to approximately 10-15 % of the couples that seek specialized help. In most of these cases, a large number of tests have been performed with a normal outcome. The lack of a specific diagnosis is not always accepted by some couples, who insist on knowing the cause of their infertility and want to begin treatment that addresses the specific problem. It is important however, to bear in mind that while the tests results are normal, there are some parameters that cannot be investigated, for example whether the egg that is released, is of good quality, if the fallopian tube has ‘picked-up’ the egg successfully or if the sperm managed to reach the fallopian tube and fertilise the egg etc.

IVF is the only treatment that can clarify if the eggs that a woman produces are of good quality and if the partner’s sperm is able to fertilise them. It is the responsibility of the Infertility Specialist to understand the limits of preliminary testing and examinations, in cases of unexplained infertility and to explain to couples that in certain cases proceeding to IVF is the best option both in the case of treating it and also helping in diagnosing the possible reason of infertility. At Newlife IVF we feel that we are obliged to properly advise a couple in order to best treat them and also diagnose the problem, individualizing the scientific knowledge that we have according to the needs of each case before every treatment cycle.