When you come to Wilcox Fertility, we understand you’re not just seeking treatment, you’re seeking answers and hope. This is why we want to assure you that Dr. Wilcox and your clinical team work collaboratively with you as we walk down the path of parenthood together. As the saying goes: It’s not a sprint. It is a marathon. Especially, when it comes to unexplained infertility and this is why we make every effort to educate you on each test and treatment option so we can decide what works best for you, your partner and your future family.
Infertility is a disease that impacts your ability to conceive. It affects approximately 10 – 15% of couples throughout the United States. This diagnosis is given if the female partner is under the age of 35, and the couple has been actively trying to conceive for at least one year; or if the female partner is over the age of 35 and the couple has been actively trying to conceive for at least six months without success.
During a fertility assessment, blood work is performed to assess a woman’s hormones and a transvaginal ultrasound is done to check her ovaries and uterus. The blood work, hormone levels, and consultation will provide Dr. Wilcox with a sense of how many eggs she has in her ovarian reserve and a general idea of her overall reproductive health and ovulation function. The male partner will have a semen analysis (if one hasn’t been done already). Dr. Wilcox will also review his family and health history and will most likely perform blood work as well.
If after a review of both of your health histories and tests results, and no clear cause for infertility is seen, it is considered idiopathic infertility, meaning it remains unexplained.
While this may seem daunting, it is common and manageable. As per the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, infertility affects women and men equally. About 33 percent of infertility cases can be attributed to male factors, 33 percent to female factors, and one-third to a combination of problems in both partners or unexplained causes.
There are various options in pursuing unexplained infertility that range from more aggressive tests such as Hysterosalpingogram (HSG), which is an imaging test to examine the uterus and Fallopian tubes in greater detail, to minor surgery such as laparoscopy to see if there are any blockages or causes for infertility, to pursuing fertility treatment like Intrauterine insemination (IUI) or In vitro fertilization (IVF).
Dr. Wilcox and your clinical team will be with you every step of the way as we navigate the best approach to uncovering what may be standing in the way between you and your family building goals.
For more information on the numerous fertility treatments and family building options offered at Wilcox Fertility, please continue to review other areas of our site or to inquire about financial information, please don’t hesitate to contact us via our online form or call us at 626.657.9327.