My Journey with Cushing’s disease
At 30 years old, I was fit, healthy and naturally a size 8–10. I knew my body well, which is why, when it started to
Infertility is a difficult reality for many. Unexplained fertility issues can make the journey to having a baby that much more disheartening.
Bad news is never easy to process, but when that news comes with a known cause, the next steps are usually easier to determine. When you don’t know why something is happening, knowing what to do to fix it can be that much more difficult.
For those who so desperately want help to conceive, even if they haven’t been able to narrow down the reasons why they are struggling, there is hope.
A study titled, Unexplained infertility: does it really exist? Does it matter? states:
“Unexplained infertility (UI) refers to a diagnosis made in couples in whom standard investigations including semen analysis, tests of ovulation and tubal patency are normal.”
A diagnosis of unexplained infertility simply means that after all the normal testing is done, there is no immediate identifiable cause found. It does not mean that there is no cause, just that it hasn’t been uncovered in the initial testing.
Sometimes infertility that is unexplained happens after the person has already given birth previously. Some of the causes of unexplained infertility can be present more commonly after a child is born, than they were before.
The reasons for unexplained infertility can be difficult to ascertain. This is why the diagnosis reads “unexplained”.
More extensive testing may be needed to uncover these issues. Some things that can be impeding a couple’s ability to conceive can include:
The relationship between stress and infertility has been debated for a long time. Experts agree that infertility definitely can cause stress, but the effects of stress on one’s ability to conceive is somewhat more difficult to prove. However, many instances have happened where the reduction of stress can play a significant role.
A study called,The Relationship Between Stress and Infertility, concluded: “psychological interventions for women with infertility have the potential to decrease anxiety and depression and may well lead to significantly higher pregnancy rates.”
There are many things people can do to reduce stress. Acupuncture for unexplained fertility has proven to be a completely safe and therapeutic means of relaxation. It can help you prepare your body for fertility treatments and pregnancy as well.
You may wonder, what is Hashimoto’s disease? Hashimoto’s disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid and lymphatic system. Studies, like the High Prevalence of Infertility among Women with Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis have shown that as much as 47% of women with Hashimoto’s have experienced infertility.
Testing for Hashimoto’s disease could be beneficial as a next step for someone facing infertility that seemingly has no cause.
Can low magnesium cause infertility? There is some evidence to suggest it can!
A study called,The role of magnesium and thyroid function in early pregnancy after in-vitro fertilization (IVF): New aspects in endocrine physiology observed: “that women with successful pregnancies have higher blood levels of magnesium. For this reason it appears sensible that magnesium levels should be optimized prior to ART.” (In this case ART stands for assisted reproductive technology.)
Proper magnesium levels are needed for a healthy pregnancy and birth. Getting magnesium levels checked could be a good idea before moving on to treatment options.
Sometimes, people actually have a natural pregnancy after unexplained infertility. An unexplained pregnancy can be a joyous one, and it happens often.
One study, Birth outcomes after spontaneous or assisted conception among infertile Australian women aged 28 to 36 years: a prospective, population-based study, concluded: “More than 40% of women aged 28-36 years reporting a history of infertility can achieve births without using treatment, indicating they are subfertile rather than infertile.”
Another study, Unexplained Infertility: Overall Ongoing Pregnancy Rate and Mode of Conception, revealed: “Of all couples 81.5% (356/437) achieved an ongoing pregnancy and 73.9% (263/356) of the pregnancies were conceived spontaneously.”
This can be encouraging news for those who are facing the challenges of infertility they cannot explain. If pregnancy doesn’t happen spontaneously, there are treatment options available.
After a diagnosis of infertility that has no immediate cause, many turn to fertility treatments to realize their dreams of pregnancy and parenthood. Let’s look at some of those now.
For unexplained infertility, iui can be an excellent option. IUI, or intrauterine insemination, is a treatment that occurs when sperm is injected directly into the uterus. This shortens the distance the sperm needs to travel in order to fertilize an egg.
For those who may have low sperm count or low motility rates, IUI might be a good option. It is also less invasive than other methods can be.
The success rates of IUI vary greatly from couple to couple. One study, Predicting success of intrauterine insemination using a clinically based scoring system concluded:”Following 3 cycles, couples in our cohort with a score of 5 had a cumulative probability of achieving pregnancy of nearly 45%. In contrast, couples with a score of 0 had a cumulative probability of only 5%.”
If, after 3 failed iui, unexplained infertility does not improve, other procedures may be considered.
Unexplained infertility and IVF often go hand in hand. IVF, or In Vitro fertilization, happens when a viable embryo is transferred into the uterus in hopes of attaching itself to the uterine lining and growing into a baby.
The success rates for IVF are some of the highest of all fertility treatments. The factors that influence the success rates vary across the board with age being the most prominent.
In a study called Female Ageing and Reproductive Outcome in Assisted Reproduction Cycles, we learn:”Patients aged < 30 years had the best IVF outcomes, reflecting optimal reproductive capacity. Age-related decline in fertility starts after 30 years. Women opting for IVF should be counseled about age-specific success rates while taking into account individual risk factors.”
Other factors include whether the person is using their own eggs or donor eggs, how many cycles they have undergone already, and other conditions comorbid with infertility. In general, someone under 30 years of age could have up to a 65% success rate. The chances after that go down significantly.
The National Health Service reports: In 2019, the percentage of IVF treatments that resulted in a live birth was:
(These figures are for women using their own eggs and their partner’s sperm, using the per embryo transferred measure.)
IVF remains one of the best options for anyone who can access it. As with any fertility treatment there are no guarantees
Infertility that doesn’t seem to have a specific cause can add a layer of frustration to the journey to parenthood. However, extended testing can be done which may produce reasons that are treatable.
Fertility treatment can be done even when the cause of infertility is not known. These treatments have good success rates, and many are able to conceive and see their child born healthy.
Rooney, K. L., & Domar, A. D. (2018). The relationship between stress and infertility. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 20(1), 41–47. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2018.20.1/klrooney
Quintino-Moro, A., Zantut-Wittmann, D. E., Tambascia, M., Machado, H.daC., & Fernandes, A. (2014). High Prevalence of Infertility among Women with Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. International journal of endocrinology, 2014, 982705. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/982705
Stuefer, S., Moncayo, H., & Moncayo, R. (2015). The role of magnesium and thyroid function in early pregnancy after in-vitro fertilization (IVF): New aspects in endocrine physiology. BBA clinical, 3, 196–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbacli.2015.02.006
Herbert DL, Lucke JC, Dobson AJ. Birth outcomes after spontaneous or assisted conception among infertile Australian women aged 28 to 36 years: a prospective, population-based study. Fertil Steril. 2012 Mar;97(3):630-8. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.12.033. Epub 2012 Jan 21. PMID: 22265037.
Brandes, M., Hamilton, C. J., van der Steen, J. O., de Bruin, J. P., Bots, R. S., Nelen, W. L., & Kremer, J. A. (2011). Unexplained infertility: overall ongoing pregnancy rate and mode of conception. Human reproduction (Oxford, England), 26(2), 360–368. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deq349
Tan, T. Y., Lau, S. K., Loh, S. F., & Tan, H. H. (2014). Female ageing and reproductive outcome in assisted reproduction cycles. Singapore medical journal, 55(6), 305–309. https://doi.org/10.11622/smedj.2014081
We hope you enjoyed this article. To help us to create more content like this, please consider visiting our Shop.
At 30 years old, I was fit, healthy and naturally a size 8–10. I knew my body well, which is why, when it started to
If you’ve had more than one loss, you may already have had chromosome testing, a karyotype or carrier screening, and still no answer. Here is
I am 36 years old, and I have spent a large part of my life trying to understand my own body and trying to become
