What is Infertility?
When a couple has been trying to conceive for an year without success, they may be considered to have challenges with fertility. There could be a number of reasons why the couple is not able to conceive. It might be an underlying medical condition affecting one or both partners, problems with the reproductive system, and many more. Identifying the specific cause of unexplained infertility can be difficult, as there are often various factors involved.
Reasons for Infertility
The reasons for infertility could be many. If you have been trying for a year and cannot conceive, the doctor will test both partners to identify the possible causes of infertility.
The tests can reveal issues with one or both partners. Many couples successfully conceive despite various fertility issues. They either conceive naturally after treatments or undergo fertility procedures like IVF or IUI
The most common causes of infertility include;
- Cancer or cancer treatment like chemotherapy or radiation.
- Irregular, painful, or lack of periods in the woman.
- Pelvic infections and inflammatory diseases.
- Tests reveal issues with the egg, sperm, or both.
- Other underlying health conditions.
- Age of both partners matter. The higher the age, the lower the chances of pregnancy.
Is Unexplained Infertility Common?
The exact rates of unexplained infertility are still unknown. Couples’ perspectives on fertility vary, as do the perspectives of doctors. When a couple is unable to conceive, some pursue medical assistance, but others simply give up and accept their infertility without seeking further testing.
As a result, it might be challenging to diagnose couples experiencing infertility.
What is Unexplained Infertility
When a couple has been trying to conceive for over a year, and have undergone all fertility tests and the results are all clear, they suffer from unexplained infertility. There is no obvious cause for their infertility.
This usually happens when both partners are not too old, the woman has regular periods, the sperm and egg health are good, the fallopian tube is open and has no blocks, the egg reserve is good and the hormonal production in both partners is also good.
- Wrong Timing – Ovulation is the peak fertile window for a woman and having sex after ovulation could be too late. The egg would already be descending the fallopian tube and the sperm may not meet it in time. Despite tracking dates and having unprotected sex, you could be just missing the right time to conceive.
- Endometriosis –Endometriosis can affect the way the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and uterus work. Many women ignore endometriosis pain as regular menstrual cramps.
- Egg Quality – If the egg is not of great quality, it may lead to unsuccessful conception. Despite the sperm meeting the egg, the egg may not fertilize or attach properly. As a result, pregnancy may not happen.
- Sperm Quality – Poor sperm quality could be low sperm count or low sperm motility. Sometimes, the tests can show everything is good with the sperm quality but it could have other issues that might be preventing the male from impregnating his partner. Unless specific advanced sperm function tests are conducted on the sperm, it cannot be identified.
- Endometrial Lining – the endometrium lining starts thickening as the egg grows and it is maximum at the time of ovulation. The embryo will attach to this lining and stay attached until it is time for the delivery. If the endometrium lining is not thick or ready enough for the embryo to attach, it can lead to a miscarriage.
- Mucus – The cervical mucus acts as a medium that helps the sperm slip inside and travel up to the egg during ovulation. If the cervical mucus is not in the right consistency or is too thick, it can prevent the sperm from swimming up to meet the egg, therefore preventing conception.
- Undiagnosed Health Condition – if one or both partners have some undiagnosed health condition, it could be affecting their fertility, without their knowledge.
