Just how unexplained are you?

[happysmileylady]

My official diagnosis is unexplained secondary IF.

Unofficially, I have been told it's likely a lot of little things, like DH's count being slightly low, a small spot of endo having been discovered at my lap, potential borderline thyroid issues etc etc I have been told none are large enough to warrant a diagnosis of their own, but combined they are likely all a factor in our fertility.

I have a child who is not DH's, so the first thing every dr and nurse would say to me is "we know you CAN get pg and carry to term, so that's half the battle." But, given that it's been over 5 years and DH and I have NEVER been pg together, isn't half the battle knowing what is preventing us?

I have had an HSG, no blocked tubes. I have had numerous u/s, never had a cyst. I have had a lap, two tiny tiny spots of endo found and removed, no other issues or scar tissues or anything were found. DH has had two S/A, the first came back normal, the second was a couple years later and came back just ever so slightly low. I haven't ever had any hormone tests done and we haven't had a post coital or anything that would test things like hostil environment etc. The RE said that since the treatment for that would be IUI anyway, why bother with that and why not move straight on to IUI, which I guess makes sense.

So, even though I am officially diagnosed as unexplained, I don't know that I can personally consider it unexplained when there are tests we haven't done yet and there are some things that could play a factor but aren't part of the diagnosis.

Anyone else in a similar boat? Who is officially unexplained even though that's not the whole story? What tests have you done or requested in an attempt to get the whole story? Which ones haven't you done and why?

[Brooklyne]

Interesting post. I had the some thoughts. I used to tell everyone that our issues were related to mild endometriosis (few spots found during the lap years ago) and lowish morphology (DH's morphology analysis is borderline). So basically, I would say we each have factors contributing to our fertility issues. We've done IUI's and attempted IVF's but never made it to retrieval so I also say I'm a poor responder to the meds, but i really only tried one IVF protocol and I'm ready to start another protocol and I changed my thinking and am telling myself I just responded poorly to the first combo. So I'm thinking I jumped the gun considering myself a poor responder.

Point of my post is that lately I met a few girls that have the exact same issues as me and they consider themselves to be purely unexplained. So then it made me think...am I unexplained too? Is unexplained often used loosely......

Great post! Looking forward to replies

Brooklyne xxx

[baby#2]

I also have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility. My DH and I were able to conceive our first child after doing IF treatments. We just started treatments again to have a second child. This time around was the same with the testing. HSG normal, all my bloodwork normal, DH's analysis was way above normal again! so no one is able to give us a reason why I cannot get pregnant on my own. Even with treatments it is not easy and takes quite a while to work. My ob/gyn told me that some woman fall into this category and no one knows why and cannot explain it! Yeah isn't it great to be one of those woman....NOT!! Hang in there and know that you are not alone!

[keepthefaith]

I too have been told I am "unexplained". I have had 7 IUIs, the last one with gonal f, the others clomid. I've had an HSG, 3day FSH blood work, lap where RE removed 2 very small bits of Endo (I've never had symptoms of endo), and he removed a polyp from my uterus, he also did another HSG during the lap, just for fun. DH usually has normal counts. The first few IUIs they were low, but since then good counts. I have responded fairly well to clomid and the gonal f. Still remain "unexplained".

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My last IUI was 8-18, so I'm now in the TWW.

[HeatherS23]

Count me in as officially unexplained too. My story is a little bizarre… DS was conceived two weeks after I went off BCP’s after taking them for nine years. My pregnancy was perfect. In fact, my OB joked with me, saying I was a ‘breeder’. Thinking that we would have no problems getting pregnant again, we waited until DS was two years old and then tried again. A year later, my OB started running tests. I had every test imaginable, but almost everything came back normal: HSG, sonohystogram, P4 tests, post-coital tests (the only tests I 'failed'). DH’s counts are off the charts; his last sample was in the 100 million range, pre-wash with 60% motility so he’s not the ‘problem’. Still, five IUI’s later, nothing. We moved onto IVF and I responded near perfectly to the IVF meds and process. 19 eggs were retrieved, 12 fertilized, 4 made it to five-day-blast and we transferred two 4AA blasts on day 5. I’m currently in the 2WW for the IVF.

So with every step we’ve gotten further and further away from an explanation. Ovulation isn’t a problem, fertilization isn’t a problem. The only thing that the RE has been able to say is that I have a thin lining, but since it’s still getting to be a triple stripe every month, he can’t say that’s the one reason we aren’t getting pregnant.

And so, for now, I remain a reluctant member of the unexplained.

[Cali]

I think we are as unexplained as it gets. I've had all the initial tests that measure hormone levels. I've always ovulated regularly. I skipped the HSG and went straight to the Laparoscopy. The only thing that revealed was a blocked left fallopian tube which was opened (but I feel is probably blocked up again). There was about a 6 mo period where I took HPT every month to see if I was having early m/c every month, but nada. DH has great counts, morphology and motility.

About the only tests we haven't done is post coital and sperm antibody testing.

I've done 6 IUI's 3 of which were with gonal-f and were, in RE's words, picture perfect cycles with 3-4 mature follies each time. So the IUI's took care of the hostile cervical mucus possibility. We never bothered with the sperm antibody test since the only way around it would be IVF and we had decided to not pursue IVF.

I have my own thoughts on why we are so unexplained. Maybe it IS sperm antibodies. Or maybe I have egg issues - maybe I produce very thick shelled eggs that the sperm can't penetrate. And to do antibody testing or egg testing is really pointless if we've decided to not pursue IVF. Or maybe the fact that I have scoliosis has gotten my ovaries & fallopian tubes off line enough so that the egg is never able to make it to the tube.

That's about the only things I can come up with on why we're so unexplained. I will always wonder, though, what in the world is really the problem when we both check out so okay, you know?

Kendra
me 36; DH 35
TTC for 6 years
Waiting to adopt from China

[Lisa2007]

DH and I are unexplained too. Both his investigations and mine all came back normal. I had never been pregnant until this past July.

After 9 failed IUI's, we did IVF in June. Cycle was perfect. Transferred 2 embryos. Nada. Had a period in June when the IVF didn't work. Then, one month later, our first BFP, completely au naturel. I'm now 24 weeks pregnant with a singleton. I believe that the IVF "loosened" up my ovaries. All that poking around with the needle to retrieve the eggs must have done something. How else can I explain it??

So, I guess what I'm saying is, that going "all the way" with IF treatments is worth it, if you can handle it. You just never know what's going to happen. To me, it's all worth it. Good luck to all of you

[msshino]

Sorry to jump in. I am a true case of unexplained IF.
I have had all tests done, HSG, Clomid challenge, FSH, P4 levels, TSH, Prolactin, metabolic panel, hysteroscopy, you name it. All came back completely normal. DH has severe male factor. We've tried IVF with ICSI and I miscarried twins. Had 19 eggs, 12 fertilized and most were severely fragmented by day 3. No explanation to why they were so bad. I transfered 3 embryos and miscarried twins on week 5. They said it was due to chromosomal abnormalities and I should seek donor eggs. Anyone else have this problem? Still searching for answers since nothing is really wrong. I was hyperstimulated so my current Re thinks that caused fragmented eggs. I believe it was that and my Dh sperm being really bad too. Ah, the saga never ends. Due to IVf being unsuccessful and a painful journey, I decided to go with donor IUIs. I hope this is the answer but if my eggs are truly bad, it won't solve it.
Anyone else have any ideas of what could be wrong?

Sincerely,
Shino

[LucyB]

Hi,
We're "unexplained" too. I had *everything* tested as well - at first, in 2005, I had borderline "high" prolactin due to a microscopic prolactinoma on my pituitary gland...but I'm on bromocriptine so every prolactin test has been normal since then. And even with the elevated levels, I always ovulated and had regular periods. So that shouldn't have prevented anything anyway.

And, we found that DH had very slightly lowered motility (40-45%) due to a varicocele. But our doc said that shouldn't have mattered over 2 years either. He had the surgery done and now has normal #s. We spent all of 2007 trying with our "normal" status (including 6 medicated IUI cycles) and nothing worked.

We are on year 3 of ttc #1 and it is so depressing to NEVER have gotten a BFP. I am seriously even jealous of women who have miscarried at this point! We are starting IVF which our RE told us is the only next step - - that it should give the RE more info on what our problem might be.

The only comfort in all this is that I mentioned that to the nurse at our last visit - - I asked, will we find out a reason for the 'unexplained' status - or why we haven't been able to get pregnant? She said, probably not. And that most people going through IVF are 'unexplained'...but the good news is that IVF tends to work.

So, hoping for the best. At this point, I don't care for an explanation. I just want to get pregnant.

Good luck to all of you!
Lucy

[misskt]

I think I must be the poster child for unexplained infertility! All tests came back normal, tubes wide open and clear, never had a polyp or cyst, ovulate regularly, have thick lining (even when on clomid) but I've never been pregnant or even had a pregnancy scare. My DH is completely normal too, in fact his "buddies" are overachievers like he is! No issues at all. I'm 32 and he's 34. We'd done 6 rounds of Clomid, which I responded well to with 4 IUI and still nothing. Starting first IVF in mid May, hopefully it will work or at least give us an answer to why we are unexplained.