Trying for a baby: unexplained subfertilityQ."I have unexplained infertility. What are my changes of becoming pregnant? I already have a three-year-old son, and have been trying for another baby since his birth."A.Fertility specialists use the term ‘unexplained infertility’ for couples who have failed to conceive despite the fact that tests show no abnormalities with sperm, fallopian tubes or ovulation. This is a common problem, with about a fifth of all cases of subfertility being ‘unexplained’. Because the condition is so common, we have monitored many couples with it, and know the chances on average that pregnancy will occur with no therapy.If the female partner is less than 35 years old and the couple have been trying for
less than three years the chances of conception in the next 24 months is 70%. In contrast
to this, the chance of pregnancy as a result of IVF is about 25% per treatment. It is
therefore usual to wait for at least three years before attempting IVF. |
