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i struggled so much with unexplained IF. after 2ish years of trying (one of those years with heavy charting and temping) we went to a fertility clinic and came back with an unexplained IF diagnosis. all of our numbers were "great." i've also always had a very regular period, and was only on BC for about 2 years before we stopped. it was really difficult not having an answer. we unsuccessfully tried 3 rounds of clomid, 2 rounds of IUI, and a nasty round of asian herbal medicine. after 4 years of not even a single BFP, i just got pregnant and am starting my third month. we didn't do anything different this time (even though i don't chart or temp anymore, after doing it for a year, you're pretty aware of when you're ovulating even without doing it) except BD around when i figured i was ovulating. the doctors were suggesting IVF, but i just wasn't ready for that. i figured if i had an undiagnosed IF diagnosis, there was nothing wrong and not getting pg just meant it wasn't the right time yet? i think if i had a diagnosis, i would've been more willing to consider IVF. i didn't pursue any further diagnosis except to see an asian herbalist. apparently it's a common asian belief that if the woman is always cold (which i am) and the husband is always hot (my husband is on the warmer side, but i wouldn't consider him "always hot") then it makes for bad yin & yang to have a baby. who knows though. the friends i had that were/are struggling to get pg, all had a diagnosis, so i felt really alone and frustrated. at least they had an explanation and a possible course of action. and i agree, i would have felt a lot better if i had a reason. who knows what will happen, i'm still very fearful of mc. this is my first BFP in 4 years of actively trying..i worry if i mc, what if it never happens again? anyway, i'm not sure what to say to you about pursuing a further diagnosis. i have read that unexplained IF sometimes is a cop-out explanation and that there is always a reason, you just need to seek out a different dr. i didn't feel like i needed that because i had no reason to believe anything was wrong. but if it would make you feel better, seek out a second opinion. or if you went to a more traditional fertility clinic, seek out a more homeopathic fertility clinic instead? hope you get some answers soon, i totally understand where you're coming from...

Unexplained sucks. There's nothing to fix and a boatload of crap they can *try*. I've always had irregular long periods ranging anywhere from 35-49 days and a few times up wards of 3 months. I went on BC for just 2 years after meeting DH and came right off to TTC, figuring if people who have been on it for 10+ all around me were getting pregnant on their first try, surely 2 years of it couldn't have effected me too much, not that it did. But that was the only thing I naively thought could have "harmed" me.

Well, a year later, nothing. I talked to the OB and she had me try Clomid 2x, nothing. The second time it didn't even do anything and I still Oed CD20something. I started to see an RE after 15 months and we did 2 more rounds of Clomid (one TI, one IUI) and then 2 of Fermera with IUI. Still nothing. Hormone levels were all good, previous work ups good, SA count 65M-125M each time.

Now exactly 2 years to the month of starting TTC we just finished our first round of IVF with nothing to transfer. It looks like an egg quality issue - half polyspermic and the 4 that did fertilize normally arrested and were very fragmented. Now, I don't know if this is *because* of the meds or if that's the usual state of my eggs. We'll be doing IVF again in Jan, likely with a different protocol and stims.

I honestly don't think anything can make me feel better about this. Knowing why or not knowing at this point is the same end result - no bfp to date and no baby.

I had unexplained too, which was really annoying and frustrating. I personally think I had a sperm meets egg problem. After three years of trying, I got pregnant the cycle I did an hsg. They said all was clear, but I have a feeling the hsg cleared any blockage. That ended in mc. We tried ti on our own for a few months. Then tried iui w clomid for three months. Then jumped to ivf, which was successful. Of 19 eggs, 8 fertilized, 7 was from icsi, only one (of 8) fertilized on its own. So the sperm needed help going into the egg? But then a year and half later, I get pregnant on my own and now have a 2.5 week old baby in my arms. Go figure.

@Mrs.Someone: What did they do for you? Did you conceive completely naturally after that?

@LindsayInNY: My RE suggested an IUI with injectables for me because on Clomid the follicles were increasing in size WAY too fast. Timing the LH surge, having the lining look good, etc. was all out of whack on the Clomid cycles. So for me, injectables requires that I go in on CD6, CD8, CD10 and this time around I'm also headed back on CD12 to check on the follicle size. She starts me on a low dose, adjusts the meds accordingly as we go and we watch, wait, and see. I feel good about this process because it worked for me once. So I really hope it works again. It feels a lot more controlled than Clomid. For me, anyway.

C+B isn't for everyone. But I always share that it works for me, in case someone is looking for another option. It's one of the only things I feel like I can cling onto during this process where I feel like I am in control of how I feel and what my body is doing.

@Mrs.Someone: I love that you conceived naturally with the help of your naturopath. I always remember your voice during my first time around and I wish I had more time (meaning - I wish I was younger) so I felt like I could relax, and trust the process with a naturopath. I don't know why the RE approach makes me feel like it's the best thing to do if you are AMA.

I was also a case of unexplained IF. For 2.5 years we tried everything: 4 rounds of IUI, 2 IVFs at two different clinics, chiropractic, acupuncture, chinese herbal meds, meditation, vitamins, anticoagulant injections, etc....over $80K worth of intervention. And nothing worked.

At the 2nd IVF, the doctor told me that I would have to do donor eggs, but we decided (after lots and lots of research) to give it one last shot. So, went to CCRM in Colorado (we live in CA), where for the first time we were successful in having our embryos make it to the 5-day blastocyst stage. We transferred two blasts and finally were successful! I became pregnant with a son who was delivered 2.5yrs ago.

And then one year later, I became pregnant naturally with our second son.

I totally believe that we would not have either of our sons had we not gone to CCRM. The two clinics that we went to prior to CCRM were both top-notch, but neither could provide any explanation as to why we couldn't get pregnant. In addition, I think all of my research, (and I did a crapload of research...I could probably write a book on hormones and IVF), really helped.

I think the best advice I can give is don't give up. Unexplained IF is really difficult, but it's not the worst and there is hope. Also, do your research...Be your own advocate.

@LindsayInNY: I gotta thank you for starting this thread! I'm so intrigued by everyone's unexplained stories.

@sooz: What was done differently at CCRM and between the successful cycle and the first 2? I hear it a lot that people with IF for the first child go on to conceive naturally so much easier for subsequent children. I'm so happy that it all worked out for you in the end!

@PurplePumps: I think the main difference with CCRM is that their lab is amazing. They were the first to develop embryos to the blastocyst stage and their head embryologist, David Gardner (he was actually a vet and then took his knowledge of animal IVF to humans, but I don't think he's at CCRM anymore), actually created the ratings system for blastocysts. Basically, they have a kick-ass lab and I think that's where the difference lies. Because to be completely honest, there's only so much tweaking and changes you can make to your protocol and meds and any clinic can do that, but it's the Lab that makes the big difference...once that egg/embryo is outside of the body, it's the Lab that the does all the work.

Also, CCRM monitors EVERYTHING. They're very meticulous about keeping track of your hormones and they ask you to come in everyday to see what your levels are and they will adjust your meds based on the results. So you're being monitored constantly.

@LindsayInNY: I want to echo what other said and thank you for starting this thread.

I'm in the same boat with unexplained IF. Just had another IUI (#3) last Friday, but my temps aren't looking promising.

I think I'm going to try my fourth IUI with injectables and then possibly move to IVF if that isn't successful.

I hate, hate, hate the unexplained part it's so frustrating. Good luck to you.

I know 2 people who had unexplained infertility- both 2-3 years of TTC. Acupuncture and herbs worked for both of the. Both pregnant 3-6 months later.

I didn't get a chance to respond last night...DH and I are unexplained, with the added caveat that we've now had two early losses (missed m/c @11weeks (conceived without help) and a blighted ovum (following IVF), both followed by D+C...so now I am undergoing some further work-up for recurrent loss. We tried for essentially 2 years (3 IUI cycles, otherwise TI) and my periods have always been extremely regular, "normal" flow, without excessive pain. My RE, for whom I have a great deal of respect, feels like this is likely "just one of those things" (I'm paraphrasing). I (not-so-secretly) am worried that I may be having some immune response that is preventing pregnancy...but it's tough because there are only so many things that they can test...and no proven treatments...if that makes any sense. Anyway...unexplained does suck a lot and I guess it only means "to the best of our abilities, we can't determine why you're not getting pregnant," as @Sarac: already said.

I'm wishing you lots of good mojo and your soon!