Hi, I tried searching for answer to this question, but couldn't really get a definitive one.
I saw this really depressing piece in The Guardian saying we don't know "whether" IVf works for unexplained infertility (the box I'm in, with my partner, TTC nearly 3 years, both 32 yrs old, 3 unsuccessful IUI's, 6 months' clomid before that, and polypectomy last year, & 6 mths TCM with herbs/acupuncture, now on first stimulated IVF cycle).
So yep, are IVF success rates for unexplained couples lower than for couples with a diagnosis? Also, how many goes do you give it? I've heard 4, but I don't know if that's including possibly FETs or just fresh?
Any info people might have would be great!
worrywart I am cetainly not up with the IVF statistics so can't help you there. I do know alot of people who have fallen pregnant with IVF who have had unexplained infertility. I think why the success rate isn't as high is because when you don't know what the problem is you can't try and fix it so you just have to have the embryo transfer. A certain percent of people know why (ie PCOS, Male sperm reason, progesterone problems, tube's damaged) so during the process they can try their best to accommodate the needs of the people based on what the problem is preventing pregnancy. Unfortunately when you don't know what is preventing pregnancy occuring their is nothing such to fix if that makes sense but it does not mean that IVF wont work for you. During the IVF process they might discover why you have not conceived and provide something else in addition to help you fall pregnant. I am not sure the statistics are for known fertility problems verse unknown infertility with successful IVF. I know unexplained infertility is lower but their are certainly many people where IVF has been successful with unexplained infertility.
I have been looking into different IVF clinics myself (yet to head down that track) The statistics on the web site of the IVF clinic I would use say almost 80% of their clients under the age of 40 have had a successful pregnancy resulting in a living child by their 3rd stimulated cycle. So I guess it doesn't give you any indication of how many FET have occured in that time. This info came of the IVF Sydney website so I don't know how accurate it is. I am yet to see the FS.
As for how many stimulated cycles I don't know. Their isn't a limit as such. Many people take alot of stimulated cycles to achieve a pregnancy or unfortunately some despite many attemps do not fall pregnant. I have heard of people having alot more then 4 stimulated cycles before they fall pregnant but most people do not have that many before having a pregnancy. I guess it depends on how many it takes to fall pregnant or how many financially and emotionally you can endure. Best of luck. I hope you fall pregnant first attempt with the IVF.
I don't know the answer to your question.
The thing is, unexplained doesn't mean no hope, it just means the doctors don't know.
Our FS gave us 50% odds. I don't think he had official statistics, this was just based on the clinic's experience taking into account our ages and particular circumstances.
Good luck
We're unexplained as well, and our FS also gave us a 50% chance of our first cycle working. And here we are planning our fourth stim cycle...
Funnily enough, after 3 failed stim cycles (and 1 failed FET) I got pg naturally last month (first ever bfp after almost 3 years of TTC!), but we lost it very early. But I'm hoping this means we do have a chance of IVF#4 succeeding!
As for the number you can/should do - that's entirely up to you! Try not to think that far ahead. Hopefully the first one is the only one you will need. If it doesn't work, that's when you ask yourself if you want to do another and when you want to do it.
Thanks guys for your advice and support.
Yes,I'll try not to think ahead. I'm reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, which is kind of helpful. I guess. I'm reading it for the second time! But I mean, when you're faced with a decision, you kind of do tend to look ahead. I'm always torn though between this optimism v realism v pessimism.
I think: am I being delusionally optimistic? Or am I being too negative? I can't decide. Of course, it varies day to day!
Thanks again and sending best wishes and good luck your way!
I completely understand that forward thinking thing - I do it all the time! I found my first IVF so overwhelming and one of the main things I learned was that the best way to get through it was to break it down into steps and only think about the step you were on, not the next one or two or ten! The further ahead you think, the bigger, scarier and more overwhelming it is. Until I learned that I was just about ready to explode with pent up tension and worrying!
Also, when it comes to the question "how many cycles will I be willing to do", my experience is that the answer changes depending on where you are in a cycle and what happened with the last one and just simply whether or not you're having a bad day. I started out thinking we'd keep doing as many as we could until we got a BFP or as long as the money and eggs lasted. But after #3 was a BFN again I decided I needed a break to recover physically and emotionally I also wasn't ready to try for #4 at that time. Now, after a 5 month break I'm keen to get started with #4 and will be counting down to the end of November!
Hi Juniper76,
So true. You express it really well. I guess I have a history of being ... um ... yeah .. a tiny bit into "control". But now, I think I am learning that there will be so many things beyond my control (in life), and I just won't know in advance how I'll feel at that time.
Sometimes you cling to things like dates and calendars and counting, to feel that illusion of control. I mean, that's what I do.
Hey, I am so glad that you're trying again, and that you took care of yourself by having a break. It takes guts to do that too. I'm going to check out your blog. Looks like you have a fair bit of wisdom.
In Ghana, they say "No hurry in life". Which I used to find infuriating. Now it's quite comforting (sort of!).
unexplained infertility & ivf
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